SOUTH CAROLINA WEATHER AND CLIMATE

     Weather conditions for most of the week reflected a normal summertime
pattern as high pressure offshore provided mostly sunny skies, and hot,
humid afternoons.  Convective, scattered thunderstorms gave some relief
during the dry days and helped cool those few sites with showers.  On
Wednesday, June 16, strong storms over the central midlands produced hail
and rainfall amounts of nearly two inches an hour.  On Friday, thunderstorms
in Darlington and Dorchester counties caused wind damage and golf ball size
hail in Harleyville.  Along the immediate coast, a gentle sea breeze kept
high temperatures in the upper 80's.  Statewide temperatures for the period
averaged from near normal for counties closest to the coast and 2 degrees
above normal elsewhere.

     The maximum observed temperature was 100 degrees on July 14 at Johnston.
The minimum observed temperature was 62 degrees in Walhalla on the morning of
July 16.  The heaviest official 24-hour rainfall was recorded at Columbia
Airport with 2.80" ending at midnight on July 16.  Statewide rainfall for the
period averaged 0.7 inches.

                 Precipitation
                 Period      1997          Deviation*      Temperature
Location         Total      Total           From Avg.    Maximum   Minimum  
Greer             0.20       29.5              0.6B       92        66
Charlotte, NC     0.08       23.7              0.6B       96        68
Columbia          2.99       24.6              4.0B       95        69          
Florence FAA      2.87       24.1              1.1B       94        68   
Blackville        0.12       26.8              0.9B       98        68
Augusta, GA       1.42       22.1              4.8B       96        68
Beaufort          1.14       24.6              3.6B       92        71 
Charleston        1.56       34.6              6.0A       92        70
Myrtle Beach      0.03       25.5              2.8B       89        70
*A=Above, B=Below                                                                       
                                   
Note: Weekly rainfall amounts are for the prior 24-hrs ending 7 am Monday
through ending 7 am Sunday

                       Degree Days

                         Actual

                        July 1-21

                      Cooling   Heating              
Columbia                335        0

Charleston              315        0

Greenville              264        0

Temperatures are expected to average near normal for the week.  Rainfall is
expected to be near to above normal.  The Sandhill Research and Education
Center in north Columbia reports an average 4-inch depth soil temperature of
85 degrees.

    River stages are below normal.

    Surf temperatures at Myrtle Beach and Savannah will average around 83
degrees.