SOUTH CAROLINA WEATHER AND CLIMATE

July 26 - August 1, 2004

WEATHER SUMMARY

Bermuda high pressure dominated the week with increased humidity, a mix of tropic sun and clouds and scattered thundershowers. Slow moving storms on Tuesday drenched Lexington County with rainfall amounts of between three and five inches. Flooding rains on Wednesday evening caused property damage in Hartsville. Additional heavy rains on Thursday sent the Reedy River in Greenville above flood stage. The season's first tropical feature formed as a depression east of Florida on Saturday. On Sunday, the system was upgraded to Tropical Storm Alex and meandered offshore south of Charleston. Rainfall bands, rotating in from the Atlantic, brought cloudy skies and periods of wet weather across central and north coastal counties. For the period, the state average temperature was near normal.

The highest official temperature reported was 95 degrees at Aiken and Darlington on July 27. The lowest official temperature reported was 60 degrees at Caesars Head on the morning of July 28. The heaviest official 24-hour rainfall reported was 5.01" at Hartsville ending at 7:00 a.m. on July 29. The average statewide rainfall for the period was 0.5”.

PRECIPITATION AND TEMPERATURE DATA

     
                            Precipitation                    
                       Weekly   Jan 1  Deviation     
                        Total   Total   From Avg
         Greer           0.45    22.4       -8.4
      Columbia           2.47    25.7       -4.3          
    Orangeburg                   27.0       -2.0
 Charlotte, NC                   25.3       -0.6
   Augusta, GA           0.81    24.7       -3.0 
      Florence           3.07    19.2       -7.8           
  Myrtle Beach           0.74    22.1       -3.0 
    Charleston           1.29    20.9       -8.9           
  Savannah, GA  	               23.1       -6.1

Weekly rainfall totals ending midnight Sunday.            

SOIL

4 inch depth average soil temperature: Columbia 83 degrees.

RIVERS AND SURF

South Carolina river stages were below normal. Surf temperatures at Myrtle Beach
and Savannah will average around 82 degrees.