SOUTH CAROLINA WEATHER AND CLIMATE

December 1 - 7, 2003

WEATHER SUMMARY

A mild Monday started the week with afternoon high temperatures reaching into the 70's. Cold high pressure arrived during the day on Tuesday with clouds and at least a ten degree drop. By late Wednesday, low pressure began forming south of the boundary and setting the stage for an early episode of wintry weather. During the day on Thursday, precipitation in the form of snow, sleet, freezing rain, and rain covered the state. Hardest hit were the higher elevations where a mix coated exposed surfaces, caused light tree limb damage with power interruptions, and numerous vehicle accidents. A brief period of sleet was reported south into Richland County. Clear, cold weather followed through the weekend with hard freezes and frost all the way to the coast. The statewide average temperature for the period was six degrees below normal.

The highest temperature reported was 74 degrees at Orangeburg on December 1. The lowest temperature was 21 degrees at Salem on the morning of December 7. The heaviest 24-hour rainfall reported was 1.11" at West Pelzer ending at 7:00 a.m. on December 5. The average statewide rainfall for the period was 0.6.”

PRECIPITATION AND TEMPERATURE DATA

                             Precipitation                  Temperature
                       Weekly   Jan 1  Deviation      Average  Average
                        Total   Total   From Avg      Maximum  Minimum  Average
         Greer           0.40    60.9       13.7           49       34       42 
      Columbia           0.46    54.8        9.2           52       32       42 
   Augusta, GA           0.43    51.3        9.2           55       28       42 
        Cheraw           0.25E   41.0       -4.4           52       33       42 
       Chester           0.25E   49.5        4.3           49       27       39 
      Johnston           0.35E   49.6        3.7           52       32       42 
        Sumter           0.43    44.1       -1.8           53       33       43      
       Clemson           0.54    59.1        8.7           54       34       44
      Florence           0.12    40.0       -1.0           51       31       41 
  Myrtle Beach           0.37    53.3       10.2           56       36       46 
     Allendale           0.74    47.6        3.7           56       30       43 
    Charleston           0.84    50.0        1.0           56       36       46 
      Beaufort           0.91    51.8        4.4           59       40       50 

  
             

Note: Weekly rainfall amounts are for the 24-hour period ending midnight Sunday.

SOIL

4 inch depth average soil temperature: Columbia 48 degrees.

RIVERS AND SURF

South Carolina river stages were near normal. Surf temperatures at Myrtle Beach and
Savannah will average around 52 degrees.