On the morning of January 1, a hard freeze of 28 degrees was observed as far eastward and south as Marion, Hemingway and Allendale. Areas of heavy rain developed over the Upstate on Saturday, January 3, bringing Caesars Head 2.98 inches. A warm front arrived on Sunday sending afternoon temperatures to 79 degrees at the Myrtle Beach International AP. Winter returned on January 7. Winds gusted to 39 mph at Greenville-Spartanburg and to 38 mph at Hilton Head AP. Snow flurries were observed on Folly Beach with a "dusting at Moncks Corner and Goose Creek." The thermometer at Sassafras Mountain reached -1 degrees on the morning of January 8. Beaufort's minimum temperature fell to 21 degrees. The 31-degree high temperature at Summerville made it the coldest afternoon in 18 years. Flooding rains spread northward on January 12 leaving 3.17 inches at Bennettsville, 3.02 inches at Dillon and 2.91 inches in Winnsboro. Warming on January 18 moved the temperature to 68 degrees at Edisto Beach. On January 21, Allendale and Barnwell reached 73 degrees. A coastal feature of wind and rain brought winds of 47 mph to Fort Sumter and N Myrtle Beach on January 23. A CoCoRaHS volunteer observer in Surfside Beach measured rains of 3.08 inches that left roadside ditches brimming with runoff. Cold conditions followed on January 27. The high temperature at Aiken and Myrtle Beach only made it to 46 degrees. Sleet was observed on Sassafras Mountain, Mauldin, Clover and Fort Mill on Thursday, January 29. On Saturday, January 31, Cedar Creek reported 18 degrees. It was 20 degrees in Union and Chesterfield. January ended with a rainfall range of 6.15 inches at Hemingway and 2.22 inches at Winthrop University.
February"Warm for the date" 70 degrees was reported at Walterboro and Hardeeville on February 1. High winds associated with a strong cold front reached 51 mph at Columbia Metro AP and 49 mph at the Orangeburg AP on February 2. The Darlington high temperature of 63 degrees on February 2 fell 39 degrees to a February 3 morning low temperature of 25 degrees. An even colder air mass arrived on Friday, February 6, moving the mercury to 12 degrees at Chesnee and 15 degrees for Rock Hill and Union. Just two days later, Allendale warmed to 74 degrees on February 8. Drier, colder air entered the state again on February 12. West winds gusted to 44 mph at Columbia Metro AP. The McEntire JNGB reported a 4:00 p.m. relative humidity value of just 15 percent. On the morning of February 13, Sassafras Mountain and Caesars Head noted 14 degrees. High winds on Saturday, February 14, gusted to 58 mph at the Clemson Oconee County AP toppling trees across the county. Bright sunshine on Sunday, February 15, could not offset the high temperature of just 36 degrees at Rock Hill and Marion. Wintry precipitation began to fall across the Upstate on Monday, February 16 leaving a coating of one-half-inch ice on exposed surfaces into the southern Piedmont and northern Midlands. West Pelzer received the most "melted" measurement of 1.50 inches. The season's coldest air settled over the state on February 19. At noon, all reporting sites in South Carolina were at or below freezing. Both high elevation reporting sites at Caesars Head and Sassafras Mountain reported a sub-zero, -1 degree. Overnight snow showers left Walhalla one-half of an inch. Out-of-season warmth on February 22, helped Charleston reach 76 degrees. Pre-frontal rains measured on the morning of February 23 included 1.20 inches at Sandhill and 1.01 inches at Shaw AFB in Sumter. Freezing air mixed with leftover rains overnight changed the wet weather to snow, sleet and freezing rain all the way to the coast for Tuesday, February 24. The Walhalla Fish Hatchery in Oconee County received four inches of powdery snow. Icy overpasses in Horry County caused accidents and detours. Tree icing was observed on the Charleston peninsula. Cold rains on February 25 brought Walterboro 2.50 inches. Long Creek measured an event snowfall of 6.5 inches. For Charleston, February 2014 was the coldest in 37 years. February ended with a rainfall range of 5.78 inches at Sullivan's Island to 2.04 inches at Winthrop University.
MarchAfter a nearly four-month absence of temperatures climbing into the 80's, Jamestown made it 84 degrees on March 4. Kingstree and Walterboro reported 84 degrees on March 5. The brief reminder of a long awaited spring yielded to a boundary of colder air racing south. Florence Regional AP recorded north winds gusting to 55 mph in heavy rain. At the Cheraw Municipal Lynch Bellinger Field, runway instruments noted north winds gusting to 38 mph and a twenty-minute temperature fall from 73 degrees at 2:15 p.m. to 50 degrees at 2:35 p.m. Winter cold was observed on Saturday morning, March 7. Sullivan's Island and Edisto Beach hovered near the freezing mark at 33 degrees. Southerly winds on March 10 brought the temperature back into the 80's. Jamestown's March 11 high temperature of 89 degrees was the state's warmest value since November 4, 2014. By Friday, March 13 late winter conditions had returned. Clarks Hill and Little Mountain reported a high temperature of just 50 degrees. Areas of rain on March 14 brought 1.40 inches to Darlington and 1.38 inches to Shaw AFB. On Monday, March 16, Table Rock and Allendale reached 86 degrees. Orangeburg, Charleston and Beaufort also reported a high temperature of 86 degrees the next day. The rush of warming had Edgefield County's peach orchards in full bloom. Showers on Thursday, March 19 brought 1.49 inches of rain to Pelion and 1.47 inches to Charleston City. The Vernal Equinox at 6:45 p.m. on the afternoon of March 20 occurred just after Edisto Beach had recorded a season-ending high temperature of 72 degrees. On Friday, March 27, the state's highest peak, Sassafras Mountain (elevation 3533') reported an 11:00 a.m. temperature of 38 degrees while a distant Myrtle Beach (elevation 25') was at a mild 72 degrees. A few showers accompanied the frontal passage with the most rain (0.82 inches) falling over Mullins. One-half-inch hail fell on Hilton Head Island causing leaf damage. Table Rock witnessed snow flurries before clearing. Crop-threatening cold visited portions of central South Carolina into the Pee Dee on March 28. The thermometers in McCormick, Sumter and Bishopville indicated a minimum temperature of 27 degrees. Anderson's seven-day rainfall total of just 0.06 inches fell in increments of 0.02 inches on March 23, 25 and 27. On March 29, the Walhalla Fish Hatchery (Jocassee 8WNW) and Chesnee reported a hard freeze of 19 degrees. Sunny skies on March 31 helped Allendale warm from a morning low temperature of 38 degrees to an afternoon high temperature of 82 degrees. March ended with a rainfall range of 5.08 inches at Barnwell to 1.72 inches at Lockhart.
AprilOut-of-season cold was observed at sunrise on April 5, Easter Sunday. Spartanburg recorded 29 degrees. Saluda and Conway reported 36 degrees. Florence and Holly Hill shared a Sunday afternoon high temperature of 72 degrees. A warming atmosphere on Tuesday, April 7, contributed to stormy weather overnight and into Wednesday. Large hail (1.75-inch diameter) fell over parts of Union County and near Blythewood. Batesburg measured one of the heavier rainfalls with 2.28 inches. On Wednesday, April 8, Barnwell recorded 91 degrees and the state's warmest day since October 27, 2014. On Thursday, Cades, Chesterfield, Hartsville and Columbia made it to 92 degrees. Cloudy skies and north winds meant no warming sunshine for Columbia on April 16. Their 57-degree high temperature was the coldest, for so late in April, since 1999. The year's first round of violent weather swept through central and eastern counties on Sunday, April 19. At least 15 counties reported downed trees. NWS storm survey teams confirmed an EF2 rated tornado in Aiken, an EF1 rated tornado on the southern side of Lake Murray to Ballentine, an EF1 rated tornado near St. Matthews and separate EF0 rated tornadoes near Trenton and Lamar. During the seven-day run from April 13-19, a dry York County reported rain every day totaling 5.19 inches. Storms on April 20 produced 2-inch diameter hail and 1.47 inches of rain near Travelers Rest. On April 24, the temperature fell to 37 degrees at the Kings Mt. National Military Park, Cedar Creek and Hartsville. Stormy weather concentrated along the southern coast with three CoCoRaHS volunteer observers in Bluffton reporting 24-hour rainfalls of 3.89, 3.87 and 3.68 inches in multiple thunderstorms on Saturday, April 25. Hilton Head and Mt. Pleasant warmed to 88 degrees on April 26. Cooler and wet days closed the month. April ended with a rainfall range of 11.61 inches at Jocassee 8WNW to 2.11 inches at Hartsville.
MayTrue to its history, much of May's weather consisted of cool mornings and warm afternoons. The Florence Regional AP low temperature on Tuesday, May 5, of 54 degrees warmed 30 degrees to an afternoon high temperature of 84 degrees. The tropical Atlantic's first named storm, Sub-Tropical Storm Ana formed on May 7 about 170 miles southeast of Myrtle Beach. Hilton Head reported north winds gusting to 36 mph. Winds at Springmaid Pier in Myrtle Beach gusted to 39 mph on Friday, May 8. On Saturday, May 9, the storm was reclassified as Tropical Storm Ana 115 miles southeast of Myrtle Beach. Ana made landfall in Myrtle Beach around 6:00 a.m. on May 10 with wind gusts of 50 mph and blowing, heavy rain. This was the earliest known landfall of a tropical storm in South Carolina recordkeeping. Nearly twenty-two hours of rain accumulated to 5.88 inches at Myrtle Beach. Temperatures in the 90's added fuel to thunderstorms on May 11. A USGS rain age at the Riverbanks Botanical Gardens measured 0.70 inches in 15 minutes. The Sumter and Kingstree airports both recorded a 19-degree temperature fall in one hour following storms. Barnwell's 95 degrees was the state's highest temperature since September 12, 2014. Widely scattered thunderstorms brought Mt Pleasant 0.97 inches in 40 minutes and a 24-hour amount of 3.88 inches to the Shadowmoss community in Charleston County. A drying boundary of cooler arrived on May 22.The Walhalla Thursday May 21 high temperature of 84 degrees fell 37 degrees overnight. During the first three weeks of May, no rain fell at Walhalla. On Tuesday, May 26, winds during a thunderstorm in Anderson gusted to 56 mph, blowing down trees. A CoCoRaHS volunteer 6.5 miles south-southwest of Trenton measured 4.37 inches of rain. The NWS Saluda volunteer observer reported rains of 2.50 inches. May ended with a rainfall range of 6.80 inches at N Myrtle Beach to 0.06 inches in Winnsboro.
JuneDrenching rains on June 2, over Columbia's Hamilton-Owens AP, brought 2.45 inches in three hours. The USGS N Fork Edisto River gage near Orangeburg recorded 0.48 inches in 5 minutes (part of 2.92 inches in one hour). On Wednesday, May 3, two CoCoRaHS volunteers within one-quarter of a mile of each other in McClellanville measured 5.80 and 5.66 inches respectively. Upper-level convergence stalled over Columbia with flooding overnight. The USGS rain gage at Brookland Cayce High School measured intensity rates up to 2.48 inches in 30 minutes and 6.28 inches in just six hours early on May 4. The USC Campus rain gage recorded a 24-hour total of 4.70 inches. The 5.86 inches that fell at the Columbia Metro AP from June 1-4 was the most ever recorded in the first four days of June's record keeping. Florence, Bamberg and Barnwell warmed to 93 degrees on June 6. Hot weather, by the date's standards, arrived for the weekend of June 13-14. Bishopville reached 97 degrees on Saturday, June 13. On Sunday, Bamberg's high temperature soared to 101 degrees and the state's hottest day since September 1. 2014. The heat kept building. All day sun on June 16 sent the mercury to 104 degrees at Cades and Bishopville. Storms on Thursday, June 18, produced winds of 55 mph in Darlington. A USGS gage on the Lunches River near Effingham recorded 1.46 inches of rain in 30 minutes. The Friday, June 19, 3:00 p.m. temperature at Sassafras Mt. was 72 degrees while a distant Congaree National Park baked at a shaded temperature of 98 degrees. The SC Drought Response Committee upgraded 28 counties to the first level of drought on June 19 due to three weeks of much below normal rainfall and above normal temperatures. Summer's official start on Sunday, June 21, did not need an introduction. Moncks Corner and Beaufort recorded 99 degrees. Bamberg had an 11-day run of 100 degrees or higher from June 14-24. On June 26 at 2:35 p.m., the Mt. Pleasant Regional AP noted 93 degrees combined with an 83-degree dewpoint, yielding a heat index value at a suffering 113 degrees. Longtown recorded a maximum temperature of 104 degrees on the same afternoon. A welcomed boundary of cooler air entered the state on Saturday, June 27. The Florence AP high temperature on June 28 of 88 degrees was that location's "lowest high" since June 5. Daybreak temperatures on Monday, June 29 cooled to 58 degrees in Union and 61 degrees in Lugoff. Seasonal heat returned on June's last day along with strong storms. Aiken reported 2.25 inches of rain in 30 minutes and winds atop Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia gusted to 80 mph June ended with a rainfall range of 10.25 inches at Summerville and 1.78 inches at Union.
JulyOn July 3, winds gusted to 62 mph at the Charleston AFB. Mostly cloudy skies and light showers took up much of the July 4 holiday. Georgetown's few sunshine hours warmed it to 92 degrees. Although the Greenville-Spartanburg AP observed "raindrops" from July 1-5, only a tenth of an inch was measured. Very hot weather on Thursday, July 9, pushed the 3:00 p.m. temperature at Chester, Lancaster and Hartsville to 99 degrees. At 6:00 p.m. on Friday, July 10, the Florence Regional AP noted 102 degrees with 17 percent relative humidity. The Clemson Sandhill Research and Education Center in northern Richland County reported 103 degrees. At a refreshing elevation of 3,525 feet, Sassafras Mountain's high temperature on Saturday, July 11, only made it to 82 degrees. The Marion County AP sweltered under 99 degrees on the same day. The SC Drought Response Committee upgraded the drought status statewide on July 16 due to the continued pattern of below normal precipitation. Twenty-eight counties were upgraded to the second level of drought (Moderate) and the remaining counties were upgraded to the first level of drought (Incipient). On Saturday, July 18, the Anderson County AP recorded a wind gust of 67 mph. Charleston AFB measured winds of 54 mph in a storm on Sunday, along with 1.36 inches of rain in 34 minutes. Oppressive heat and humidity on Tuesday, July 21 caused a 3:55 p.m. heat index value of 119 degrees at the Georgetown County AP. The July 22 7:06 p.m. surf water temperature at Springmaid Pier climbed to a season high 87.3 degrees. The Greenville-Spartanburg AP rain on July 27 of 0.75 inches was that location's heaviest since May 18. Johnston's high temperature went to 100 degrees. A downpour on Tuesday, July 28 at the USGS Broad River gage near Gaffney left 1.44 inches of rain in 15 minutes. McBee measured 0.97 inches (part of a 2.28-inch total) also in 15 minutes on July 30. Lake City and Kingstree reached 100 degrees on July 30. July ended with a rainfall range of 7.72 inches at the Charleston AFB to 1.10 inches at Travelers Rest.
AugustAn axis of tropical rain moved from Allendale over to the Grand Strand beaches on Monday, August 3. The Georgetown AP calendar day rainfall total on August 4 was a drenching 6.30 inches. Johnston took the high temperature honors on August 5 with 103 degrees. Dangerous storms on August 6 blew out plate glass in the Florence Regional AP terminal as surface winds gusted to 64 mph. Cloudy weather and areas of rain prevented the date's usual heat. The August 7 high temperature at Chester and Hemingway was an agreeable 87 degrees. Continental-sourced cooler air arrived on August 11. An isolated heavy rain cell produced 4.30 inches of rain at Manning. On Wednesday morning, August 12 Chesnee and McColl reported 65 degrees. Winnsboro cooled to 60 degrees on Thursday morning. Sub-tropical conditions returned to dominate the weather on August 18. Sullivan's Island received 3.42 inches in the 24-hours ending at 7:00 a.m. on August 19. Two-day rains at Holly Hill brought 4.22 inches. Another break for cooler weather came on August 26. At 1:00 p.m., Clemson AP, Newberry AP and Myrtle Beach each reported a mild 81 degrees. On Saturday, August 29, morning temperatures fell to 58 degrees at Cedar Creek, 59 degrees in Union, 60 degrees in Saluda and 61 degrees at the McEntire JNGB near Eastover. Heavy rains developed on Sunday, August 30 for central counties bordering the Savannah River. The USGS gage at Plum Branch near Lake Thurmond recorded 3.57 inches and 3.07 inches fell at the Batesburg Fire Department. Orangeburg's Sunday high temperature of 81 degrees made for their coolest afternoon since June 3. Flooding rains of 6.43 inches on Charleston's last day of August caused road closings and detours. August ended with a rainfall range of 12.01 inches at Georgetown AP to 1.52 inches at Spartanburg 3SSE.
SeptemberStorms on September 4 produced straight-line winds estimated at 70 mph along Seabrook Highway toppling at least ten large oaks. The Greenville Downtown AP recorded winds of 59 mph. Pre-dawn flooding on September 5 near the Lake Murray Saluda Dam was the result of two identical and nearby measurements of 3.39 inches in one hour. Leftover heating moved the temperature to 95 degrees at Hartsville on September 10. On Friday, September 11, Hilton Head reported a humid 90 degrees from 2-5:00 p.m. An abrupt change occurred on September 12 with a chilling frontal passage. The Greenville-Spartanburg AP high temperature of 76 degrees was their "lowest high" since May 1. Instruments at Sassafras Mountain recorded a Sunday, September 13, low temperature of 45 degrees. The SCDNR Walhalla Fish Hatchery (Jocassee 8WNW) Tuesday morning minimum dropped to 37 degrees. The 57-degree low temperature at Edisto Beach was that sites lowest since May 4. Slow afternoon warming peaked on Sunday with Bennettsville and Barnwell back to 95 degrees yet offset by reduced humidity. A Richland County rain gage at Martin Luther King (MLK) Park in Columbia's Five Points received 2.91 inches of rain (1.46 inches in 15 minutes) on September 21. On Wednesday, September 23 it was more flash flooding for Five Points. The MLK Park gage for this event measured 3.39 inches (2.20 inches in one hour). At around 12:42 a.m. on Thursday morning, September 24, veering winds aloft spun an EF2 rated tornado to the surface at Johns Island. At least 80 homes were damaged, some were completely dismantled. On the 24th, The SC Drought Response Committee downgraded the drought status of the coastal counties due to the recent heavy rainfall. Rainfall totals take on Friday morning, September 25, included a CoCoRaHS amount of 5.95 inches in Walterboro and 4.60 inches at Pawley's Island. On Tuesday, September 29, Kingstree and Summerville reported a high temperature of 88 degrees. Hilton Head Island noted a fourteen-hour run of 100 percent relative humidity. September ended with a rainfall range of 7.43 inches at Chesnee to 2.00 inches at Anderson AP.
OctoberAn unusual and dark sunrise for the coastal zones on Thursday, October 1, was obscured by the eastern horizons thick clouds and heavy rain. Georgetown reported an early morning total of 2.75 inches. Periods of steady rain brought the Charleston City peninsula 3.65 inches during the day that caused widespread street flooding. Folly Beach measured 5.46 inches. Strong convergence between an upper level area of low pressure near the Alabama-Georgia border, building high pressure just north of the Great Lakes and a category 3 Hurricane Joaquin positioned near the southern Bahamas Island set the stage for historic rains. At 6:53 p.m. on October 2, the N Myrtle Beach AP recorded a calendar-day running total of 6.53 inches. At 9:15 p.m., the USGS rain gage at Bucks Creek near Longs recorded a 24-hour total of 9.79 inches. Around 4:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 3, hard rain was falling in 60-70-mile-wide ribbons over the eastern half of South Carolina. Two CWOP (Citizen Weather Observer Program) volunteers reported overnight rains of 16.00 inches in Little River and 15.86 inches at N Myrtle Beach. Abandoned cars littered flooded roads and parking lots in Horry County. At 11:54 a.m., east winds at Springmaid Pier gusted to 46 mph. During the evening hours, east winds gusted to 60 mph in the Charleston Harbor driving waves on elevated tides against and over the peninsula's southeast battery. At midnight, the Charleston AP had received 11.50 inches of rain establishing a new all time, any month, 24-hour rainfall. In addition, the three-day total of 14.48 inches surpassed the standing Charleston AP October rainfall 31-day record of 12.11 inches set in 1994. Well before sunrise on Sunday, October 4, record and deadly rains expanded from the coastal plain into the Midlands. An automated Forestry Service gage near Santee in Clarendon County indicated that as of 1:44 a.m., 9.81 inches had fallen over the previous 24-hours. Portions of Interstate 26 became impassable. Hourly rainfall rates at a Richland County Emergency Services rain gage located at the Forest Acres Forest Drive intersection with Interstate 77 recorded 3.76 inches in just one hour between 3-4:00 a.m. In only four hours, 10.64 inches of rain fell. At 7:00 a.m., 12.68 inches had fallen resulting in life-threatening flash flooding and a succession of dam failures along the Gills Creek watershed. Extreme flooding affected a four-mile stretch between Dentsville, along and adjacent to Gills Creek, through Lake Katharine into the Garners Ferry Road business section. Lexington's overnight rain of 8.40 inches overwhelmed the Twelve Mile Creek basin, taking out the Lexington Mill Pond Dam, business property and washing away a section of Highway 1. The 8.74 inches falling over 24-hours at the Columbia Metro AP set a new site record, besting the 7.66 inches set in August 1949. The Congaree River at Columbia rose to a Sunday, October 4, stage of 31.81 feet. At Kingstree, 12.83 inches of rain was measured. The Sunday 24-hour total of 16.69 inches at the Gills Creek gage, according to the National Weather Service Hydrometeorological Design Studies Center, exceeded the 1,000 year recurrence interval for any location in South Carolina. It was discovered on Monday morning, October 5, the 120-year old Broad River diversionary Columbia Canal had breached, compromising the metropolitan areas source of treated water. Running event totals had now reached 19.81 inches at Shaw AFB in Sumter and an incredible 26.92 inches at Mt. Pleasant. The USGS Black River automated gage received an event total of 22.91 inches. At 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday, October 6, the Black River at Kingstree crested with an all-time stage of 22.65 feet. Recordkeeping began January 1, 1894. Travel within Williamsburg County required a boat. Road closings due to bridge failures and roadbed washouts affected at least 17 counties. Warming on Thursday, October 8, sent the afternoon temperature to 85 degrees at Clarks Hill, Marion and Myrtle Beach. Unwanted rain returned on October 10 with 3.47 inches falling in Gilbert. More roads were washed out in Swansea, Pelion, Gilbert and Red Bank. The Columbia AP, October 10 rainfall of 1.47 inches established a new October record of 12.99 inches, replacing the full-month record total of 12.09 inches set in 1959. Although most of the state observed a rain free October 12-18 week, the usual "dry branches" of Eastover were still draining floodwaters. Freezing air made an appearance on the morning of October 19 at an even 32 degrees for Aiken, Chesterfield and the Conway AP. On October 23, Cheraw had warmed to an unseasonable 86 degrees. No rainfall was reported between October 19 and 25. Multi-day rains, ending on October 28, totaled 3.85 inches at Caesars Head, 2.76 inches at Winnsboro and 2.22 inches in Hartsville. October ended with a rainfall range of 26.99 inches at Georgetown AP to 6.02 inches at Catawba. The October rains washed away the drought statewide.
NovemberJust before the arrival of eastward moving rain, the Beaufort Marine Corps Air Station warmed to a November 1 high temperature of 82 degrees. Drenching rains filled the Sullivan's Island gage with 4.35 inches and 4.05 inches was measured at Bamberg. Greenwood received 5.12 inches over two days. The 4.83 inches that fell on Mullins on November 4, caused floodwaters to a depth of three feet on Front Street. After four days of rain, Mullins had received 6.92 inches. On Friday, November 6, and just before time of sunset, the sun made a shy appearance at Greenwood after a cloudy stretch of nearly seven consecutive days. Late season warming on November 7 moved the temperature to 87 degrees at Georgetown County AP. Late evening rains on Monday, November 9, produced 3.82 inches at the Lake Murray Saluda Dam and localized flash flooding. Charleston's AFB November 9 rainfall of 1.81 inches raised their nine-day total to a new November record of 7.71 inches besting the 7.35 inches that fell in the thirty days of 1972. Seasonal freezing on November 14 dropped the temperature to 30 degrees for Greenwood and Saluda. Hartsville and Conway had a freeze on November 15. Shaw AFB and Orangeburg warmed to 78 degrees on November 18 ahead of a wave of colder air and rain. Pageland's 7:00 a.m. overnight rainfall amount taken on November 19 was 3.83 inches. The continuing above- normal rain had brought most farm field operations to a halt. Very cold air arrived for Monday morning, November 23. Fountain Inn and Sandy Springs recorded 23 degrees. It was 28 degrees in Newberry and Saluda. On Tuesday, November 24, heavy frost was observed at McClellanville. At 10:00 a.m. on Thanksgiving Thursday, November 26, runway instruments at Rock Hill AP (KUZA) recorded a peak barometric pressure value of 30.73 inches of mercury. Afternoon temperatures, under mostly sunny skies, climbed to 68 degrees at Pickens and 76 degrees in Moncks Corner. Mild to warm temperatures were observed thorough the holiday weekend. For Columbia Metro AP, the September through November "climatological fall" was the wettest of record. November ended with a rainfall range of 12.94 inches at Jocassee 8WNW to 4.17 inches in Sumter.
DecemberThe Georgetown AP warmed to a more late September-like 81 degrees on December 2. Freezing temperatures on December 5 went as low as 25 degrees at Sandy Springs. Mild weather followed a morning of dense fog on December 8. Sullivan's Island made it to 74 degrees on December 9. On Saturday, December 12, Bennettsville and Cheraw reached 81 degrees. At 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 15, all reporting sites in South Carolina were in the 70's. Soaking rains developed late on December 16 producing overnight totals of 2.75 inches at Calhoun Falls, 2.50 inches at Spartanburg and 1.83 inches at Fountain Inn. Myrtle Beach and Jamestown reached 79 degrees on December 17, a full twenty degrees above the date's average. At the same time a cold front was approaching the northwest counties on December 18, the Charleston AFB calendar day rainfall of 0.43 inches established a new all- time yearly rainfall record of 73.40 inches, surpassing the 72.99 inches that fell in 1964. A rush of cold sent the temperature on Saturday morning, December 19, to 31 degrees at Edisto Beach and that location's coldest morning in ten months. The Jocassee 8WNW (Walhalla Fish Hatchery) observer reported a December 19 minimum temperature of 19 degrees. This was the state's coldest temperature of the season. At 9:55 a.m. on Sunday, December 20, the Darlington Jetport noted a peak barometric pressure value of 30.64 inches of mercury. Winter's official start came during the last hour of December 21 with more heavy rain and temperatures well above average. Overnight rainfall amounts of 3.70 inches fell on McCormick and 2.80 inches were measured at Cedar Creek. Downpours on Tuesday left 3.97 inches at Quinby, 3.06 inches at Gallivant's Ferry and 2.96 inches at Hartsville. It was the same on Wednesday, December 23. Table Rock reported 2.83 inches and 2.82 inches fell on Laurens. Barnwell's 83 degrees was the state's highest temperature. Thursday's date record high temperatures were set at Florence and Columbia with 77 degrees and in Charleston with 80 degrees. Friday, December 25, began with areas of fog and morning low temperatures running nearly 30 degrees above the date's average. With the exception of the Upstate, most of South Carolina observed a partly sunny and warm Christmas day. Conway and Summerville made it to a high temperature of 79 degrees. More date high temperature records were set on Saturday, December 26. The Greenville-Spartanburg AP recorded 76 degrees and the Charleston AFB warmed to 81 degrees. On Monday, December 28, Florence and Columbia reached 80 degrees and another date record. Charleston's 82 degrees was a record breaker. Heavy rains fell over the mountains in Oconee County, bringing Long Creek 3.27 inches. The 69-degree minimum temperature at Columbia Metro AP on Tuesday morning was a full 35 degrees above the date's average and tied the "highest low" ever observed in December. Florence's 82 degrees set a December 29 record. Charleston's 82 degrees on December 30 bested the 1990 record of 79 degrees. Flash flooding developed during the afternoon of December 30 for the counties of Anderson, Greenville, York, Lancaster, Chester, Laurens, Abbeville, Greenwood, Newberry, Fairfield and Lexington. The Newberry NWS observer reported a 24-hour amount of 5.05 inches. Other notable amounts included 3.78 inches at Lake Greenwood and 2.73 inches in Chester. On December 31, the Summerville high temperature climbed to an even 80 degrees. The year 2015 ended with the Columbia Metro AP recording its warmest average December temperature of record at 60.1 degrees and the Charleston AFB having its wettest year on record with 74.89 inches.
