South Carolina Current Drought Status
State Climate Office 803-734-9100
SPECIAL NEWS RELEASE 11-03 DNR News 803-667-0696
February 3, 2011
Drought Response Committee maintains status, long term forecast indicates potential ongoing drought
For previously issued drought statements see the archived status reports.
Table of all counties and drought status.
Drought Response Committee Meeting Sign-In sheet.
Discussion:
With anticipation of heavy rain on the way, the Drought Response Committee voted on Feb. 3 to maintain the first level of drought for 37 counties. The information conveyed by the long term indicators shows the potential for ongoing drought despite recent rain activity.
Marlboro, Dillon, Marion, Florence, Horry, Williamsburg, Georgetown, Berkeley, and Charleston counties continue with no drought status. The incipient drought declaration is followed by increasing levels of severity to moderate, severe and extreme status.
Hope Mizzell, S.C State Climatologist stated, "Some people may question why we are talking about drought since it appears winter has been very cold with normal rainfall. In reality, while we have had clouds, snow and rain, the actual amount of precipitation received has been much lower than average for the majority of the state. Most sites in the Pee Dee region have received less than 3.5" since December 1 which is only 40 percent of what they normally receive. Places like Walhalla recorded closer to normal rainfall, but are still reporting a deficit."
Rainfall Totals and Percent of Normal Summary: Dec. 1, 2010 to Feb. 2, 2011
| Station | Rainfall Totals | Percent of Normal |
|---|
| Cheraw | 2.98" | 38% |
| Winnsboro | 3.28" | 39" |
| Florence | 3.14" | 40% |
| Johnston | 3.57" | 40% |
| Sumter | 3.57" | 42% |
| Columbia | 3.55" | 43% |
| Laurens | 4.25" | 46% |
| Gaffney | 4.47" | 50% |
| Orangeburg | 4.19" | 50% |
| Greenwood | 4.82" | 53% |
| McColl | 3.59" | 54% |
| Spartanburg | 5.36" | 56% |
| Ware Shoals | 4.85" | 56% |
| Chester | 4.74" | 56% |
| Saluda | 5.19" | 58% |
| Charleston AFB | 4.74" | 63% |
| Anderson | 7.33" | 73% |
| Pickens | 8.27" | 77% |
| Newberry | 8.19" | 91% |
Ken Rentiers, Deputy Director, Land, Water, and Conservation Division emphasized, "Winter is our recharge season. During winter when demand and evaporation are low we depend on the rains to recharge our surface and groundwater."
Darryl Jones, S.C. Forestry Commission, reported that dry winter conditions resulted in increased wildfire activity across the state, "In January, the Forestry Commission responded to 247 wildfires across the state that burned more than 1,000 acres. That's a lot more fires than we normally see in January and indicates that our wildfire season is starting a little early this year. We encourage the public to be extremely careful if they choose to conduct outdoor burning and to make sure they follow all of the applicable state laws. This includes notifying the Forestry Commission before you burn, having adequate firebreaks and equipment in place to keep the fire under control and staying with the fire until it is completely safe." Please contact Darryl Jones for questions about wildfire activity at (803) 896-8800.
During incipient drought, DNR activates the Drought Information Center and increases monitoring and notification of the drought status.
Drought Status Table
| Current Drought Status by County |
|---|
| Normal |
Incipient |
Moderate |
Severe |
Extreme |
County
Status |
County
Status |
County
Status |
County
Status |
County
Status |
|---|
ABBEVILLE
Incipient |
AIKEN
Incipient |
ALLENDALE
Incipient |
ANDERSON
Incipient |
BAMBERG
Incipient |
BARNWELL
Incipient |
BEAUFORT
Incipient |
BERKELEY
Normal |
CALHOUN
Incipient |
CHARLESTON
Normal |
CHEROKEE
Incipient |
CHESTER
Incipient |
CHESTERFIELD
Incipient |
CLARENDON
Incipient |
COLLETON
Incipient |
DARLINGTON
Incipient |
DILLON
Normal |
DORCHESTER
Incipient |
EDGEFIELD
Incipient |
FAIRFIELD
Incipient |
FLORENCE
Normal |
GEORGETOWN
Normal |
GREENVILLE
Incipient |
GREENWOOD
Incipient |
HAMPTON
Incipient |
HORRY
Normal |
JASPER
Incipient |
KERSHAW
Incipient |
LANCASTER
Incipient |
LAURENS
Incipient |
LEE
Incipient |
LEXINGTON
Incipient |
MARION
Normal |
MARLBORO
Normal |
MCCORMICK
Incipient |
NEWBERRY
Incipient |
OCONEE
Incipient |
ORANGEBURG
Incipient |
PICKENS
Incipient |
RICHLAND
Incipient |
SALUDA
Incipient |
SPARTANBURG
Incipient |
SUMTER
Incipient |
UNION
Incipient |
WILLIAMSBURG
Normal |
YORK
Incipient |
|
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Sign-In Sheet
SC Drought Response Committee Meeting, February 3, 2011
Sign-In sheet |
|---|
| Name & Agency | Name & Agency |
|---|
David Baize - DHEC
Dean Moss - BJWSA
Vernon Osteen - SRNS
Elbert Warren - DCWSA
Eric Odom - Orangeburg DPU
Jimmy Bagley - City of Rock Hill
Jon Sherer - City of Columbia
Mitch Turner - SJWD Water District
Warren Harris - Salem Water
Bobby Brock - Marlboro Water Co.
Pickens Williams Jr. - Barnwell County
|
Ed Saxon - BJWSA
Scott Willet - Anderson Regional Water
John Shelton - USGS
Steve Hammond - Duke Energy
Gregory Lamberty - NWS Columbia
Francis Tubilino - SCEMD
Darryl Jones - SC Forestry Commission
Mike Hancock - Lugoff-Elgin Water Authority
Brenda Nettles - Barnwell
Ken Rentiers - SC DNR LWC
Doug Young - Chickasaw Point POA
Hope Mizzell - SC DNR LWC
|
Find out more about the State Climatology Office at http://www.dnr.sc.gov/climate/sco/ or by calling (803) 734-9100.
