South Carolina Current Drought Status

State Climate Office                
NEWS RELEASE #15-35          DNR News 803-667-0696
October 5, 2015

Committee downgrades entire state to no drought status

South Carolina Drought Map for October 5, 2015

For previously issued drought statements see the archived status reports.

Table of all counties and drought status.
Drought Response Committee Meeting Sign-In sheet.

The S.C. Drought Response Committee, meeting via conference call on Oct. 30, 2015, has downgraded the entire state to no drought status. This is due to the unprecedented heavy rain this month across much of the state with some areas receiving 14 to 28 inches since Oct. 1.

According to Scott Harder, S.C. Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Hydrology, "Most of the 21 streamflow gages used to monitor drought now have above normal flows compared to late September when flows were below normal. As bad as the flooding was for many parts of the state, the dry conditions leading up to the heavy rain may have reduced the severity of flooding in some basins."

The original Drought Committee meeting was postponed on Oct. 5 due to the state's emergency response to the historic rain and flooding event. The committee officially met Oct. 30, but decided to retroactively designate the date of the downgrade to Oct. 5. Hope Mizzell, S.C. State Climatologist explained, "It is important for documentation and future research that the drought designations timely reflect actual conditions. While Committee members were unable to convene to discuss the drought until late October it was unanimously recognized that the drought ended following the historic rains in early October. The official designation will reflect no drought as of Oct. 5, 2015."

Contact Dr. Mizzell in Columbia at (803) 734-9568 or e-mail at mizzellh@dnr.sc.gov for more information.

DNR protects and manages South Carolina's natural resources by making wise and balanced decisions for the benefit of the state's natural resources and its people. Find out more about DNR at the DNR Web site.

Drought Status Table

Current Drought Status by County
Normal Incipient Moderate Severe Extreme
County
Status
County
Status
County
Status
County
Status
County
Status
ABBEVILLE
Normal
AIKEN
Normal
ALLENDALE
Normal
ANDERSON
Normal
BAMBERG
Normal
BARNWELL
Normal
BEAUFORT
Normal
BERKELEY
Normal
CALHOUN
Normal
CHARLESTON
Normal
CHEROKEE
Normal
CHESTER
Normal
CHESTERFIELD
Normal
CLARENDON
Normal
COLLETON
Normal
DARLINGTON
Normal
DILLON
Normal
DORCHESTER
Normal
EDGEFIELD
Normal
FAIRFIELD
Normal
FLORENCE
Normal
GEORGETOWN
Normal
GREENVILLE
Normal
GREENWOOD
Normal
HAMPTON
Normal
HORRY
Normal
JASPER
Normal
KERSHAW
Normal
LANCASTER
Normal
LAURENS
Normal
LEE
Normal
LEXINGTON
Normal
MARION
Normal
MARLBORO
Normal
MCCORMICK
Normal
NEWBERRY
Normal
OCONEE
Normal
ORANGEBURG
Normal
PICKENS
Normal
RICHLAND
Normal
SALUDA
Normal
SPARTANBURG
Normal
SUMTER
Normal
UNION
Normal
WILLIAMSBURG
Normal
YORK
Normal


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Sign-In Sheet

SC Drought Response Committee Meeting, October 5, 2015
Sign-In sheet
Name & AgencyName & Agency

Find out more about the State Climatology Office at https://www.dnr.sc.gov/climate/sco/ or by calling (803) 734-9100.