A ridge of cool, dry high pressure built in over the state on Monday, March 5. CoCoRaHS observers in Mount Pleasant and Charleston reported light to moderate frost to start the week. Ninety Nine Islands had a morning low temperature of 24 degrees. North Myrtle Beach had a morning low temperature of 33 degrees. After a 31-degree start, Columbia Metro Airport reached an afternoon temperature of 70 degrees. A deepening low pressure system passed over the state on March 6. Light rain began over the Upstate before sunrise and slowly migrated eastward during the day. Anderson and Rock Hill reported receiving 0.90 inches and 0.61 inches of rain, respectively. The Charleston Air Force Base had an afternoon high temperature of 68 degrees and received 0.08 inches of rain on March 6 and another 0.10 inches after midnight as the low pressure system moved offshore.
On March 7, a secondary cold front ushered in cold, dry high pressure. Chesnee had a morning low temperature of 28 degrees. Orangeburg and Charleston only reached 64 degrees that afternoon. High pressure, clear skies, dry conditions and cool temperatures persisted on March 8 and 9. USC Columbia and Charleston reported a high temperature of 57 degrees on Thursday March 8. Jocassee and Caesars Head had a morning low temperature of 20 degrees to start March 9.
High pressure migrated southeast of the state by midday Saturday, March 10. With a more southerly surface flow in place, Columbia and Charleston reached 71 degrees that afternoon. A trough developed over the SC-NC border late in the day triggering scattered light rainshowers over the Upstate. 0.15 inches fell at the Oconee County Airport. A cold frontal boundary passed over the state on Sunday, March 11. Rock Hill reported 0.47 inches of rain. Darlington had a morning low temperature of 29 degrees, and Charleston ended the week with a high temperature of 76 degrees.
(Note: The highest and lowest official temperatures and highest precipitation totals provided below are based on observations from the National Weather Service Cooperative Observer network and the National Weather Service's Forecast Offices.)
The highest official temperature reported was 77 degrees at Jamestown on March 11.
The lowest official temperature reported was 18.9 degrees on Sassafras Mountain on March 9.
The heaviest official 24-hour precipitation reported was 0.98 inches at USGS Horse Creek at Clearwater during a period ending at 7 AM on March 7.
The state average precipitation for the seven-day period was 0.60 inches.
| Weekly* | Since Jan 1 | Departure | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anderson Airport | 1.16 | 9.95 | 0.5 |
| Greer Airport | 0.64 | 9.61 | 0.2 |
| Charlotte, NC Airport | 1.01 | 7.48 | -0.7 |
| Columbia Metro Airport | 0.42 | 4.97 | -3.6 |
| Orangeburg Airport | 0.41 | 3.49 | -5.5 |
| Augusta, GA Airport | 0.91 | 5.04 | -4.7 |
| Florence Airport | 0.29 | 4.68 | -2.7 |
| North Myrtle Beach Airport | 0.31 | 6.52 | -2.0 |
| Charleston Air Force Base | 0.36 | 4.53 | -3.4 |
| Savannah, GA Airport | 0.24 | 3.13 | -4.7 |
| *Weekly precipitation totals ending midnight Sunday. |
4-inch depth soil temperature: Clinton: 49 degrees. Columbia: 57 degrees. Barnwell: 48 degrees. Mullins: 47 degrees.
Upstate river stages were below normal to normal.
Midlands and Pee Dee river stages were much below normal to below normal.
Lowcountry river stages were much below normal to below normal.
Charleston Harbor water temperature: 58.8 degrees.
Fripp Nearshore Buoy (Station 41033): 60.1 degrees.
