WEEKLY SOUTH CAROLINA WEATHER 2011

March 14, 2011 - March 20, 2011

WEATHER SUMMARY:

Fair weather was observed on Monday before rains entered the Upstate on Tuesday morning. At 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, both the Anderson and Clemson airports reported heavy rain. Pickens measured a 24-hour event rainfall total of 0.81 inches. Holly Hill noted a mostly sunny day and a high temperature of 80 degrees. There was no measurable rain recorded over the Lowcountry. A cold boundary divided the state from the north to the south on Wednesday. At 1:00 p.m., it was 53 degrees in Florence while Charleston reported 73 degrees. Thursday's sunrise temperatures fell to 31 degrees at Cedar Creek and 34 degrees in Laurens. Much warmer weather replaced the brief cold snap and by Thursday afternoon the peak temperature at Givhans had climbed to 79 degrees. On Friday, Sandy Run, Clemson AP and Shaw AFB each recorded 89 degrees. Severe weather formed along a southeastward-moving cold front Saturday afternoon and evening. Mid-afternoon storms in Greenville produced hail that covered the ground. Large hail, up to golf ball-sized, fell over parts of Laurens and Saluda counties. Lake Greenwood measured a heavy rainfall total of 1.98 inches. After Saturday's high temperatures in the 80's, much cooler weather was reported on Sunday. Orangeburg's 86 degrees on Saturday fell 15 degrees to a Sunday maximum of 71 degrees. The state average temperature for the seven-day period was six degrees above normal.

The highest official temperature reported was 90 degrees at Barnwell on March 19. The lowest official temperature reported was 29 degrees at Jocassee on March 17. The heaviest official 24-hour rainfall reported was 2.02 inches at Gray Court ending at 7:00 a.m. on March 20. The state average rainfall for the period was 0.2 inches.

PRECIPITATION:

                            Precipitation                                                                     
                       Weekly   Jan 1   Departure     
                        Total   Total   from Avg
         Greer           0.34    9.99     -2.2
      Anderson           0.62    9.36     -2.5
      Columbia           0.09    7.01     -4.5
    Orangeburg           0.41    7.06     -4.4
 Charlotte, NC           0.07    6.87     -3.6
   Augusta, GA           0.56    8.05     -3.7
      Florence           0.02    5.74     -4.0
N Myrtle Beach           0.00    6.70     -3.1
    Charleston           0.00    6.16     -3.6
  Savannah, GA           0.00    7.26     -1.9

Weekly rainfall totals ending midnight Sunday.

SOIL:

4-inch depth soil temperature: Columbia 62 degrees, Charleston 65 degrees.

RIVERS AND SURF:

South Carolina river stages were near to below normal. Ocean water temperatures at Springmaid Pier Myrtle Beach were reported at 59 degrees.