WEEKLY SOUTH CAROLINA WEATHER 2009

May 25, 2009 - May 31, 2009

WEATHER SUMMARY:

Drenching thunderstorms were reported within the state on Monday. At the Clemson University Blackville station, 0.55 inches of rain fell in 5 minutes and 2.44 inches of a 4.01 inch, 24-hour total fell in one hour. Roads in nearby Cordova were flooded and reported as impassable. A boundary of sea breeze-induced convection brought soaking rains on Tuesday to portions of eastern South Carolina. Afternoon high temperatures climbed into the upper 80’s within the humid airmass. Light winds aloft allowed afternoon scattered thunderstorms to slowly drift northward with another round of intense rains on Thursday. The Anderson AP measured 2.23 inches of rain and thunderstorm winds gusted to 55 mph. A frontal boundary entered the state on Friday replacing the tropical air with noticeably drier, continental-sourced air. Loris measured 1.93 inches of rain in a pre-frontal thunderstorm Friday. On Saturday morning, a few of the high elevation sites reported low temperatures in the 50’s. Mostly sunny, blue skies were observed over the weekend. Afternoon high temperatures rose to around 90 degrees. At month’s end, Long Creek in Oconee County had received 12.33 inches of rain and Ridgeville in Dorchester County had received 8.63 inches. The state average temperature for the period was three degrees above normal.

The highest official temperature reported was 95 degrees at Lake Wateree, Camden, Manning, Bamberg and Givhans on May 31. The lowest official temperature reported was 54 degrees at Table Rock, Walhalla and Long Creek on May 30. The heaviest 24-hour rainfall reported was 4.15 inches at Long Creek ending at 7:00 a.m. on May 26. The state average rainfall for the period was 1.3 inches.

PRECIPITATION:

                            
                             Precipitation                    
                       Weekly   Jan 1   Departure     
                        Total   Total   from Avg
         Greer           1.42   21.43     -0.7
      Columbia           2.24   15.69     -3.6
    Orangeburg           2.16   19.37      0.1
 Charlotte, NC           2.18   19.71     -1.2
   Augusta, GA           0.00   17.82     -1.4
      Florence           1.01   14.65     -2.6
N Myrtle Beach           0.96   12.36     -3.7
    Charleston           1.21   17.15     -0.5
  Savannah, GA           1.02   23.43      6.0   





Weekly rainfall totals ending midnight Sunday.

SOIL:

4-inch depth soil temperature: Columbia 77 degrees, Charleston 81 degrees.

RIVERS AND SURF:

South Carolina river stages were near normal. Ocean water temperatures at Springmaid Pier Myrtle Beach were unavailable.