May 2021 Climate Summary

Public Information Statement
National Weather Service Columbia SC
450 PM Tue Jun 01 2021

...Climate Summary for May 2021 for the Midlands of SC and
Central Savannah River Area of GA...

...Temperatures Below Normal...

...Precipitation Below Normal...

*New climatological normals were released this month.
Please see note below.

.Columbia SC Average Temperatures...

The average temperature at Columbia Metropolitan Airport for
May 2021 was 70.3 degrees or 1.9 degrees below the monthly
normal of 72.2 degrees.

.Augusta GA Average Temperatures...

The average temperature at Augusta Regional Bush Field for
May 2021 was 70.5 degrees or 2.2 degrees below the monthly
normal of 72.7 degrees.

.Columbia Rainfall...

Columbia Metro Airport received 2.64 inches of rainfall during
May, 0.85 inches below the monthly normal of 3.49 inches.

.Augusta Rainfall...

Augusta Bush Field received 2.49 inches of rainfall during
May, 0.56 inches below the normal monthly value of 3.05 inches.

YEAR TO DATE MONTHLY TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION STATISTICS...

COLUMBIA SC METROPOLITAN AIRPORT 2021 MONTHLY AVERAGE
TEMPERATURES AND DEPARTURES FROM NORMAL*...

         AVG HIGH/DEP   AVG LOW/DEP   AVG TEMP    NORM  DEPARTURE
Jan 2021  55.5/-1.3      35.8/+1.2      45.6      45.7    -0.1
Feb       58.7/-2.1      38.2/+0.9      48.4      49.1    -0.7
Mar       70.5/+2.2      46.5/+2.9      58.5      55.9    +2.6
Apr       77.2/+0.5      49.6/-1.9      63.4      64.1    -0.7
May       83.5/-0.3      57.0/-3.5      70.3      72.2    -1.9

AUGUSTA GA BUSH FIELD 2021 MONTHLY AVERAGE TEMPERATURES
AND DEPARTURES FROM NORMAL*...

Jan 2021  59.5/-0.1      36.8/+1.5     48.2       47.4    +0.8
Feb       63.1/-0.4      39.1/+1.0     51.1       50.8    +0.3
Mar       74.3/+3.3      47.0/+2.9     60.6       57.5    +3.1
Apr       79.2/+0.7      47.8/-2.8     63.5       64.6    -1.1
May       85.5/-0.4      55.5/-4.1     70.5       72.7    -2.2

COLUMBIA SC METROPOLITAN AIRPORT 2021 MONTHLY/YEARLY
PRECIPITATION...

               TOTAL   NORMAL*  DEPARTURE*
              (INCHES)
Jan 2021       5.32     3.49    +1.83
Feb            6.39     3.39    +3.00
Mar            3.43     3.57    -0.14
Apr            0.80     2.83    -2.03
May            2.64     3.49    -0.85
YTD Total     18.58    16.77    +1.81

AUGUSTA GA BUSH FIELD 2021 MONTHLY/YEARLY PRECIPITATION...

               TOTAL   NORMAL*  DEPARTURE*
              (INCHES)
Jan 2021       4.87     3.84     +1.03
Feb            6.59     3.67     +2.92
Mar            4.70     4.08     +0.62
Apr            1.57     2.92     -1.35
May            2.49     3.05     -0.56
YTD Total     20.22    17.56     +2.66

Temperature/Precipitation Records Tied or Broken during the month
of May:

Augusta...A daily record low temperature of 44 was tied on May 15th.

Columbia...None.

Here are some of the highest monthly rainfall totals for
May 2021:

Blythewood 1 W (CoCoRaHS).......5.60 inches
Blythewood 3.8 ENE (CoCoRaHS)...5.57 in.
Blythewood 5.8 W (CoCoRaHS).....4.61 in.
Longtown (NWS COOP).............4.50 in.

Here are some of the lowest monthly rainfall totals for
May 2021:

Orangeburg 3.2 NW (CoCoRaHS)...1.43 inches
North 4.3 ESE (CoCoRaHS).......1.47 in.
Pageland 9 WNW (CoCoRaHS)......1.60 in.
Swansea 3.5 NE (NWS COOP)......1.69 in.
Lancaster 0.4 WSW (CoCoRaHS)...1.76 in.
Fort Mill 3.5 ENE (CoCoRaHS)...1.76 in.

Significant Weather Events for May 2021...

Severe Weather May 3rd...

Severe thunderstorms downed numerous trees in Newberry Co SC, in
the city of Lexington, SC and vicinity, and in Sumter Co SC. Large
hail, up to golf ball to ping pong ball size, fell in Saluda, SC
Red Bank, SC and in SE Lee Co SC.

Severe Weather May 4th...

A band of strong thunderstorms, some severe, took down numerous
trees, mainly in a swath from the Chapin, SC area ENE across N
Richland Co SC, and across Kershaw and Chesterfield Counties in SC.
A tornado touched down in Fairfield Co SC, SW of Winnsboro, and
moved across the Fairfield Co Airport, damaging some planes, and
taking down numerous trees near the airport.

Severe Weather May 11th...

An isolated severe thunderstorms moved south across the
Santee, Vance, and Eutawville SC vicinities. Strong downburst
winds took down numerous trees, caused roof damage to a home,
and produced golf ball sized hail.

Hydrology/River Stages...

No river flooding occurred at any river flood or forecast point.

Lake Murray Water Temperatures (near surface) at the intake towers for
May:

Warmest...81.9 F on the 28th.
Coolest...64.0 F on the 12th.

The 3-Month Outlook for Summer
...(June/July/August)...

The outlook calls for a greater than 50 percent chance of above
normal temperatures with a greater than 33 percent chance of
above normal precipitation.

ENSO (EL NINO SOUTHERN OSCILLATION)...
La Nina conditions have ended. ENSO neutral conditions are currently
present and are expected to remain neutral through the Summer.

Climate Outlooks and ENSO Discussions courtesy of NOAA Climate
Prediction Center...www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov .

*Please note: new climatological normals were released in May 2021,
providing new daily/monthly/annual normals for temperature and
precipitation.  The precipitation normals and departures for
previous months this year have been adjusted in this product to
reflect the new monthly normals. The values in this product for
previous months in this calendar year may not be consistent with
the values that were released in previous monthly climate statements
before we had the new set of normals.

Much appreciation goes out to our NWS Cooperative Weather
Observers...CoCoRaHS (Community...Collaborative...Rain...Hail and
Snow Network) Observers...South Carolina State Climate Office...
Southeast Regional Climate Center...Richland County Emergency
Services...USGS and local weather partners for the data they provide
throughout the year. Their hard work and dedication is greatly
appreciated.

Temperature records for Columbia go back to 1887 and for Augusta
back to 1873. Precipitation records for Columbia go back to 1878
and for Augusta back to 1871.

Additional climate information, including current and archived
daily and monthly summaries, can be found on the National Weather
Service Columbia SC home page at http://www.weather.gov/cae .

$$

DCM