2010 Climate Summary for Southeastern North Carolina & Northeastern South Carolina

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
1010 PM EST SAT JAN 1 2011

...2010 WEATHER AND CLIMATE YEAR IN REVIEW...

.SYNOPSIS...
2010 WAS A YEAR OF UNPRECEDENTED EXTREMES...WITH RECORD-BREAKING 
PERIODS OF COLD WEATHER BOTH EARLY AND LATE IN THE YEAR... 
CONTRASTING WITH A LONG PERIOD OF RECORD-BREAKING HOT TEMPERATURES 
DURING THE LATE SPRING AND SUMMER. A SINGLE EPIC RAINFALL EVENT AT 
THE END OF SEPTEMBER BROKE THE SUMMER'S DROUGHT AND CONTRIBUTED 
ALMOST 40 PERCENT OF WILMINGTON'S ANNUAL RAINFALL IN ONE 
UNFORGETTABLE FOUR-DAY STRETCH. COLD WEATHER RETURNED LATE IN THE 
FALL...WITH DECEMBER THE COLDEST EVER RECORDED AT BOTH FLORENCE AND 
WILMINGTON. IN TERMS OF HEATING AND COOLING DEGREE DAY TOTALS... 
BOTH STATISTICS WERE WELL ABOVE NORMAL FOR THE YEAR LIKELY MAKING 
2010 ONE OF THE MOST EXPENSIVE YEARS IN HISTORY TO KEEP A BUILDING 
CLIMATE-CONTROLLED IN THE EASTERN CAROLINAS.

.HIGHLIGHTS...
THE FIRST TWO WEEKS OF THE JANUARY FEATURED THE COLDEST START TO A 
YEAR EVER RECORDED IN THE HISTORY OF FLORENCE SC WITH AN AVERAGE 
TEMPERATURE OF 32.7 DEGREES. WILMINGTON WAS NOT FAR BEHIND WITH ITS 
AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 34.2 DEGREES THE SECOND COLDEST FOR THE FIRST 
14 DAYS OF JANUARY. A STRONG PACIFIC EL NINO...COMBINED WITH AN 
ATMOSPHERIC CIRCULATION PATTERN CALLED THE NEGATIVE "NORTH ATLANTIC 
OSCILLATION" ENSURED ARCTIC AIR REMAINED ENTRENCHED OVER THE 
CAROLINAS. THE SECOND HALF OF JANUARY MODERATED SLIGHTLY...BUT 
EXCEPTIONALLY COLD WEATHER RETURNED FOR MUCH OF FEBRUARY. FEBRUARY 
FEATURED THE COLDEST MONTHLY TEMPERATURE EVER RECORDED IN NORTH 
MYRTLE BEACH FOR FEBRUARY...43.5 DEGREES...AND THE THIRD COLDEST 
FEBRUARY MONTHLY TEMPERATURE ON RECORD IN FLORENCE AT 40.7 DEGREES. 
FEBRUARY ALSO FEATURED A RARE SNOWSTORM FOR THE EASTERN CAROLINAS: 
ON THE 12TH AND 13TH NEARLY FOUR INCHES OF SNOW FELL ON 
WILMINGTON...WITH TOTALS AS HIGH AS 6 TO 7 INCHES REPORTED FROM BOTH 
GEORGETOWN AND PENDER COUNTIES. 

AS SPRING BEGAN IT WAS LIKE A SWITCH FLIPPED AND THE WEATHER PATTERN 
SUDDENLY BECAME DRY AND VERY WARM. TEMPERATURES CONSISTENTLY 
AVERAGED WARMER THAN NORMAL FROM MARCH THROUGH OCTOBER. DURING THE 
EARLY EVENING HOURS OF APRIL 25TH A TORNADO WITH WINDS ESTIMATED AT 
115 MPH TOUCHED DOWN IN DARLINGTON COUNTY NEAR THE TOWN OF OATS... 
TEARING A PATH OF DESTRUCTION THROUGH THE CITY OF DARLINGTON ITSELF. 
NEARLY 17 MILES LATER THE TORNADO DISSIPATED BUT NOT BEFORE INJURING 
THREE PEOPLE AND CAUSING $7 MILLION IN DAMAGE. JUST TWO DAYS LATER 
ON APRIL 27TH WIDESPREAD SEVERE WEATHER AGAIN AFFECTED THE PEE DEE 
REGION...INCLUDING A DAMAGING MICROBURST IN THE TOWN OF CLIO IN 
MARLBORO COUNTY. WIND SPEEDS WERE ESTIMATED AT 95 MPH BASED ON 
OBSERVED DAMAGE TO A GARAGE. A NOTABLE SEVERE WEATHER EVENT DURING 
THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING OF MAY 23RD BROUGHT WIDESPREAD LARGE HAIL 
TO THE MYRTLE BEACH AREA...INCLUDING SOME HAIL STONES MEASURED UP TO 
THE SIZE OF GOLF BALLS. A COLD UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WAS 
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE HAIL AND ISOLATED WIND DAMAGE.

SUMMER WAS EXTREMELY HOT EVEN FOR CAROLINA STANDARDS. THE AVERAGE 
TEMPERATURES IN JUNE WERE THE HOTTEST EVER RECORDED IN NORTH MYRTLE 
BEACH...THE SECOND HOTTEST EVER IN FLORENCE...AND THE THIRD HOTTEST 
IN WILMINGTON. OVERNIGHT LOWS WERE PARTICULARLY OPPRESSIVE...WITH 
ALL THREE CITIES POSTING THE HOTTEST NIGHTTIME MONTHLY READINGS ON 
RECORD FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE. 

TEMPERATURES REMAINED ABOVE NORMAL THROUGH JULY...THEN SPIKED BACK 
INTO EXTREME HEAT RELATIVE TO NORMALS FOR AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER. FOR 
METEOROLOGICAL SUMMER (DEFINED AS THE MONTHS OF JUNE JULY AND 
AUGUST) WILMINGTON RECORDED ITS HOTTEST PERIOD EVER ON RECORD FOR 
BOTH HIGH AND LOW TEMPERATURES. ALSO IN WILMINGTON...57 DAYS IN THE 
JUNE THROUGH AUGUST PERIOD HAD HIGHS OF 90 DEGREES OR WARMER...29 
DAYS MORE THAN NORMAL AND NUMBER ONE ON THE ALL-TIME LIST WHICH GOES 
BACK TO THE YEAR 1874. WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE ALMOST AS EXTREME IN 
FLORENCE WHICH RECORDED ITS FIFTH HOTTEST METEOROLOGICAL SUMMER ON 
RECORD.

NO TROPICAL SYSTEMS DIRECTLY AFFECTED THE AREA THIS YEAR...ALTHOUGH 
MAJOR HURRICANE EARL MADE A VERY CLOSE BRUSH TO THE AREA ON 
SEPTEMBER 2ND. THE FRYING PAN SHOALS WEATHER BUOY LOCATED 
APPROXIMATELY 35 MILES SOUTHEAST OF BALD HEAD ISLAND REPORTED A PEAK 
WIND GUST OF 47 MPH AS EARL PASSED OFFSHORE.

PERSISTENT SUMMER DROUGHT CONDITIONS ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE AREA 
ENDED ABRUPTLY AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER AS A DEEP UPPER TROUGH 
DEVELOPED ALONG THE EAST COAST AND PULLED PURELY TROPICAL MOISTURE 
NORTHWARD FROM THE CARIBBEAN. UNPRECEDENTED RAINFALL TOTALS LED TO 
WIDESPREAD FLOODING...PARTICULARLY IN NORTH CAROLINA'S LOWER CAPE 
FEAR COUNTIES. WILMINGTON ESTABLISHED NEW RECORDS FOR 3, 4 AND 5 DAY 
RAINFALL TOTALS...EVEN BEATING OUT HURRICANE FLOYD'S RAINFALL TOTALS 
WITH 22.54 INCHES. MAJOR FLOODING CLOSED HIGHWAYS AND PROMPTED THE 
RED CROSS TO OPEN SEVERAL SHELTERS FOR DISPLACED RESIDENTS. FLOODING 
ON THE NORTHEAST CAPE FEAR RIVER CONTINUED INTO THE FIRST HALF OF 
OCTOBER...WITH MINOR FLOODING PERIODICALLY OCCURRING FOR WEEKS ON 
THE CAPE FEAR RIVER AT DOWNTOWN WILMINGTON AROUND HIGH TIDE.

THE NEGATIVE NORTH ATLANTIC OSCILLATION REAPPEARED IN NOVEMBER AND 
INTENSIFIED INTO DECEMBER...BRINGING CONSISTENTLY COLD TEMPERATURES 
TO THE AREA WITH NORTHERLY WINDS FUNNELING ARCTIC AIR DOWN FROM 
CANADA. TEMPERATURE ANOMALIES FOR DECEMBER REACHED THE LARGEST 
NEGATIVE VALUES ON RECORD IN FLORENCE AND TIED FOR FIRST PLACE IN 
WILMINGTON. A SECOND RARE SNOWSTORM THE DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS DROPPED 
UP TO 7 INCHES IN ROBESON COUNTY...AND 2-4 INCH AMOUNTS AWAY FROM 
THE IMMEDIATE COAST.


*** WILMINGTON NC  2010 CLIMATE DATA (PRELIMINARY) ***

     AVG HI/DEP AVG LO/DEP  AVG T/DEP   WARMEST  COOLEST   PRECIP/DEP
JAN   51.6/-4.7  31.0/-4.8  41.3/-4.8   72/17TH  18/11TH   3.42/-1.10
FEB   52.5/-7.0  31.2/-6.3  41.9/-6.7   66/22ND  22/1ST    4.23/+0.57
MAR   64.9/-1.3  42.4/-1.3  53.6/-1.4   79/31ST  28/7TH    3.71/-0.51
APR   76.6/+2.5  51.8/+0.6  64.2/+1.5   86/17TH  38/15TH   0.77/-2.17
MAY   81.8/+1.2  63.8/+4.0  72.8/+2.6   90/8TH   46/10TH   4.02/-0.38
JUN   90.8/+4.4  73.8/+6.2  82.2/+5.2   98/24TH  64/8TH    5.59/+0.23
JUL   90.3/+0.4  73.2/+0.9  81.7/+0.6   98/7TH   60/3RD    5.34/-2.28
AUG   90.3/+2.0  72.5/+1.5  81.4/+1.7   98/12TH  63/30TH   2.70/-4.61
SEP   87.4/+3.3  66.8/+0.9  77.1/+2.0   97/3RD   61/20TH 22.72/+15.93
OCT   77.5/+1.9  55.0/+1.1  66.2/+1.4   87/12TH  41/30TH   1.48/-1.73
NOV   67.2/-0.6  42.9/-2.2  55.0/-1.5   77/23RD  31/28TH   0.96/-2.30
DEC   47.8/-11.8 28.2/-9.9  38.0/-11.0  70/1ST   17/15TH   3.63/-0.15
---------------------------------------------------------------------
ANN   73.2/-0.8  52.7/-0.8  63.0/-0.9   98       17       58.57/+1.50

NUMBER OF DAYS WITH TEMPERATURES...
 90 DEGREES OR HIGHER: 68
 32 DEGREES OR LOWER: 69

HEATING DEGREE DAYS: 3017
COOLING DEGREE DAYS: 2387

NUMBER OF DAYS WITH PRECIPITATION...
 0.01 OR GREATER: 98
 0.10 OR GREATER: 58
 0.50 OR GREATER: 29
 1.00 OR GREATER: 16

SNOW FELL ON 4 DAYS...TOTALLING 3.9 INCHES.

AVERAGE WIND SPEED: 7.2 MPH
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE WIND SPEED: 38 MPH ON FEB 10
MAXIMUM 5-SECOND WIND GUST: 49 MPH ON FEB 10


*** FLORENCE SC  2010 CLIMATE DATA (PRELIMINARY) ***

     AVG HI/DEP AVG LO/DEP  AVG T/DEP   WARMEST  COOLEST   PRECIP/DEP
JAN   51.5/-3.3  29.6/-5.6  40.6/-4.4   71/17TH  14/11TH   3.30/-0.79
FEB   51.1/-8.0  30.3/-7.3  40.7/-7.7   66/21ST  20/1ST    2.87/-0.15
MAR   65.2/-2.0  40.8/-3.6  53.0/-2.8   79/31ST  25/7TH    2.20/-1.80
APR   79.1/+3.9  50.3/-0.7  64.7/+1.6   90/6TH   40/29TH   0.78/-2.01 
MAY   85.6/+3.6  63.7/+3.8  74.7/+3.7   94/8TH   50/10TH   3.83/+0.52 
JUN   92.1/+4.5  72.0/+4.4  82.0/+4.4   98/24TH  62/8TH    9.26/+4.99 
JUL   91.5/+0.8  72.8/+1.2  82.1/+1.0   98/26TH  60/4TH    6.32/+1.04 
AUG   91.3/+2.2  72.5/+2.1  81.9/+2.1   96/31ST  64/31ST   3.21/-2.12 
SEP   89.8/+5.5  65.8/+0.8  77.8/+3.1   98/3RD   57/14TH   8.18/+4.51 
OCT   77.8/-2.6  51.5/-1.4  64.6/+0.5   87/27TH  39/23RD   1.33/-1.61
NOV   66.9/+0.3  41.8/-2.4  54.3/-1.1   77/23RD  31/14TH   1.54/-1.05
DEC   48.7/-8.9  27.7/-9.7  38.3/-9.2   72/1ST   13/15TH   1.72/-1.75
---------------------------------------------------------------------
ANN   74.2/+0.1  51.6/-1.5  62.9/-0.7   98       13       44.54/-0.22

NUMBER OF DAYS WITH TEMPERATURES...
 90 DEGREES OR HIGHER: 101
 32 DEGREES OR LOWER: 71

HEATING DEGREE DAYS: 3003
COOLING DEGREE DAYS: 2444

NUMBER OF DAYS WITH PRECIPITATION...
 0.01 OR GREATER: 96
 0.10 OR GREATER: 64
 0.50 OR GREATER: 30
 1.00 OR GREATER: 12

AVERAGE WIND SPEED: 6.2 MPH
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE WIND SPEED: 33 MPH ON JULY 12
MAXIMUM 5-SECOND WIND GUST: 49 MPH ON MARCH 28


*** NORTH MYRTLE BEACH SC  2010 CLIMATE DATA (PRELIMINARY) ***

    AVG HI/DEP  AVG LO/DEP  AVG T/DEP   WARMEST  COOLEST   PRECIP/DEP
JAN  51.0/-5.5   32.2/-4.6  41.6/-5.2   68/20TH  19/11TH   2.44/-1.22
FEB  52.8/-5.0   34.2/-3.7  43.5/-4.4   64/5TH   23/1ST    3.62/+0.12
MAR  63.9/+1.1   44.0/+1.0  54.0/+1.1   75/12TH  28/7TH    3.43/-0.36
APR  73.7/+2.2   53.0/+1.0  63.3/+1.5   83/26TH  43/11TH   0.96/-1.16
MAY  80.4/+1.7   66.2/+5.5  73.3/+3.3   92/8TH   50/10TH   2.56/-0.43
JUN  90.2/+5.6   75.4/+7.3  82.8/+6.2   98/15TH  65/8TH    2.25/-1.41
JUL  89.5/+2.7   75.0/+3.5  82.2/+3.0   97/8TH   63/4TH    7.20/+2.01
AUG  88.4/+2.1   74.8/+3.9  81.6/+2.7   95/13TH  65/30TH   5.60/+0.02
SEP  86.5/+4.2   69.6/+3.8  78.0/+3.9   95/3RD   64/20TH   8.97/+3.39
OCT  77.3/+2.8   56.3/+1.8  66.8/+2.3   86/12TH  42/30TH   1.52/-1.71
NOV  66.8/+1.2   44.2/+0.9  55.5/+1.0   75/26TH  30/28TH   1.09/-1.88
DEC  48.4/-9.5   29.8/-7.3  39.1/-8.7   69/1ST   20/15TH   2.34/-1.11
---------------------------------------------------------------------
ANN  72.4/+0.3   54.6/+1.1  63.5/+0.7   98       19       41.98/-3.74

NUMBER OF DAYS WITH TEMPERATURES...
 90 DEGREES OR HIGHER: 51
 32 DEGREES OR LOWER: 59

HEATING DEGREE DAYS: 2877
COOLING DEGREE DAYS: 2442

NUMBER OF DAYS WITH PRECIPITATION...
 0.01 OR GREATER: 91
 0.10 OR GREATER: 62
 0.50 OR GREATER: 30
 1.00 OR GREATER: 10

AVERAGE WIND SPEED: 7.0 MPH
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE WIND SPEED: 37 MPH ON APRIL 9TH
MAXIMUM 5-SECOND WIND GUST: 49 MPH ON APRIL 9TH


*** LUMBERTON NC  2010 CLIMATE DATA (PRELIMINARY) ***

     AVG HI/DEP AVG LO/DEP  AVG T/DEP   WARMEST  COOLEST   PRECIP/DEP
JAN   50.4/-3.6  29.9/-0.6  40.1/-2.0   71/17TH  16/11TH   1.84/-2.45
FEB   51.2/-6.4  31.1/-1.2  41.2/-3.8   66/21ST  23/1ST    2.30/-1.07
MAR   64.8/-0.7  41.1/+1.8  53.0/+0.6   78/31ST  27/7TH    3.08/-1.23
APR   78.7/+4.4  50.1/+3.5  64.4/+3.9   90/6TH   39/10TH   0.21/-2.62
MAY   84.6/+3.2  63.5/+8.2  74.1/+5.7   94/8TH   47/10TH   5.11/+1.14
JUN   92.7/+5.4  72.7/+8.9  82.7/+7.1  100/24TH  62/8TH    3.46/-1.10
JUL   91.9/+1.7  72.6/+4.5  82.3/+3.1  102/7TH   60/4TH    7.14/+1.53
AUG   92.6/+3.9  72.1/+5.6  82.3/+4.7   98/31ST  61/30TH   0.72/-4.44
SEP   89.8/+5.9  64.7/+4.4  77.2/+5.1   99/3RD   55/5TH    8.83/+4.22
OCT   78.2/+3.2  51.0/+4.1  64.6/+3.6   88/27TH  37/23RD   0.48/-2.88
NOV   66.9/+0.5  40.5/+1.3  53.7/+0.9   79/234D  30/14TH   0.98/-1.71
DEC   46.8/-10.0 26.4/-6.1  36.6/-8.1   72/1ST   13/15TH   1.35/-1.87
---------------------------------------------------------------------
ANN   74.1/+0.7  51.3/+3.3  62.7/+1.7  102       13       35.50/-12.48

NUMBER OF DAYS WITH TEMPERATURES...
 90 DEGREES OR HIGHER: 101
 32 DEGREES OR LOWER: 74

HEATING DEGREE DAYS: 3171
COOLING DEGREE DAYS: 2461

NUMBER OF DAYS WITH PRECIPITATION...
 0.01 OR GREATER: 91
 0.10 OR GREATER: 51
 0.50 OR GREATER: 19
 1.00 OR GREATER: 8

AVERAGE WIND SPEED: 5.7 MPH
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE WIND SPEED: 44 MPH ON JULY 27TH
MAXIMUM 5-SECOND WIND GUST: 54 MPH ON JULY 27TH

$$

TRA/JDW