PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA SC
852 PM EDT TUE SEP 1 2015

...AUGUST 2015 CLIMATE SUMMARY...

...TIED 10TH WARMEST AUGUST ON RECORD AT COLUMBIA...
...2 FLASH FLOOD EVENTS ALONG ROCKY BRANCH CREEK...
...6TH STRAIGHT MONTH OF ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES AT BOTH COLUMBIA
AND AUGUSTA...
...RAINFALL RETURNS TO THE MIDLANDS AND CSRA DURING AUGUST...

...SUMMER (JUNE...JULY...AUGUST) 2015...
...3RD HOTTEST SUMMER ON RECORD AT COLUMBIA...
...TIED FOR THE 4TH HIGHEST NUMBER OF DAYS WITH A MAXIMUM
TEMPERATURE OF 100 DEGREES OR HIGHER...
...TIED FOR THE 6TH HIGHEST NUMBER OF DAYS WITH A MAXIMUM
TEMPERATURE OF 95 DEGREES OR HIGHER...

THE MONTH OF AUGUST CONTINUED THE ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES THAT
BEGAN BACK IN JUNE AND CONTINUED THROUGH THE SUMMER. MANY
WILL REMEMBER AUGUST AS ANOTHER HOT MONTH IN AN UNUSUALLY HOT
SUMMER. AUGUST WAS WETTER THAN JULY AS MANY AREAS RECEIVED 3 TO 5
INCHES OF RAIN WHICH WAS NEAR NORMAL FOR MOST AREAS.

PRECIPITATION VARIED GREATLY ACROSS THE MIDLANDS AND CENTRAL
SAVANNAH RIVER AREA. THE AVERAGE RAINFALL ACROSS THE AREA RANGED
FROM 3 TO 5 INCHES. THE MOST RAIN FELL ACROSS THE NORTHERN CENTRAL
SAVANNAH RIVER AREA WHERE SOME AREAS RECEIVED BETWEEN 5 AND 10
INCHES OF RAIN. THE LEAST AMOUNT OF RAIN FELL ACROSS PORTIONS OF
LANCASTER...CALHOUN AND ORANGEBURG COUNTIES WHERE ONLY 2 TO 4 INCHES
OF RAIN FELL.

THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE AT AUGUSTA REGIONAL BUSH FIELD WAS 80.6
DEGREES OR 0.1 DEGREES ABOVE THE NORMAL OF 80.5 DEGREES. THE AVERAGE
TEMPERATURE AT COLUMBIA METRO AIRPORT WAS 82.6 DEGREES OR 1.8
DEGREES ABOVE THE NORMAL OF 80.8 DEGREES. AUGUSTA BUSH FIELD
RECEIVED 3.74 INCHES OF RAINFALL FOR THE MONTH. COLUMBIA METRO
AIRPORT RECEIVED 4.85 INCHES OF RAINFALL FOR THE MONTH. AT COLUMBIA
METRO AIRPORT THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 80.8 DEGREES TIED FOR THE
10TH WARMEST AUGUST ON RECORD.

HERE ARE THE TOP 10 WARMEST AVERAGE AUGUST TEMPERATURES ON RECORD:

1. 85.9 DEGREES IN 2007
2. 85.1 DEGREES IN 1900
3. 83.8 DEGREES IN 2011
4. 83.5 DEGREES IN 2010
5. 83.4 DEGREES IN 1999
6. 83.1 DEGREES IN 1987 AND 1954
8. 82.9 DEGREES IN 1968
9. 82.7 DEGREES IN 1983
10.82.6 DEGREES IN 2015 AND 1988

HERE ARE SOME STATS FROM THE SUMMER OF 2015 (JUN/JUL/AUG):

TOP 5 HOTTEST SUMMER`S ON RECORD...
1. 2011 - 84.2 DEGREES
2. 2010 - 83.9 DEGREES
3. 2015 - 83.5 DEGREES
4. 1993/1986 - 82.6 DEGREES

TOP 5 SUMMERS WITH DAYS OF A MAX TEMP OF 100 DEGREES OR HIGHER...
1. 1954 - 25 DAYS
2. 1993 - 20 DAYS
3. 1952 - 19 DAYS
4. 2015/1986 - 17 DAYS

TOP 7 SUMMERS WITH DAYS OF A MAX TEMP OF 95 DEGREES OR HIGHER...
1. 2011 - 52 DAYS
2. 1954 - 51 DAYS
3. 1993 - 50 DAYS
4. 1986 - 49 DAYS
5. 1952 - 45 DAYS
6. 2015/1956 - 43 DAYS

HERE ARE SOME OF THE HIGHEST RAINFALL COCORAHS REPORTS FOR AUGUST:
...COMMUNITY COLLABORATIVE RAIN HAIL AND SNOW
NETWORK......WWW.COCORAHS.ORG

SC-AK-64 NORTH AUGUSTA 2.4 N.....10.49 INCHES
SC-MC-5  MCCORMICK 2.3 W.........10.47 INCHES
SC-AK-13 NORTH AUGUSTA 3.3 N......9.94 INCHES
GA-CU-3  EVANS 2.1 NNW............8.69 INCHES
SC-AK-10 NORTH AUGUSTA 1.7 NNW....8.60 INCHES

HERE ARE SOME OF THE HIGHEST NWS COOP OBSERVER REPORTS FOR AUGUST:

HHLS1 HOLLY HILL 1 SW.............8.47 INCHES
MCCS1 MCCORMICK...................8.32 INCHES
MANS1 MANNING.....................8.05 INCHES
USCS1 COLUMBIA UNIV. OF SC........8.02 INCHES
CHDS1 CLARKS HILL.................7.69 INCHES

HERE ARE THE HIGHEST RCWINDS (RICHLAND/NEWBERRY COUNTY MESONET)
REPORTS:

FAIRVIEW EMERG. COMPLEX...........10.31 INCHES
GILLS CREEK........................8.03 INCHES
MLK PARK...........................7.72 INCHES
PINE VIEW-GARNERS FERRY............7.68 INCHES
WATEREE............................7.24 INCHES

HIGHEST WIND GUSTS AT EACH ASOS LOCATION DURING THE MONTH:

HAMILTON OWENS FIELD COLUMBIA (CUB)..55 MPH ON THE 5TH
AUGUSTA BUSH FIELD (AGS).............50 MPH ON THE 6TH
COLUMBIA METRO AIRPORT (CAE).........50 MPH ON THE 5TH
ORANGEBURG COUNTY AIRPORT (OGB)......36 MPH ON THE 6TH
AUGUSTA DANIEL FIELD (DNL)...........34 MPH ON THE 6TH

HIGHEST WIND GUSTS AT EACH LAKE OBSERVING SITE DURING THE MONTH:

CLARKS HILL LK. THURMOND DAM (CHDS1).39 MPH ON THE 6TH
FLOTILLA ISLAND LK. MURRAY (LMFS1)...35 MPH ON THE 5TH
LAKE MURRAY TOWERS (USGS)............34 MPH ON THE 6TH
LAKE WATEREE DAM (WATS1).............30 MPH ON THE 6TH

WATER TEMPERATURE AT THE LAKE MURRAY TOWERS (DEPTH APPROX. 6 FEET):
WARMEST...88.4 DEGREES ON THE 4TH
COOLEST...81.2 DEGREES ON THE 31ST

WATER TEMPERATURE AT THE HWY. 391 BRIDGE ACROSS THE SALUDA RIVER:
WARMEST...90.5 DEGREES ON THE 5TH
COOLEST...85.5 DEGREES ON THE 29TH

WATER TEMPERATURE AT THE HWY. 391 BRIDGE ACROSS THE LITTLE SALUDA RIVER:
WARMEST...89.4 DEGREES ON THE 5TH
COOLEST...83.3 DEGREES ON THE 31ST

HIGHEST WIND GUSTS RC WINDS (RICHLAND COUNTY MESONET):

HEADQUARTERS............................63 MPH ON THE 5TH
WILLIAMS BRICE STADIUM (NEAR THE TOP)...48 MPH ON THE 5TH
HAMILTON OWENS FIELD....................47 MPH ON THE 5TH
LAKE MURRAY.............................44 MPH ON THE 6TH
PINE VIEW/GARNERS FERRY.................43 MPH ON THE 5TH

RECORDS TIED OR BROKEN DURING THE MONTH OF AUGUST:

AUGUSTA...
NONE

COLUMBIA...
AUGUST 4TH...BROKE THE RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE WITH AN AFTERNOON
HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 102 DEGREES. PREVIOUS RECORD WAS 101 DEGREES
IN 1935 AND 1915.

EVENTS FOR AUGUST 2015:

AUGUST 5TH...SCATTERED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WITH A FEW OF THEM
BECOMING SEVERE MOVED ACROSS THE EAST SIDE OF COLUMBIA. THE STORMS
PRODUCED DAMAGING WINDS AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL. THERE WERE
REPORTS OF TREES THAT HAD FALLEN ON HOMES AND VEHICLES CAUSING
SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE. FLOODING OCCURRED NEAR WILLIAMS BRICE STADIUM
ALONG KEY ROAD WHERE VEHICLES BECAME TRAPPED.

HERE ARE SOME OF THE RAINFALL TOTALS FROM THE 5TH:
1. 1 E LEXINGTON..............4.24 INCHES
2. AIKEN 2.7 NW...............3.62 INCHES
3. LEXINGTON 1.6 WNW..........3.24 INCHES
4. COLUMBIA 6.6 SE............3.24 INCHES
5. PINE VIEW-GARNERS ROAD.....3.11 INCHES

AUGUST 6TH...NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS WITH SEVERAL BECOMING SEVERE
AFFECTED THE MIDLANDS AND CENTRAL SAVANNAH RIVER AREA. THE SEVERE
STORMS BROUGHT DOWN TREES AND POWERLINES ACROSS THE AREA. THE STORMS
ALSO PRODUCED VERY HEAVY RAINFALL IN DOWNTOWN COLUMBIA WHICH
PRODUCED FLASH FLOODING ALONG ROCKY BRANCH CREEK. FLOODING OCCURRED
ALONG FOREST DRIVE...THE 5 POINTS AREA AND KEY ROAD. ROCKY BRANCH
CREEK CRESTED AT 11.10 FEET AT 730 PM. FLOOD STAGE IS 7.2 FEET. THIS
COVERED THE INTERSECTION OF WHALEY AND MAIN STREETS WITH ABOUT 4
FEET OF WATER. THE COLUMBIA FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD TO RESCUE 2 PEOPLE
FROM A STALLED VEHICLE. THE FLOOD WATERS COVERED THE HOOD OF THE
CAR.

AUGUST 11TH...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WITH A COUPLE OF ISOLATED
SEVERE STORMS BROUGHT DOWN TREES IN CHESTERFIELD AND CLARENDON
COUNTIES.

AUGUST 23RD...AN ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM AFFECTED BURKE COUNTY
GEORGIA. THE STORM DOWNED TREES AND BRANCHES KNOCKING OUT POWER TO
PARTS OF THE COUNTY.

AUGUST 30TH...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ALONG WITH AN ISOLATED SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM PRODUCED DAMAGING WINDS AND VERY HEAVY RAINFALL. THE
STORM DOWNED TREES AND POWERLINES IN MCDUFFIE AND COLUMBIA COUNTIES
IN GEORGIA. ADDITIONAL SHOWERS AND STORMS MOVED FROM SOUTH TO NORTH
TRAINING OVER THE AREA DURING THE EVENING HOURS PRODUCING LOCALLY
HEAVY RAINFALL. THE HEAVY RAIN PRODUCED FLASH FLOODING ALONG ROCKY
BRANCH CREEK IN DOWNTOWN COLUMBIA. THE CREEK CRESTED AT 7.87 FEET
AT 1130 PM. THE WATER COVERED THE INTERSECTION AT WHALEY AND MAIN
STREETS. FLOOD STAGE IS 7.2 FEET.

HERE ARE SOME RAINFALL TOTALS FROM THE 30TH:
1. EVANS 2.1 NNW.......4.41 INCHES
2. KIOKEE CREEK EVANS..3.69 INCHES
3. CLARKS HILL.........3.68 INCHES
4. MCCORMICK 2.3 W.....3.50 INCHES
5. FT. GORDON..........3.48 INCHES

YEAR TO DATE MONTHLY TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION STATISTICS...

COLUMBIA SC METROPOLITAN AIRPORT 2014/2015 MONTHLY AVERAGE
TEMPERATURES AND DEPARTURES FROM NORMAL...

          AVG HIGH/DEP   AVG LOW/DEP   AVG TEMP   NORM  DEPARTURE
JAN 2014  52.4/-3.6      28.1/-5.6      40.3      44.8    -4.5
FEB       60.3/ 0.0      37.4/+0.6      48.9      48.5    +0.4
MAR       65.2/-3.0      39.1/-3.9      52.2      55.6    -3.4
APR       78.3/+2.0      52.8/+2.4      65.6      63.4    +2.2
MAY       86.4/+2.6      62.2/+2.7      74.3      71.7    +2.6
JUN       92.4/+2.4      71.6/+3.4      82.0      79.1    +2.9
JUL       92.7/ 0.0      73.4/+1.8      83.0      82.2    +0.8
AUG       92.2/+1.5      71.7/+0.7      82.0      80.8    +1.2
SEP       84.9/-0.3      68.4/+4.2      76.7      74.7    +2.0
OCT       79.9/+3.8      53.6/+1.5      66.8      64.1    +2.7
NOV       63.1/-4.2      38.0/-4.3      50.5      54.8    -4.3
DEC       61.0/+2.8      39.1/+3.8      50.0      46.7    +3.3
ANNUAL    74.2/-1.3      51.3/-1.1      62.7      63.9    -1.2

JAN 2015  55.7/-0.3      33.7/ 0.0      44.7      44.8    -0.1
FEB       54.1/-6.2      32.1/-4.7      43.1      48.5    -5.4
MAR       70.3/+2.1      46.9/+3.9      58.6      55.6    +3.0
APR       77.8/+1.5      50.4/+5.7      67.0      63.4    +3.6
MAY       86.0/+2.2      61.0/+1.5      73.5      71.7    +1.8
JUN       93.6/+3.6      71.6/+3.4      82.6      79.1    +3.5
JUL       96.4/+3.7      74.3/+2.7      85.3      82.2    +3.1
AUG       92.9/+2.2      72.2/+1.2      82.6      80.8    +1.8

AUGUSTA GA BUSH FIELD 2014/2015 MONTHLY AVERAGE TEMPERATURES AND
DEPARTURES FROM NORMAL...

          AVG HIGH/DEP   AVG LOW/DEP   AVG TEMP   NORM  DEPARTURE
JAN 2014  52.7/-5.2      26.3/-6.5     39.5       45.4    -5.9
FEB       61.9/-2.5      34.9/ 0.0     48.4       49.1    -0.7
MAR       66.1/-3.8      37.6/-4.4     51.9       55.9    -4.0
APR       77.3/ 0.0      49.1/+1.0     63.2       62.7    +0.5
MAY       85.3/+0.3      58.0/+0.7     71.6       71.7    +0.5
JUN       90.7/-0.3      67.2/+1.0     78.9       78.6    +0.3
JUL       92.2/-1.2      68.4/-1.4     80.3       81.6    -1.3
AUG       91.7/-0.1      67.6/-1.7     79.7       80.5    -0.8
SEP       84.9/-1.8      66.6/+4.0     75.7       74.6    +1.1
OCT       81.4/+3.7      49.3/-1.7     65.3       64.4    +0.9
NOV       64.2/-4.9      34.2/-7.2     49.2       55.2    -6.0
DEC       62.3/+2.3      37.4/+2.9     49.8       47.2    +2.6
ANNUAL    74.5/-2.4      48.1/-2.9     61.3       63.9    -2.6

JAN 2015  55.8/-2.1      32.1/-0.7     44.0       45.4    -1.4
FEB       55.4/-6.9      30.1/-5.8     42.8       49.1    -6.3
MAR       71.3/+1.4      45.3/+3.3     58.3       55.9    +2.4
APR       77.8/+0.5      54.9/+6.8     66.3       62.7    +3.6
MAY       86.7/+1.7      58.1/+0.8     72.4       71.1    +1.3
JUN       93.1/+2.1      68.1/+1.9     80.6       78.6    +2.0
JUL       95.8/+2.4      71.3/+1.5     83.6       81.6    +2.0
AUG       91.4/-0.4      69.8/+0.5     80.6       80.5    +0.1

COLUMBIA SC METROPOLITAN AIRPORT 2014/2015 MONTHLY PRECIPITATION...

               TOTAL   NORMAL   DEPARTURE
              (INCHES)
JAN 2014       3.40     3.58    -0.18
FEB            2.92     3.61    -0.69
MAR            3.93     3.73    +0.20
APR            2.99     2.62    +0.37
MAY            5.72     2.97    +2.75
JUN            1.41     4.69    -3.28
JUL            2.83     5.46    -2.63
AUG            4.88     5.26    -0.38
SEP            2.81     3.54    -0.73
OCT            3.05     3.17    -0.12
NOV            4.37     2.74    +1.63
DEC            3.90     3.22    +0.68
ANNUAL        40.80    44.59    -3.79

JAN 2015       2.60     3.58    -0.98
FEB            4.76     3.61    +1.15
MAR            2.78     3.73    -0.95
APR            4.03     2.62    +1.41
MAY            1.71     2.97    -1.26
JUN            8.79     4.69    +4.10
JUL            1.53     5.46    -3.93
AUG            4.85     5.26    -0.41

AUGUSTA GA BUSH FIELD 2014/2015 MONTHLY PRECIPITATION...

               TOTAL   NORMAL   DEPARTURE
              (INCHES)
JAN 2014       2.48     3.91     -1.43
FEB            3.73     3.92     -0.19
MAR            2.56     4.18     -1.62
APR            4.59     2.84     +1.75
MAY            5.50     2.65     +2.85
JUN            2.27     4.72     -2.45
JUL            5.53     4.33     +1.20
AUG            1.76     4.32     -2.56
SEP            2.26     3.22     -0.96
OCT            0.61     3.27     -2.66
NOV            3.19     2.82     +0.37
DEC            4.21     3.39     +0.82
ANNUAL        36.42    43.57     -7.15

JAN 2015       2.10     3.91     -1.81
FEB            4.70     3.92     +0.78
MAR            3.04     4.18     -1.14
APR            4.86     2.84     +2.02
MAY            0.93     2.65     -1.72
JUN            3.50     4.72     -1.22
JUL            3.52     4.33     -0.81
AUG            3.74     4.32     -0.58

THE OUTLOOK FOR SEPTEMBER...

THE FORECAST CALLS FOR A 50 PERCENT CHANCE OF ABOVE NORMAL
TEMPERATURES AND EQUAL CHANCES OF ABOVE...BELOW AND NORMAL
PRECIPITATION THROUGH THE MONTH.

THE 3-MONTH OUTLOOK FOR FALL (SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER/NOVEMBER)...

THE FORECAST CALLS FOR A 33 TO 40 PERCENT CHANCE OF ABOVE NORMAL
TEMPERATURES AND EQUAL CHANCES OF ABOVE...BELOW AND NORMAL
PRECIPITATION THROUGH THE PERIOD.

ENSO (EL NINO SOUTHERN OSCILLATION)...
...EL NINO ADVISORY CONTINUES...

EL NINO CONDITIONS ARE PRESENT ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN
PACIFIC. THERE IS A GREATER THAN 90 PERCENT CHANCE THAT EL NINO
CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE WINTER 2015-
2016. THERE IS AROUND AN 85 PERCENT CHANCE EL NINO CONDITIONS WILL
LAST INTO EARLY SPRING 2016.

DURING THE SUMMER...SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURE ANOMALIES INCREASED
ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN EQUATORIAL PACIFIC. ACROSS THE
CONTINUOUS UNITED STATES...TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION IMPACTS
ASSOCIATED WITH EL NINO ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN MINIMAL ACROSS THE
NORTHERN HEMISPHERE UNTIL THE LATE FALL AND WINTER. EL NINO WILL
LIKELY CONTINUE TO BE A CONTRIBUTOR TO A BELOW NORMAL ATLANTIC
HURRICANE SEASON. CLIMATE OUTLOOKS AND ENSO DISCUSSIONS COURTESY
NOAA CLIMATE PREDICTION CENTER...WWW.CPC.NOAA.GOV.

NOTE... 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 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 .

$$

VAUGHAN