PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA SC
1234 PM EST WED JAN 20 2015
...DECEMBER 2015 CLIMATE SUMMARY...
...WARMEST DECEMBER ON RECORD AT COLUMBIA AND AUGUSTA
...WET WEATHER CONTINUED ACROSS THE MIDLANDS AND CSRA...
...RIVER FLOODING DURING THE END OF THE MONTH...
...2015...
...WARMEST YEAR ON RECORD AT COLUMBIA...
...5TH WETTEST YEAR ON RECORD AT COLUMBIA...
THE MONTH OF DECEMBER CONTINUED THE RUN OF ABOVE NORMAL RAINFALL
THAT BEGAN IN SEPTEMBER. THE ADDITIONAL RAINFALL PRODUCED FLOODING
ON MANY OF THE AREA RIVERS...ESPECIALLY DURING THE LAST HALF OF THE
MONTH. THE BIG STORY OF THE MONTH WAS THE UNUSUALLY WARM
TEMPERATURES THAT OCCURRED. TEMPERATURES AVERAGED FROM 10 TO 15
DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL...MAKING DECEMBER 2015 THE WARMEST DECEMBER ON
RECORD AT BOTH AUGUSTA AND COLUMBIA.
THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE AT AUGUSTA REGIONAL BUSH FIELD WAS 59.3
DEGREES OR 12.1 DEGREES ABOVE THE NORMAL OF 47.2 DEGREES. IT WAS THE
WARMEST DECEMBER ON RECORD. THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE AT COLUMBIA
METRO AIRPORT WAS 60.1 DEGREES OR 13.4 DEGREES ABOVE THE NORMAL OF
46.7 DEGREES. IT WAS THE WARMEST DECEMBER ON RECORD AT COLUMBIA.
AUGUSTA BUSH FIELD RECEIVED 6.92 INCHES OF RAINFALL FOR THE MONTH.
IT WAS THE 10TH WETTEST DECEMBER ON RECORD AT AUGUSTA. COLUMBIA
METRO AIRPORT RECEIVED 6.45 INCHES OF RAINFALL FOR THE MONTH. IT WAS
THE 10TH WETTEST DECEMBER ON RECORD AT COLUMBIA.
OTHER RAINFALL REPORTS AREA ASOS SITES:
ORANGEBURG COUNTY AIRPORT (OGB).....4.79 INCHES
HAMILTON OWENS AIRPORT COLA (CUB)...5.25 INCHES
AUGUSTA DANIEL FIELD (DNL)..........5.48 INCHES
HERE ARE SOME OF THE HIGHEST RAINFALL COCORAHS REPORTS FOR DECEMBER:
...COMMUNITY COLLABORATIVE RAIN HAIL AND SNOW
NETWORK......WWW.COCORAHS.ORG
SC-NW-11 SILVERSTREET 5.7 WNW....12.86 INCHES
SC-MC-5 MCCORMICK 2.3 N.........10.91 INCHES
SC-LN-2 FORT MILL 3.5 ENE.......10.52 INCHES
SC-LN-5 INDIAN LAND 4.8 NNW......9.68 INCHES
SC-NW-13 NEWBERRY 1.0 N...........9.46 INCHES
GA-MD-1 THOMSON 2.5 S............9.71 INCHES
GA-CU-9 APPLING 2.0 SE...........8.40 INCHES
GA-CU-7 GROVETOWN 3.4 NE.........7.15 INCHES
GA-CU-6 MARTINEZ 0.9 NW..........7.14 INCHES
HERE ARE SOME OF THE HIGHEST NWS COOP OBSERVER REPORTS FOR DECEMBER:
CHPS1 LAKE GREENWOOD.............11.45 INCHES
MCCS1 MCCORMICK..................10.41 INCHES
NWYS1 NEWBERRY WKDK...............9.64 INCHES
SADS1 SALUDA WATER PLANT..........8.34 INCHES
WNBS1 WINNSBORO...................7.94 INCHES
HIGHEST WIND GUSTS AT EACH ASOS LOCATION DURING THE MONTH:
COLUMBIA METRO AIRPORT (CAE)..........41 MPH ON THE 23RD
AUGUSTA DANIEL FIELD (CUB)............35 MPH ON THE 18TH
AUGUSTA BUSH FIELD (AGS)..............34 MPH ON THE 18TH
HAMILTON OWENS FIELD COLUMBIA (CUB)...33 MPH ON THE 18TH
ORANGEBURG COUNTY AIRPORT (OGB).......31 MPH ON THE 22ND
HIGHEST WIND GUSTS AT EACH LAKE OBSERVING SITE DURING THE MONTH:
LAKE MURRAY DAM (RCWINDS)............43 MPH ON THE 18TH
LAKE MURRAY TOWERS (USGS)............36 MPH ON THE 18TH
FLOTILLA ISLAND LK. MURRAY (LMFS1)...35 MPH ON THE 14TH
WATER TEMPERATURE AT THE LAKE MURRAY TOWERS (DEPTH APPROX. 6 FEET):
WARMEST...62.6 DEGREES ON THE 2ND AND 3RD
COOLEST...58.8 DEGREES ON THE 22ND
WATER TEMPERATURE AT THE HWY. 391 BRIDGE ACROSS THE SALUDA RIVER:
WARMEST...60.6 DEGREES ON THE 15TH
COOLEST...52.9 DEGREES ON THE 21ST AND 22ND
WATER TEMPERATURE AT THE HWY. 391 BRIDGE ACROSS THE LITTLE SALUDA RIVER:
WARMEST...65.5 DEGREES ON THE 30TH
COOLEST...54.1 DEGREES ON THE 22ND
TEMPERATURE RECORDS TIED OR BROKEN DURING THE MONTH OF DECEMBER:
AUGUSTA...
DEC 23RD...TIED RECORD HIGH MIN OF 63 DEGREES SET IN 1990
DEC 24TH...NEW RECORD HIGH MIN OF 64 DEGREES, OLD 62 SET IN 1964
DEC 25TH...NEW RECORD HIGH OF 81 DEGREES, OLD 79 SET IN 1984...1982
AND 1926
DEC 26TH...TIED RECORD HIGH OF 80 DEGREES SET IN 1964
DEC 27TH...NEW RECORD HIGH OF 77 DEGREES, OLD 76 SET IN 1971
DEC 28TH...NEW RECORD HIGH OF 81 DEGREES, OLD 80 SET IN 1984
DEC 29TH...NEW RECORD HIGH MIN OF *66 DEGREES, OLD 64 SET IN 2007
*ALL TIME HIGHEST DECEMBER MINIMUM TEMPERATURE FOR AUGUSTA...
OLD 65 SET IN 1912...1932...1942...1971 AND 1991
COLUMBIA...
DEC 24TH...NEW RECORD HIGH OF 77 DEGREES, OLD 76 SET IN 1964
DEC 24TH...NEW RECORD HIGH MIN OF 65 DEGREES, OLD 57 SET 1904
DEC 29TH...NEW RECORD HIGH OF 80 DEGREES, OLD 78 SET IN 1984
DEC 29TH...NEW RECORD HIGH MIN OF *69 DEGREES, OLD 64 SET IN 2007
*TIED THE ALL TIME HIGHEST DECEMBER MINIMUM TEMPERATURE FOR
COLUMBIA SET IN 1971...1978 AND 1991
DEC 30TH...NEW RECORD HIGH MIN OF 66 DEGREES, OLD 58 SET IN 1927
DEC 31ST...NEW RECORD HIGH MIN OF 64 DEGREES, OLD 62 SET IN 1923
EVENTS FOR DECEMBER...
THREE HEAVY RAINFALL EVENTS DURING THE LAST HALF OF THE MONTH
PRODUCED RISES ON THE AREA RIVERS AND LAKES. THE HEAVY RAINFALL
PRODUCED FLASH FLOODING ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE MIDLANDS. THE
RAINFALL COMBINED WITH SEASONALLY HIGH POOL ELEVATIONS ON AREA
RESERVOIRS PRODUCED ADDITIONAL GENERATION AND SPILLING. THIS
PRODUCED MAJOR FLOODING ALONG THE SALUDA RIVER AT CHAPPELLS AS IT
CRESTED AT 26.23 FEET ON THE 31ST. THE HIGH INFLOWS PRODUCED MAJOR
FLOODING ALONG THE SHORELINE OF LAKE WATEREE AS THE POOL CRESTED AT
105.39 FEET. FULL POOL IS 100.00 FEET.
MODERATE FLOODING ALSO OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OTHER AREA RIVERS
INCLUDING THE CONGAREE RIVER AT COLUMBIA AND CAROLINA
EASTMAN...STEVENS CREEK AT MODOC...WATEREE RIVER AT CAMDEN
AND CLARKS HILL LAKE (LAKE THURMOND) ON THE SAVANNAH RIVER.
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
SEP 85.9/+0.7 67.6/+3.4 76.7 74.7 +2.0
OCT 75.6/-0.5 53.6/+1.5 64.6 64.1 +0.5
NOV 69.4/+2.1 48.6/+6.3 59.0 54.8 +4.2
DEC 70.1/+11.9 50.1/+14.8 60.1 46.7 +13.4
ANNUAL 77.3/+1.8 55.6/+3.2 66.6 63.9 +2.7
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
SEP 85.5/-1.2 65.1/+2.5 75.3 74.6 +0.7
OCT 77.7/-2.1 52.4/+1.4 64.0 64.4 -0.4
NOV 70.2/+1.1 47.0/+5.6 58.6 55.2 +3.4
DEC 70.3/+10.3 48.3/+13.8 59.3 47.2 +12.1
ANNUAL 77.4/+0.5 53.5/+2.5 65.5 63.9 +1.6
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
SEP 6.15 3.54 +2.61
OCT 14.46 3.17 +11.29
NOV 5.47 2.74 +2.73
DEC 6.45 3.22 +3.23
ANNUAL 63.58 44.59 +18.99
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
SEP 4.05 3.22 +0.83
OCT 4.62 3.27 +1.35
NOV 5.41 2.82 +2.59
DEC 6.92 3.39 +3.53
ANNUAL 47.39 43.57 +3.82
...2015 FOR THE MIDLANDS AND CENTRAL SAVANNAH RIVER AREA OF
GEORGIA...
...WARMEST YEAR ON RECORD AT COLUMBIA...
...5TH WETTEST YEAR ON RECORD AT COLUMBIA...
HERE ARE THE TOP 5 WARMEST YEARS ON RECORD:
1. 66.6 DEGREES IN 2015
2. 66.5 DEGREES IN 1990
2. 66.5 DEGREES IN 2012
4. 66.0 DEGREES IN 1933
4. 66.0 DEGREES IN 2011
HERE ARE THE TOP 5 WETTEST YEARS ON RECORD:
1. 70.53 INCHES IN 1964
2. 69.32 INCHES IN 1971
3. 67.57 INCHES IN 1973
4. 66.00 INCHES IN 1959
5. 63.58 INCHES IN 2015
THE OUTLOOK FOR JANUARY...
THE FORECAST CALLS FOR EQUAL CHANCES OF ABOVE...BELOW AND NORMAL
TEMPERATURES AND 33 TO 40 PERCENT CHANCE OF ABOVE NORMAL
PRECIPITATION.
THE 3-MONTH OUTLOOK FOR THE WINTER/EARLY SPRING
(JANUARY/FEBRUARY/MARCH)...
THE FORECAST CALL FOR EQUAL CHANCES OF ABOVE...BELOW AND NORMAL
TEMPERATURES THROUGH THE PERIOD. THE FORECAST CALLS FOR A 40 TO 50
PERCENT CHANCE OF ABOVE 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. THE STRONG EL NINO IS EXPECTED TO GRADUALLY WEAKEN
THROUGH SPRING 2016. IT WILL THEN TRANSITION TO ENSO-NEUTRAL
CONDITIONS DURING LATE SPRING OR EARLY SUMMER 2016.
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
Radar
Current Weather
Rivers & Lakes
Satellite
Forecast Maps
Hour by Hour Forecast
Tropical Weather
Graphical Hazards
Climate Plots
Weather Briefing
Regional Observations
Fire Weather
Forecaster's Discussion
Skywarn
Drought
Text Bulletins
Follow us on X
Follow us on Facebook
Follow us on YouTube
CAE RSS Feed