December Climate Summary 2014

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA SC
1210 PM EDT SUN JAN 11 2015

...DECEMBER 2014 CLIMATE SUMMARY...

...TEMPERATURES ABOVE NORMAL FOR THE MONTH...
...RAINFALL ABOVE NORMAL FOR THE MONTH...
...EL NINO WATCH CONTINUES WITH A WEAK EL NINO EXPECTED TO DEVELOP...

...BRIEF LOOK AT 2014...
...BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES AT BOTH COLUMBIA AND AUGUSTA
...BELOW NORMAL PRECIPITATION AT BOTH COLUMBIA AND AUGUSTA

AFTER THE COLD...WET AND WHITE MONTH OF NOVEMBER...DECEMBER WAS
QUITE TRANQUIL ACROSS THE MIDLANDS AND THE CENTRAL SAVANNAH RIVER
AREA. TEMPERATURES WERE MILDER AS THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE AT AUGUSTA
BUSH FIELD WAS WARMER FOR DECEMBER THAN NOVEMBER. AT COLUMBIA METRO
AIRPORT...BOTH NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER WERE VERY CLOSE IN REGARDS TO
AVERAGE MONTHLY TEMPERATURE. DECEMBER STARTED WITH TEMPERATURES
ABOVE NORMAL AND THE MONTH REMAINED VERY DRY UNTIL THE SECOND HALF
OF THE MONTH WHEN MOST OF THE PRECIPITATION FELL.  

THE MID/UPPER LEVEL FLOW ACROSS THE REGION REMAINED RATHER ZONAL OR
FROM THE WEST AND KEPT THE COLDEST AIR NORTH OF THE AREA. THE
PATTERN BECAME MORE ACTIVE DURING THE SECOND HALF OF THE MONTH AND
THAT IS WHEN MOST OF THE PRECIPITATION FELL OVER THE REGION.

THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE AT AUGUSTA REGIONAL BUSH FIELD WAS 49.8
DEGREES OR 2.6 DEGREES ABOVE THE NORMAL OF 47.2 DEGREES. THE AVERAGE
TEMPERATURE AT COLUMBIA METRO AIRPORT WAS 50.0 DEGREES OR 3.3
DEGREES ABOVE THE NORMAL OF 46.7 DEGREES.

WITH ALL OF SOUTH CAROLINA IN AN INCIPIENT DROUGHT THE ADDITIONAL
RAINFALL THE FELL DURING THE LATER HALF OF THE DECEMBER ACROSS THE
MIDLANDS AND CENTRAL SAVANNAH RIVER AREA WAS A WELCOME SIGHT.
ALTHOUGH THE TOTAL RAINFALL FOR THE YEAR WAS BELOW NORMAL AT BOTH
COLUMBIA AND AUGUSTA...THE ABOVE NORMAL RAINFALL FOR BOTH NOVEMBER
AND DECEMBER HELPED PUT A DENT IN THE ANNUAL DEFICIT. RAINFALL
AVERAGED FROM 3 TO 4 INCHES ACROSS THE MIDLANDS AND CENTRAL SAVANNAH
RIVER AREA DURING DECEMBER. THE AREAS THAT RECEIVED THE MOST
RAINFALL WERE ACROSS THE WESTERN MIDLANDS AND PIEDMONT REGION. SOME
OF THESE AREAS RECEIVED OVER 5 INCHES OF PRECIPITATION.     

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

SC-LX-28 CHAPIN 2.8 SSE.................5.85 INCHES
SC-LX-70 CHAPIN 4.8 SSW.................5.80 INCHES
SC-LN-4  LANCASTER 2.0 NNW..............5.77 INCHES
SC-NW-8  PROSPERITY 2.8 E...............5.64 INCHES
SC-LN-10 INDIAN LAND 4.7 S..............5.54 INCHES

GA-CU-9  APPLING 2.0 SE.................5.01 INCHES
GA-CU-7  GROVETOWN 3.4 NE...............4.92 INCHES
GA-MD-1  THOMSON 2.5 S..................4.76 INCHES

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

JOHS1 JOHNSTON 4 SW...............5.76 INCHES
WNBS1 WINNSBORO...................5.47 INCHES
CTFS1 CHESTERFIELD 3 E............5.36 INCHES
WYNG1 WAYNESBORO..................5.25 INCHES
LUGS1 LUGOFF 2 NE.................5.01 INCHES

HERE ARE SOME ADDITIONAL RAINFALL TOTALS FROM THE RICHLAND COUNTY
MESONET (RCWINDS) FOR DECEMBER:

CROSSROADS.................5.71 INCHES
GILLS CREEK................5.43 INCHES
SPRINGHILL.................5.12 INCHES
SPRING VALLEY HS...........4.92 INCHES
SCREAMING EAGLE............4.80 INCHES

HIGHEST WIND GUSTS AT EACH ASOS LOCATION DURING THE MONTH:

COLUMBIA METRO AIRPORT (CAE)......39 MPH ON THE 24TH
AUGUSTA BUSH FIELD (AGS)..........34 MPH ON THE 24TH
ORANGEBURG COUNTY AIRPORT (OGB)...34 MPH ON THE 7TH
COLUMBIA HAMILTON OWENS FLD (CUB).33 MPH ON THE 24TH
AUGUSTA DANIEL FIELD (DNL)........31 MPH ON THE 24TH

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

CLARKS HILL LAKE THURMOND DAM (CHDS1)...39 MPH ON THE 24TH
LAKE MURRAY FLOTILLA ISLAND (LMFS1).....36 MPH ON THE 25TH
LAKE WATEREE DAM (WATS1)................35 MPH ON THE 25TH
LAKE MURRAY TOWERS (IRMS1)..............33 MPH ON THE 24TH/25TH

WATER TEMPERATURE AT THE LAKE MURRAY TOWERS (DEPTH APPROX. 6 FEET):
WARMEST...58 DEGREES ON THE 1ST
COOLEST...54 DEGREES ON THE 31ST
 

RECORDS TIED OR BROKEN DURING THE MONTH AT NOVEMBER:

AUGUSTA...
RECORD DAILY RAINFALL SET ON THE 24TH. 24 HOUR RAINFALL TOTAL WAS
2.83 INCHES. THE PREVIOUS RECORD WAS 2.02 INCHES OCCURRED IN 1997.

COLUMBIA...
NONE

EVENTS FOR DECEMBER 2014:

THERE WERE NO SEVERE WEATHER EVENTS OR FLOODING EVENTS DURING THE
MONTH. HOWEVER...THERE WAS ONE HEAVY RAIN EVENT THAT PRODUCED
SIGNIFICANT RISES ON THE AREA STREAMS AND RIVERS.

DECEMBER 23RD-24TH...A COMPLEX AND SLOW MOVING FRONTAL SYSTEM
EXTENDED FROM THE Gulf of America NORTHEAST THROUGH THE CAROLINAS.
THIS WEATHER PATTERN PRODUCED HEAVY RAINFALL ACROSS THE MIDLANDS AND
CENTRAL SAVANNAH RIVER AREA DURING THE 24 TO 48 HOUR PERIOD. MANY
AREAS RECEIVED BETWEEN 2 AND 3 INCHES OF RAINFALL. THE LOCALLY HEAVY
RAINFALL PRODUCED A RAPID RISE ALONG ROCKY BRANCH CREEK IN COLUMBIA
DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS OF THE 24TH. ALTHOUGH THE CREEK DID
NOT REACH FLOOD STAGE...7.2 FEET...IT DID CREST AT 6.2 FEET AT THE
GAGE AT PICKENS STREET AND AT 6.1 FEET AT THE GAGE AT WHALEY STREET.
THERE WERE ALSO SIGNIFICANT RISES ON THE AREA RIVERS. THE RIVER THAT
ROSE CLOSEST TO FLOOD STAGE WAS THE NORTH FORK OF THE EDISTO AT
ORANGEBURG. THE RIVER CRESTED AT 7.8 FEET...FLOOD STAGE IS 8.0
FEET...ON THE 26TH.

HERE ARE SOME ADDITIONAL RIVER CREST AND THE FLOOD STAGE AT THAT
POINT:

CEAS1 CONGAREE RIVER AT CAROLINA EASTMAN...113.3 FT/26TH (FS 115.0 FT)
WHMS1 ENOREE RIVER AT WHITMIRE..............21.5 FT/26TH (FS 25.0 FT)
CHES1 GREAT PEE DEE RIVER AT CHERAW.........24.7 FT/25TH (FS 30.0 FT

YEAR TO DATE MONTHLY TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION STATISTICS...

COLUMBIA SC METROPOLITAN AIRPORT 2013/2014 MONTHLY AVERAGE
TEMPERATURES AND DEPARTURES FROM NORMAL...

          AVG HIGH/DEP   AVG LOW/DEP   AVG TEMP   NORM  DEPARTURE
JAN 2013  64.0/+8.0      41.1/+7.4      52.5      44.8    +7.7
FEB       59.2/-1.1      36.2/-0.6      47.7      48.5    -0.8
MAR       63.5/-4.7      38.5/-4.5      51.0      55.6    -4.6
APR       76.7/+0.4      53.4/+3.0      65.0      63.4    +1.6
MAY       81.4/-2.4      59.2/-0.3      70.3      71.7    -1.4
JUN       88.1/-1.9      70.1/+1.9      79.1      79.1     0.0
JUL       88.4/-4.3      72.7/+1.1      80.5      82.2    -1.7
AUG       87.6/-3.1      71.0/ 0.0      79.3      80.8    -1.5    
SEP       86.9/+1.7      65.5/+0.3      76.2      74.7    +1.5
OCT       77.9/+1.8      54.8/+2.7      66.3      64.1    +2.2
NOV       65.0/-2.3      40.5/-1.8      52.7      54.8    -2.1  
DEC       62.5/+4.3      40.6/+5.3      51.5      46.7    +4.8      
ANNUAL    75.1/-0.4      53.6/+1.2      64.4      63.9    +0.5

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

AUGUSTA GA BUSH FIELD 2013/2014 MONTHLY AVERAGE TEMPERATURES AND
DEPARTURES FROM NORMAL...

          AVG HIGH/DEP   AVG LOW/DEP   AVG TEMP   NORM  DEPARTURE
JAN 2013  65.4/+7.5      39.4/+6.6     52.4       45.4    +7.0
FEB       59.8/-2.5      35.5/-0.4     47.6       49.1    -1.5
MAR       63.8/-6.1      37.9/-4.1     50.8       55.9    -5.1
APR       76.2/-1.1      48.5/+0.4     62.4       62.7    -0.3
MAY       81.0/-4.0      55.8/-1.5     68.4       71.1    -2.7
JUN       88.2/-2.8      67.4/+1.2     77.8       78.6    -0.8
JUL       87.9/-5.5      71.0/+1.2     79.5       81.6    -2.1
AUG       87.7/-4.1      68.6/-0.7     78.2       80.5    -2.3
SEP       87.2/+0.5      61.8/-0.8     74.5       74.6    -0.1
OCT       78.4/+0.7      51.9/+0.9     65.2       64.4    +0.8
NOV       65.9/-3.2      38.7/-2.7     52.3       55.2    -2.9
DEC       62.5/+2.5      38.0/+3.5     50.3       47.2    +3.1
ANNUAL    75.3/-1.6      51.2/+0.2     63.3       63.9    -0.6

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

COLUMBIA SC METROPOLITAN AIRPORT 2013/2014 MONTHLY PRECIPITATION...

               TOTAL   NORMAL   DEPARTURE  
              (INCHES)
JAN 2013       1.21     3.58    -2.37
FEB            5.51     3.61    +1.90
MAR            3.65     3.73    -0.08
APR            4.63     2.62    +2.01
MAY            3.62     2.97    +0.65
JUN            6.17     4.69    +1.48
JUL           11.21     5.46    +5.75
AUG            7.51     5.26    +2.25
SEP            2.04     3.54    -1.50    
OCT            1.98     3.17    -1.19
NOV            2.06     2.74    -0.68
DEC            5.88     3.22    +2.66
ANNUAL        55.47    44.59   +10.88   

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

AUGUSTA GA BUSH FIELD 2013/2014 MONTHLY PRECIPITATION...

               TOTAL   NORMAL   DEPARTURE  
              (INCHES)  
JAN 2013       0.60     3.91     -3.31
FEB            9.40     3.92     +5.48
MAR            3.11     4.18     -1.07
APR            4.23     2.84     +1.39
MAY            2.26     2.65     -0.39
JUN           10.83     4.72     +6.11
JUL            9.05     4.33     +4.72
AUG            5.84     4.32     +1.52
SEP            1.12     3.22     -2.10
OCT            0.36     3.27     -2.91
NOV            1.82     2.82     -1.00
DEC            6.90     3.39     +3.51
ANNUAL        55.54    43.57    +11.97

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  

THE OUTLOOK FOR JANUARY...

THE FORECAST CALLS FOR A 33 TO 40 PERCENT CHANCE OF ABOVE NORMAL
PRECIPITATION AND EQUAL CHANCES THAT TEMPERATURES WILL EITHER BE
BELOW...ABOVE OR NEAR NORMAL.  

THE 3-MONTH OUTLOOK FOR WINTER (JAN/FEB/MAR)...

THE FORECAST CALLS FOR AROUND A 40 PERCENT CHANCE OF BELOW NORMAL
TEMPERATURES AND A 33 TO 40 PERCENT CHANCE OF ABOVE NORMAL
PRECIPITATION FOR THE 3-MONTH PERIOD.

ENSO (EL NINO SOUTHERN OSCILLATION)...
...A EL NINO WATCH CONTINUES FOR THE WINTER INTO SPRING 2015...

AN EL NINO WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR THE
DEVELOPMENT OF EL NINO CONDITIONS WITHIN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS.

AT THIS TIME...ENSO NEUTRAL CONDITIONS CONTINUE ACROSS THE
EQUATORIAL PACIFIC OCEAN. SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURES ARE ABOVE AVERAGE
ACROSS MOST OF THE PACIFIC OCEAN. THE CHANCES OF EL NINO DEVELOPING
IS APPROXIMATELY 65 PERCENT DURING THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE WINTER.
ENSO MODELS INDICATE THAT EL NINO CONDITIONS WILL DEVELOP DURING THE
WINTER AND PERSIST THROUGH THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE SPRING 2015. AT
THIS TIME...IT LOOKS AS THOUGH THE EL NINO THAT IS EXPECTED TO
DEVELOP WILL BE WEAK.  

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 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