PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
159 PM EST FRI JAN 2 2009
...2008 CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA AND NORTHEAST
SOUTH CAROLINA...
2008 SAW A REPRIEVE FROM THE SEVERE DROUGHT CONDITIONS WHICH HAD
PLAGUED LARGE PORTIONS OF THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES SINCE
2007 OR EARLIER. LARGE ACCUMULATED RAINFALL DEFICITS WERE NOT
COMPLETELY ERASED...BUT RAINFALL DID EXCEED NORMAL FOR SEVERAL
MONTHS DURING THE SUMMER AND EARLY FALL. BY THE YEAR'S END THE
EASTERN CAROLINAS WERE NO LONGER CONSIDERED TO BE IN DROUGHT
CONDITIONS.
MONTHLY TEMPERATURES SHOWED LARGE VARIATIONS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR...
WITH WELL-ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES DURING FEBRUARY...JUNE...AND
DECEMBER BALANCED OUT BY COOL READINGS DURING MOST OF THE SUMMER
AND FALL. ANNUAL TEMPERATURES AVERAGED NEAR TO SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL.
THE HEAT WAVE DURING JUNE WAS SIGNIFICANT IN THAT WILMINGTON
RECORDED ONLY ITS SECOND 100+ DEGREE READING OF THE DECADE...AND
ITS WARMEST TEMPERATURE (101 DEGREES) SINCE AUGUST 1 1999. THE 2008
GROWING SEASON LASTED FOR 233 DAYS AT FLORENCE AND LUMBERTON...AND
244 DAYS AT WILMINGTON AND NORTH MYRTLE BEACH.
THE ONLY SIGNIFICANT WINTER WEATHER EVENT OF THE YEAR OCCURRED
JANUARY 19TH INTO EARLY JANUARY 20TH. A FAIRLY WIDESPREAD 1 INCH
SNOW ACCUMULATION WITH SOME SLEET OCCURRED FROM DARLINGTON AND CLIO
TOWARD LUMBERTON AND TOBERMORY. THE HIGHEST OBSERVED SNOWFALL TOTAL
WAS 1.5 INCHES IN LUMBERTON. THIS EVENT WAS PRECEDED BY A SMALLER
EVENT ON JANUARY 16TH INTO EARLY JANUARY 17TH WHEN A MIXTURE OF
SLEET AND SNOW FELL ACROSS INLAND AREAS OF THE CAROLINAS.
ACCUMULATIONS UP TO 1/2 INCH WERE RECORDED IN THE MARION
VICINITY...WITH MAINLY TRACE TO 1/4 INCH ACCUMULATIONS ELSEWHERE.
AN ARCTIC PATTERN DURING MUCH OF THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER LED TO
FREQUENT COLD OUTBREAKS...AND SNOW FLURRIES WERE REPORTED ON BOTH
NOVEMBER 18TH AND 21ST.
A SEVERE WEATHER OUTBREAK ON MARCH 5TH RESULTED IN WIDESPREAD
DAMAGE FROM HIGH WINDS EXTENDING FROM THE PEE DEE AREA INTO
WILMINGTON. WIND SPEEDS WERE MEASURED AT 57 MPH AT WRIGHTSVILLE
BEACH. A MAJOR SEVERE WEATHER OUTBREAK ON MARCH 15TH BROUGHT
HAIL...HIGH WINDS...AND SEVEN CONFIRMED TORNADO TOUCHDOWNS TO
PORTIONS OF EASTERN NORTH AND SOUTH CAROLINA. THE MOST SIGNIFICANT
DAMAGE OCCURRED JUST SOUTH OF TIMMONSVILLE IN FLORENCE COUNTY
WHERE OVER 70 HOMES WERE DAMAGED AND THREE PEOPLE WERE INJURED BY
AN EF1 TORNADO. ON NOVEMBER 18TH AN EF2 TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN JUST
EAST OF DILLON SC CAUSING SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO HOMES IN THE PEE
DEE CHURCH ROAD AND HIGHWAY 9 AREAS. A SECOND TORNADO (RATED EF0)
TOUCHED DOWN LATER NEAR ST. PAULS IN ROBESON COUNTY.
THE CAPE FEAR AREA TOOK A DIRECT HIT FROM TROPICAL STORM HANNA. ON
SEPTEMBER 9TH THE CENTER OF THE STORM CROSSED THE COAST NEAR
CALABASH IN BRUNSWICK COUNTY. THE HIGHEST MEASURED WIND SPEED
WAS 72 MPH AT WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OVER 8 INCHES
WERE MEASURED IN MARION...WITH WIDESPREAD 4-6 INCH AMOUNTS CLOSER
TO THE COAST. A TIDAL SURGE OF FOUR FEET WAS MEASURED AT OCEAN
ISLE BEACH ALONG WITH MODERATE BEACH EROSION. A STRONG LOW
PRESSURE SYSTEM WHICH WAS NEVER OFFICIALLY CALLED A TROPICAL
STORM MOVED ACROSS THE AREA SEPTEMBER 25TH AND 26TH...BRINGING
WIDESPREAD 40 TO 55 MPH WINDS...OCEAN LEVELS UP TO 7 FT ABOVE
MLLW...AND 2 TO 4 INCHES OF RAIN.
A GRAVITY WAVE MOVED THROUGH THE AREA ON OCTOBER 25TH BRINGING
WIND GUSTS AS HIGH AS 62 MPH AT WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH. A GRAVITY
WAVE IS AN UNUSUAL WEATHER OCCURRENCE WHERE BAROMETRIC PRESSURE
FLUCTUATES QUICKLY AND CAUSES A BRIEF PERIOD OF HIGH WINDS.
*** WILMINGTON NC 2008 CLIMATE DATA (PRELIMINARY) ***
AVG HI/DEP AVG LO/DEP AVG T/DEP WARMEST COOLEST PRECIP/DEP
JAN 56.6/+0.3 35.5/-0.3 46.0/-0.1 76/9TH 16/4TH 3.24/-1.28
FEB 63.6/+4.1 40.6/+3.1 52.1/+3.6 79/5TH 27/29TH 3.93/+0.27
MAR 67.1/+0.9 44.4/+0.7 55.8/+0.8 78/28TH 33/10TH 3.22/-1.00
APR 74.0/-0.1 53.6/+2.4 63.8/+1.2 85/18TH 37/17TH 2.25/-0.69
MAY 79.7/-0.9 59.0/-0.8 69.3/-0.9 88/10TH 47/1ST 4.07/-0.33
JUN 90.6/+4.2 70.8/+3.2 80.7/+3.7 101/9TH 60/19TH 4.09/-1.27
JUL 89.1/-0.7 71.7/-0.6 80.4/-0.7 97/21ST 63/3RD 12.43/+4.81
AUG 87.1/-1.2 70.6/-0.4 78.9/-0.7 98/6TH 62/14TH 7.19/-0.12
SEP 83.3/-0.8 67.1/+1.3 75.2/+0.2 93/15TH 58/20TH 9.69/+2.90
OCT 73.4/-2.3 51.4/-2.5 62.4/-2.4 86/16TH 32/31ST 3.04/-0.17
NOV 63.4/-4.4 42.0/-3.1 52.7/-3.8 78/7TH 23/22ND 4.65/+1.39
DEC 63.6/+4.1 41.7/+3.6 52.6/+3.7 76/28TH 22/23TH 3.03/-0.75
------------------------------------------------------------------
ANN 74.3/+0.3 54.0/+0.5 64.2/+0.4 101 16 60.83/+3.76
DAYS WITH PRECIPITATION... 0.01 OR GREATER: 125
0.10 OR GREATER: 81
0.50 OR GREATER: 34
1.00 OR GREATER: 18
MAX IN 24-HR PERIOD: 4.16
AVERAGE OBSERVED RELATIVE HUMIDITY: 70 PERCENT
DEGREE DAYS... HEATING DEGREE DAYS: 2260 COOLING DEGREE DAYS: 2052
THERE WERE 41 DAYS WITH HIGHS 90+ ...AND 36 DAYS WITH LOWS 32 OR COOLER
*** FLORENCE SC 2008 CLIMATE DATA (PRELIMINARY) ***
AVG HI/DEP AVG LO/DEP AVG T/DEP WARMEST COOLEST PRECIP/DEP
JAN 54.3/-0.5 35.0/-0.2 44.7/-0.3 76/8TH 16/4TH 2.72/-1.37
FEB 63.5/+4.4 39.3/+1.3 51.4/+3.0 81/6TH 24/28TH 4.20/+1.18
MAR 68.1/+0.9 43.4/-1.0 55.7/-0.1 80/28TH 29/9TH 2.68/-1.32
APR 74.6/-0.6 51.2/+0.2 62.9/-0.2 86/26TH 36/16TH 3.45/+0.66
MAY 82.3/+0.3 57.5/-2.4 69.9/-1.1 91/31ST 45/1ST 3.58/+0.27
JUN 92.4/+4.8 69.5/+1.9 80.9/+3.3 99/9TH 60/19TH 0.17/-4.10
JUL 90.6/-0.1 70.2/-1.4 80.4/-0.8 98/22ND 60/2ND 7.11/+1.83
AUG 88.2/-0.9 70.1/-0.3 79.1/-0.7 98/6TH 64/14TH 7.32/+1.99
SEP 82.2/-2.0 65.8/+0.8 74.0/-0.7 93/15TH 55/24TH 11.34/+7.67
OCT 73.0/-2.2 50.2/-2.7 61.6/-2.5 85/16TH 32/30TH 2.14/-0.80
NOV 61.9/-4.7 39.3/-4.9 50.6/-4.8 77/15TH 20/22ND 4.41/+1.82
DEC 62.4/+4.8 41.0/+3.8 51.7/+4.2 76/19TH 24/23RD 1.17/-2.30
------------------------------------------------------------------
ANN 74.5/+0.3 52.7/-0.5 63.6/-0.1 99 16 50.28/+5.52
DAYS WITH PRECIPITATION... 0.01 OR GREATER: 122
0.10 OR GREATER: 65
0.50 OR GREATER: 33
1.00 OR GREATER: 20
MAX IN 24-HR PERIOD: 4.53
AVERAGE OBSERVED RELATIVE HUMIDITY: 68 PERCENT
DEGREE DAYS... HEATING DEGREE DAYS: 2432 COOLING DEGREE DAYS: 2011
THERE WERE 54 DAYS WITH HIGHS 90+ ...AND 42 DAYS WITH LOWS 32 OR COOLER
*** NORTH MYRTLE BEACH SC 2008 CLIMATE DATA (PRELIMINARY) ***
AVG HI/DEP AVG LO/DEP AVG T/DEP WARMEST COOLEST PRECIP/DEP
JAN 55.0/-1.5 36.3/-0.5 45.6/-1.0 73/9TH 16/4TH 3.54/-0.12
FEB 61.0/+3.2 41.6/+3.7 51.3/+3.4 70/7TH 26/28TH 4.13/+0.63
MAR 64.6/+1.8 45.0/+2.0 54.8/+1.9 73/22ND 33/9TH 2.62/-1.17
APR 71.9/+0.4 53.4/+1.4 62.7/+0.7 79/18TH 38/17TH 3.07/+0.95
MAY 78.2/-0.5 59.9/-0.8 69.0/-0.7 89/20TH 47/14TH 3.08/+0.09
JUN 85.9/+1.3 70.6/+2.5 78.3/+1.7 93/17TH 60/19TH 3.44/-0.22
JUL 85.8/-1.0 71.8/+0.3 78.8/-0.4 96/21ST 64/2ND 8.64/+3.45
AUG 86.1/-0.2 71.9/+1.0 79.0/+0.1 95/6TH 65/14TH 4.88/-0.70
SEP 83.0/+0.7 67.8/+2.0 75.4/+1.2 92/15TH 58/24TH 7.23/+1.65
OCT 74.5/-0.0 52.6/-1.9 63.5/-1.0 86/16TH 32/31ST 3.33/+0.10
NOV 63.2/-2.4 43.3/-0.0 53.2/-1.4 79/13TH 25/22ND 4.11/+1.14
DEC 63.0/+5.1 43.9/+6.8 53.5/+5.7 76/25TH 23/23RD 2.54/-0.91
------------------------------------------------------------------
ANN 72.7/+0.5 54.8/+1.2 63.8/+0.7 96 16 50.61/+4.89
DAYS WITH PRECIPITATION... 0.01 OR GREATER: 111
0.10 OR GREATER: 69
0.50 OR GREATER: 30
1.00 OR GREATER: 14
MAX IN 24-HR PERIOD: 4.28
AVERAGE OBSERVED RELATIVE HUMIDITY: 73 PERCENT
DEGREE DAYS... HEATING DEGREE DAYS: 2247 COOLING DEGREE DAYS: 1900
THERE WERE 12 DAYS WITH HIGHS 90+ ...AND 29 DAYS WITH LOWS 32 OR COOLER
*** LUMBERTON NC 2008 CLIMATE DATA (PRELIMINARY) ***
AVG HI AVG LO AVG T WARMEST COOLEST PRECIP
JAN 53.3 33.4 43.3 75/8TH 16/4TH 1.34
FEB 62.4 38.6 50.5 80/6TH 25/28TH 4.54
MAR 67.4 43.1 55.2 81/28TH 31/10TH 2.13
APR 73.4 50.7 62.0 86/26TH 34/16TH 4.54
MAY 82.4 57.0 69.7 91/31ST 44/1ST 1.83
JUN 93.1 69.4 81.2 102/9TH 57/19TH 1.46
JUL 90.3 69.7 80.0 98/22ND 57/2ND 5.38
AUG 88.2 69.5 78.8 97/6TH 60/12TH 7.02
SEP 83.6 65.4 74.5 93/15TH 57/24TH 8.84
OCT 73.7 48.9 61.3 88/15TH 30/31ST 0.44
NOV 61.7 38.5 50.1 77/15TH 21/22ND 4.50
DEC 61.4 40.1 50.7 76/28TH 21/23RD 1.24
------------------------------------------------------------------
ANN 74.2 52.0 63.1 102 16 43.26
DAYS WITH PRECIPITATION... 0.01 OR GREATER: 103
0.10 OR GREATER: 63
0.50 OR GREATER: 29
1.00 OR GREATER: 11
MAX IN 24-HR PERIOD: 3.73
AVERAGE OBSERVED RELATIVE HUMIDITY: 70 PERCENT
DEGREE DAYS... HEATING DEGREE DAYS: 2586 COOLING DEGREE DAYS: 2002
THERE WERE 60 DAYS WITH HIGHS 90+ ...AND 44 DAYS WITH LOWS 32 OR
COOLER
$$
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