DROUGHT STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA SC
1015 AM EDT THU SEP 4 2008
...DROUGHT CONTINUES TO WEAKEN ACROSS SOUTH CAROLINA AND EAST
CENTRAL GEORGIA AS D4 DROUGHT AREA RETREATS...
SYNOPSIS...
WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE REMNANTS OF
TROPICAL STORM FAY ABATED LATE LAST WEEK. SCATTERED RAIN SHOWERS
WITH ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED UNTIL SEPTEMBER 2ND. THE
WIDELY SCATTERED NATURE OF THE PRECIPITATION AFTER FAY...DID LITTLE
TO IMPROVE DROUGHT CONDITIONS ANY FURTHER.
A SERIES OF TROPICAL STORMS CROSSING THE ATLANTIC OCEAN MAY PROVIDE
MORE RELIEF FROM THE DROUGHT. HOWEVER THIS DEPENDS ON THE PATH THESE
STORMS TAKE. CHECK THE LATEST FORECASTS FROM THE NATIONAL HURRICANE
CENTER FOR INFORMATION ON TROPICAL WEATHER AT THEIR WEB SITE AT:
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/
SUMMARY OF IMPACTS...
SO FAR THERE HAS BEEN NO CHANGE IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA
DROUGHT STATUS SINCE THE AUGUST 5TH MEETING. ANOTHER MEETING IS
SCHEDULED FOR SEPTEMBER 16TH. IN THE MEAN TIME...THE STATUS OF
COUNTIES IN THE NWS COLUMBIA AREA CONTINUES TO BE:
IN THE WFO COLUMBIA AREA...MCCORMICK...EDGEFIELD...SALUDA AND
NEWBERRY COUNTIES...CONTINUE TO BE IN EXTREME DROUGHT.
FAIRFIELD...KERSHAW AND LANCASTER COUNTIES CONTINUE TO BE IN SEVERE
DROUGHT.
THE REST OF THE COLUMBIA HYDROLOGIC SERVICE AREA REMAINED IN
MODERATE DROUGHT.
THERE HAS BEEN LITTLE CHANGE IN WATER CONSERVATION EFFORTS BY LOCAL
GOVERNMENT AND OTHER WATER DISTRICTS. FOR THE LATEST CHANGES SEE THE
STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA CLIMATOLOGIST WEB PAGE AT:
http://www.dnr.sc.gov/pls/drought/drought_restrict/
THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE...USDA...CROP REPORT FOR
AUGUST 31 2008 SHOWED SOME IMPROVEMENT IN CROPS. COTTON...PEANUT AND
SORGHUM CROPS ARE SHOWING IMPROVEMENTS.
SOIL MOISTURE CONDITIONS...
THE U.S. DROUGHT MONITOR VALID ON...SEPTEMBER 2 2008 SHOWED...
D4...EXCEPTIONAL DROUGHT...PERSISTED OVER NORTHWEST SOUTH CAROLINA
COVERING SOUTHEAST PICKENS...ALL OF GREENVILLE... MOST OF
SPARTANBURG...ALL OF ANDERSON MOST OF ABBEVILLE...MOST OF
GREENWOOD...ALL OF LAURENS...FAR WESTERN UNION AND FAR
NORTHWEST NEWBERRY COUNTIES.
D3...EXTREME DROUGHT...SURROUNDED THE D4 AREA AND IT RETREATED
NORTHWEST WITH THE SOUTHERN BORDER EXTENDING FROM EAST CENTRAL
GEORGIA ACROSS FAR SOUTHERN EDGEFIELD COUNTY NORTHEAST TO FAR
NORTHERN LEXINGTON COUNTY AND NORTH TO EASTERN CHEROKEE COUNTY.
D2...SEVERE DROUGHT...COVERED AREAS SOUTH OF THE D3 AREA AND IT ALSO
RETREATED WITH THE SOUTHERN BORDER EXTENDING FROM SOUTHEAST
GEORGIA EAST ACROSS CENTRAL BARNWELL COUNTY AND NORTH TO THE
BORDER OF YORK AND LANCASTER COUNTIES IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
D1...MODERATE DROUGHT...COVERED AREAS SOUTH OF THE D2 AREA AND IT
ALSO RETREATED WITH THE SOUTHERN BORDER EXTENDING FROM FAR
SOUTHEAST GEORGIA ACROSS NORTHERN JASPER COUNTY EAST TO
NORTHWEST CHARLESTON COUNTY AND NORTHWEST TO CENTRAL CALHOUN
COUNTY AND THEN NORTHEAST TO CENTRAL CHESTERFIELD COUNTY.
D0...ABNORMALLY DRY CONDITIONS...WERE SOUTH OF THE D1 AREA AND IT
ALSO RETREATED WITH THE SOUTHERN AND EASTERN BOUNDARY EXTENDING
FROM FAR SOUTHEAST GEORGIA COAST ACROSS CENTRAL JASPER COUNTY
AND EAST ACROSS FAR SOUTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY TO THE SOUTH
CAROLINA COAST AND THEN NORTH FROM WESTERN BERKLEY COUNTY TO
FAR EASTERN CHESTERFIELD COUNTY. THE FAR EASTERN CORNER OF
HORRY COUNTY WAS ALSO ABNORMALLY DRY.
THE REST OF SOUTH CAROLINA SOUTH AND EAST OF THE D0 AREA WAS NOT
CONSIDERED TO BE IN DROUGHT.
THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT SHORT TERM FLOODING IN THE NORTH CENTRAL AND
CENTRAL SOUTH CAROLINA DURING THE LAST 2 WEEKS OF AUGUST. MINOR
RIVER FLOODING OCCURRED ON THE CONGAREE AND WATEREE RIVERS. THIS WAS
IN RESPONSE TO VERY HEAVY RAINS ASSOCIATED WITH THE REMNANTS OF
TROPICAL STORM FAY.
GROUND WATER CONDITIONS...
THE GROUND WATER NETWORK MAINTAINED BY THE UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL
SURVEY CONTINUES TO SHOW DETERIORATING CONDITIONS...AS LONG TERM
RAINFALL DEFICITS CONTINUE TO PUT PRESSURE ON GROUND WATER LEVELS.
A HIGHER NUMBER MEANS LESS GROUND WATER. RECENT RAINS ARE STILL NOT
ENOUGH TO REPLENISH GROUND WATER SYSTEMS.
BAKER CREEK STATE PARK WELL BERKELEY COUNTY AIRPORT
AUGUST 27 2008 40.40 FEET 64.29 FEET
SEPTEMBER 3 2008 40.50 FEET RECORD LOW 64.39 FEET RECORD LOW
DIFFERENCE MINUS 0.10 FEET MINUS 0.10 FEET
TIMMONSVILLE CHESTER COUNTY
AUGUST 27 2008 44.51 FEET 89.62 FEET
SEPTEMBER 3 2008 44.51 FEET RECORD LOW 89.67 FEET NORMAL RANGE
DIFFERENCE NO CHANGE MINUS 0.05 FEET
RIVER AND STREAMFLOW CONDITIONS...
OVER THE PAST 7 DAYS THROUGH SEPTEMBER 2...FLOWS ON RANKED GAGES
MAINTAINED BY THE UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY INDICATED
IMPROVEMENT ACROSS THE ENTIRE STATE. ALL OF THE STATE HAD FLOW IN
THE NORMAL RANGE EXCEPT THE SAVANNAH RIVER BASIN WHICH HAD FLOW IN
THE 10 TO 24 PERCENTILE RANGE WHICH IS BELOW NORMAL. THIS IS AN
IMPROVEMENT OVER THE CALCULATIONS FOR THE 7 DAYS ENDING ON AUGUST 26.
A SNAPSHOT OF THE FLOW REPORTED BY RANKED GAGES ACROSS SOUTH
CAROLINA ON THE EVENING OF SEPTEMBER 3RD SHOWED SOME DETERIORATION
FROM THAT REPORTED ON AUGUST 27TH WITH 54 PERCENT OF THE RANKED
GAGES REPORTING FLOW NOW IN THE 10 TO 24 OR LESS PERCENTILE RANGE.
THE REST WERE IN THE NORMAL RANGE OR ABOVE. FLOWS FROM SELECTED
RANKED GAGE SNAPSHOT ON SEPTEMBER 3RD SHOWED FLOWS TO BE 60 PERCENT
OF MEDIAN FLOW...LOWER THAN THAT REPORTED ON AUGUST 27TH.
RESERVOIRS...
SOME RESERVOIRS REPORTED RISES IN LEVELS WHILE OTHERS CONTINUE TO
SHOW FALLING LEVELS. LEVELS ON THE SAVANNAH RIVER LAKE RUSSELL AND
LAKE THURMOND CONTINUE TO BE BELOW NORMAL...WITH LAKE THURMOND WELL
BELOW NORMAL.
LAKE GREENWOOD LAKE THURMOND
AUGUST 27 2008 435.60 FEET AUGUST 27 2008 315.69 FEET
SEPTEMBER 3 2008 436.19 SEPTEMBER 3 2008 315.77 FEET
DIFFERENCE PLUS 0.59 FEET PLUS 0.08 FEET
LAKE RUSSELL LAKE MURRAY
AUGUST 27 2008 472.73 FEET AUGUST 27 2008 356.70 FEET
SEPTEMBER 3 2008 472.49 SEPTEMBER 3 2008 356.55 FEET
DIFFERENCE MINUS 0.24 FEET MINUS 0.15 FEET
LAKE MARION
AUGUST 27 2008 71.37 FEET
SEPTEMBER 3 2008 72.33 FEET
DIFFERENCE PLUS 0.96 FEET
LAKE WATEREE HAD FLOODING FROM THE VERY HEAVY RAINS THAT FELL IN
SOUTH CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA. THE LEVEL ON SEPTEMBER 2 WAS 98.9 FEET...
UP JUST 0.1 FOOT FROM THAT ON AUGUST 28 2008.
BOTH LAKES THURMOND AND LAKE RUSSELL CONTINUE TO BE BELOW NORMAL FOR
THIS TIME OF YEAR WITH LAKE THURMOND AROUND 11.2 FEET BELOW NORMAL
AND LAKE RUSSELL 0.4 FEET BELOW NORMAL. DATA FOR THIS SEGMENT WAS
GATHERED FROM THE UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY...UNITED STATES
ARMY CORP OF ENGINEERS AND DUKE ENERGY.
CLIMATE SUMMARY...
OVER THE PAST 30 DAYS ENDING ON SEPTEMBER 2...RAINFALL AVERAGED FROM
1.5 TO 2 INCHES IN WEST CENTRAL SOUTH CAROLINA AND PARTS OF EAST
CENTRAL GEORGIA TO AN AVERAGE OF 3 TO 5 INCHES ACROSS THE REST OF
SOUTH CAROLINA. AREAS IN NORTH CENTRAL SOUTH CAROLINA AND ALONG THE
SOUTH CAROLINA COAST HAD 6 TO OVER 10 INCHES OF RAIN.
DEPARTURES FROM NORMAL SHOWED THAT AREAS IN WEST CENTRAL SOUTH
CAROLINA AND EAST CENTRAL GEORGIA RECEIVED 1 TO 2 INCHES LESS THAN
NORMAL WITH THE REST OF SOUTH CAROLINA HAD 1 TO 2 INCHES ABOVE
NORMAL. SOME AREAS IN NORTH CENTRAL SOUTH CAROLINA AND ALONG THE
SOUTH CAROLINA COAST HAD 4 TO 8 INCHES OF RAIN ABOVE NORMAL.
PRECIPITATION FROM JANUARY 1 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 2 2008
STATION PRECIPITATION DEPARTURE FROM NORMAL PERCENT OF NORMAL
COLUMBIA SC 30.32 INCHES MINUS 5.17 INCHES 85 PERCENT
AUGUSTA GA 27.54 INCHES MINUS 4.70 INCHES 85 PERCENT
PRECIPITATION FROM SEPTEMBER 1 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 2 2008
COLUMBIA SC 0.00 INCHES MINUS 0.31 INCHES ZERO PERCENT
AUGUSTA GA 0.00 INCHES MINUS 0.27 INCHES ZERO PERCENT
PRECIPITATION AND TEMPERATURE OUTLOOK...
CURRENT FORECAST OUT TO 7 DAYS...
THE CURRENT FORECAST CALLS FOR INCREASING CHANCE OF RAIN ASSOCIATED
WITH HURRICANE HANNA FRIDAY AND SATURDAY OF THIS WEEK. ONCE HANNA
LEAVES...SUNDAY AND MONDAY WILL BE DRY WITH SLIGHT CHANCES OF RAIN
TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. HIGHS WILL BE IN THE MID 80S TO AROUND 90 AND
LOWS WILL BE IN THE 60S.
THE 6 TO 10 DAY OUTLOOK VALID FROM SEPTEMBER 9 TO SEPTEMBER 13 2008
CALLS EQUAL CHANCES OF ABOVE...BELOW OR NORMAL TEMPERATURES ACROSS
SOUTH CAROLINA AND GEORGIA. ALSO THERE IS A 40 TO 50 PERCENT CHANCE
OF ABOVE NORMAL PRECIPITATION ACROSS SOUTH CAROLINA AND GEORGIA.
THE 8 TO 14 DAY OUTLOOK VALID FROM SEPTEMBER 11 TO SEPTEMBER 17 2008
CALLS FOR A 40 PERCENT CHANCE OF BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES ACROSS
SOUTH CAROLINA AND GEORGIA AND A 40 TO 50 PERCENT CHANCE OF ABOVE
NORMAL PRECIPITATION.
THE OUTLOOK FOR SEPTEMBER 2008 CALLS FOR EQUAL CHANCES OF
ABOVE...BELOW OR NORMAL TEMPERATURES ACROSS GEORGIA AND SOUTH
CAROLINA AND A 33 TO 40 PERCENT CHANCE OF ABOVE NORMAL PRECIPITATION.
THE 3 MONTH OUTLOOK FOR SEPTEMBER...OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER OF 2008
CALLS FOR EQUAL CHANCES OF ABOVE...BELOW OR NORMAL TEMPERATURES
AND PRECIPITATION ACROSS SOUTH CAROLINA AND GEORGIA. THERE IS A 33
PERCENT CHANCE OF ABOVE NORMAL PRECIPITATION ALONG THE SOUTH
CAROLINA AND GEORGIA COAST.
HYDROLOGIC SUMMARY AND OUTLOOK...
SOIL MOISTURE CONTINUES TO IMPROVE ACROSS THE AREA AND WITH THE SHORT
TERM OUTLOOKS POINTING TO ABOVE NORMAL PRECIPITATION AND NORMAL TO
BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES. IMPROVEMENT IN DROUGHT CONDITIONS
CONTINUE TO BE POSSIBLE THROUGH SEPTEMBER. HOWEVER GROUND WATER
CONTINUES TO BE VERY SHORT AND IT WILL TAKE MANY WEEKS OF ABOVE
NORMAL PRECIPITATION TO RESTORE GROUND WATER SYSTEMS IN SOUTH
CAROLINA AND EAST CENTRAL GEORGIA.
NEXT ISSUANCE DATE...
THE NEXT DROUGHT STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED ON THURSDAY OCTOBER 2
2008 UNLESS THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN THE DROUGHT STATUS.
RELATED WEB SITES...
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE CURRENT DROUGHT MAY BE FOUND AT THE
FOLLOWING WEB ADDRESSES:
U.S. DROUGHT MONITOR...
http://www.drought.unl.edu/dm/monitor.html
NOAA DROUGHT PAGE...
http://www.drought.noaa.gov/
SOUTH CAROLINA STATE CLIMATOLOGIST...
http://www.dnr.sc.gov/climate/sco/
NWS COLUMBIA DROUGHT PAGE...
http://www.weather.gov/cae/drought.php
ADDITIONAL RIVER AND LAKE INFORMATION:
NWS...
http://www.weather.gov/water/
USACE...
http://water.sas.usace.army.mil/home
USGS...
http://www.usgs.gov/
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS...
THE UNITED STATES DROUGHT MONITOR IS A MULTI-AGENCY EFFORT INVOLVING
NOAA'S NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AND THE NATIONAL CLIMATIC DATA
CENTER...THE USDA...STATE AND REGIONAL CENTER CLIMATOLOGISTS AND THE
NATIONAL DROUGHT MITIGATION CENTER.
INFORMATION FOR THIS STATEMENT HAS BEEN GATHERED FROM NWS AND FAA
OBSERVATION SITES...STATE COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE... THE
USDA...USACE AND THE USGS.
QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS...
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT THIS DROUGHT STATEMENT
PLEASE CONTACT...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
2909 AVIATION WAY
WEST COLUMBIA SC 29170
PHONE: 803-822-8135
INTERNET ADDRESS W-CAE.webmaster@noaa.gov