2013 Year in Review, a Climate Summary for Southeastern North Carolina and Northeastern South Carolina

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
1040 PM EST WED JAN 1 2014

...2013 CLIMATE YEAR IN REVIEW FOR SOUTHEASTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND 
NORTHEASTERN SOUTH CAROLINA...

THE MOUNTAINS OF THE CAROLINAS EXPERIENCED ONE OF THEIR WETTEST 
YEARS ON RECORD DURING 2013...BUT PRECIPITATION DEPARTURES DECREASED 
SUBSTANTIALLY MOVING TOWARD THE COAST. RAINFALL DURING 2013 WAS 
NEARLY ONE FOOT ABOVE NORMAL IN FLORENCE...BUT WAS ACTUALLY BELOW 
NORMAL IN MYRTLE BEACH AND WILMINGTON BY UP TO SIX INCHES. 
TEMPERATURE-WISE...2013 WAS SLIGHTLY COOLER THAN NORMAL DUE TO VERY 
CHILLY TEMPERATURES DURING MARCH PLUS A CLOUDY WET SUMMER.

JANUARY WAS A WARM MONTH...WITH A SEVEN-DAY PERIOD BETWEEN THE 11TH 
AND 17TH RECORDING HIGHS 70 DEGREES OR WARMER AT EVERY CLIMATE 
STATION IN OUR AREA. IN FLORENCE HIGHS REACHED 80 DEGREES OR WARMER 
THREE TIMES IN JANUARY INCLUDING 81 DEGREES ON JANUARY 12TH. AS IS 
TYPICAL THE WARM WEATHER ENDED WITH A BANG ON JANUARY 17TH WHEN 
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCED A DAMAGING MICROBURST IN THE COLUMBUS 
COUNTY COMMUNITY OF CHADBOURN. A SECOND WARM SPELL AT THE END OF 
JANUARY BROUGHT ADDITIONAL SEVERE WEATHER WITH WIND GUSTS UP TO 60 
MPH PRODUCING DAMAGE DURING THE EVENING OF JANUARY 30TH INTO THE 
EARLY MORNING HOURS OF JANUARY 31ST.

CHILLY AIR BEHIND A COLD FRONT BROUGHT SNOW TO PARTS OF THE EASTERN 
CAROLINAS FEBRUARY 16TH AND 17TH. ALTHOUGH MOST LOCATIONS ONLY 
PICKED UP A TRACE OF SNOW...ONE TO TWO INCHES FELL WITHIN A NARROW 
CORRIDOR FROM DARLINGTON AND CLYDE ACROSS FLORENCE TO MARION AND 
LORIS. THE SNOW DIDN'T LAST LONG BUT CAME DOWN QUITE HARD WITH 
VISIBILITY REDUCED TO ONLY HALF A MILE AT THE FLORENCE AIRPORT. A 
SECOND AREA OF MEASURABLE SNOW ACCUMULATIONS AFFECTED PENDER COUNTY 
NC WHERE SURF CITY REPORTED ONE INCH ON THE GROUND. 

MARCH WAS ONE OF THE COLDEST EVER ACROSS THE EASTERN CAROLINAS... 
MAINLY DUE TO A PERSISTENT DEEP TROUGH ACROSS THE EASTERN UNITED 
STATES WHICH BLANKETED THE SOUTHEASTERN STATES WITH COLD NORTHERLY 
WINDS FROM CANADA. THE AVERAGE MONTHLY TEMPERATURE OF 49.7 AT 
WILMINGTON WAS THE NINTH COLDEST MARCH IN HISTORY AND THE COLDEST 
SINCE 1960. MARCH'S AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 50.1 IN FLORENCE WAS THE 
THIRD COLDEST IN HISTORY AND THE COLDEST SINCE 1971. THIS STANDS IN 
CONTRAST TO THE RECORD WARMTH IN MARCH 2012 WHEN MANY EASTERN U.S. 
CITIES SET ALL-TIME HIGH TEMPERATURE RECORDS FOR THE MONTH.

DUE IN PART TO BELOW-NORMAL TEMPERATURES...THE SPRING SEVERE WEATHER 
SEASON WAS VERY UNEVENTFUL ACROSS THE CAROLINAS. THIS TREND EXTENDED 
TO THE NATION AS A WHOLE WHERE THE NUMBER OF REPORTED TORNADOES FOR 
THE SPRING (AND FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR) WAS THE LOWEST IN MODERN 
HISTORY. IN A PATTERN THAT WOULD LAST INTO THE SUMMER...PERSISTENT 
WET WEATHER DEVELOPED DURING THE LAST TWO WEEKS OF MAY WITH ABOVE- 
NORMAL RAINFALL AND GENERALLY COOL DAYTIME TEMPERATURES OCCURRING IN 
THE CAROLINAS ALL THE WAY THROUGH AUGUST. 

THE ATLANTIC HURRICANE SEASON WAS VERY QUIET BUT ONE NAMED STORM 
AFFECTED THE CAROLINAS EARLY ON. TROPICAL STORM ANDREA DEVELOPED IN 
THE EASTERN GULF OF MEXICO ON JUNE 5TH. ANDREA MADE LANDFALL ALONG 
THE FLORIDA BIG BEND DURING THE EVENING OF JUNE 6TH...AND 
ACCELERATED NORTHEASTWARD ACROSS THE COASTAL PLAIN THAT NIGHT. 
ANDREA TRANSITIONED INTO AN POST-TROPICAL CYCLONE AS IT MOVED ACROSS 
THE EASTERN CAROLINAS ON JUNE 7TH...BRINGING WIND GUSTS AS HIGH AS 
48 MPH IN WILMINGTON AND 53 MPH AT OAK ISLAND. RAINFALL FROM ANDREA 
AVERAGED 2 TO 4 INCHES...WITH UP TO 6.46 INCHES MEASURED NEAR THE 
TOWN OF BOLIVIA IN BRUNSWICK COUNTY NC. 

THE HOTTEST TEMPERATURES OF 2013 OCCURRED DURING A BRIEF TWO-DAY 
PERIOD WHEN DRY WESTERLY WINDS ORIGINATING FROM THE PLAINS REACHED 
THE EASTERN CAROLINAS. WIDESPREAD HIGH TEMPERATURES IN THE MID AND 
UPPER 90S OCCURRED...WITH LUMBERTON AND MOORES CREEK (PENDER COUNTY) 
RECORDING 100 DEGREE HIGHS ON JUNE 13TH.

THE CAROLINAS WERE AFFECTED BY A SECOND TROPICAL SYSTEM ON JUNE 
22ND. A TROPICAL LOW (NEVER OFFICIALLY A NUMBERED DEPRESSION) MOVED 
ASHORE NEAR CALABASH IN BRUNSWICK COUNTY WITH 30 MPH WINDS AND HEAVY 
BANDS OF SHOWERS. IF THIS SYSTEM HAD REMAINED OVER THE OCEAN FOR 
ANOTHER 12 TO 24 HOURS IT COULD HAVE BECOME A TROPICAL DEPRESSION OR 
EVEN A TROPICAL STORM. RAINFALL AMOUNTS IN THE CAPE FEAR AREA WERE 
GENERALLY LESS THAN TWO INCHES. A VERY WET WEATHER PATTERN CONTINUED 
THROUGH JUNE...TOPPED OFF BY TWO CONFIRMED EF0 TORNADOES (60 MPH 
ESTIMATED WINDS) WHICH HIT SOCASTEE IN HORRY COUNTY PRODUCING MINOR 
DAMAGE ON JUNE 29TH. RAINFALL TOTALS FOR JUNE REACHED NEARLY 12 
INCHES IN WILMINGTON AND ALMOST 14 INCHES IN FLORENCE...MAKING JUNE 
2013 ONE OF THE WETTEST JUNES ON RECORD.

ON JULY 2 A CONFIRMED EF1 TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN NEAR THE TOWN OF 
QUINBY IN NORTHERN FLORENCE COUNTY WITH 105 MPH ESTIMATED WINDS...8 
INJURIES...AND AROUND 20 DAMAGED OR DESTROYED HOMES. IN WHAT BORE AN 
EERIE RESEMBLANCE TO THE TROPICAL LOW IN JUNE...A TROPICAL LOW MADE 
LANDFALL IN WESTERN BRUNSWICK COUNTY ON JULY 22ND WITH 30 MPH WINDS 
AND MORE HEAVY RAIN. A PERSISTENTLY WET PATTERN THROUGH JULY 
PRODUCED SIGNIFICANT FLOODING IN FLORENCE COUNTY ON JULY 27TH WITH 
MANY ROAD CLOSURES REPORTED IN THE FLORENCE...QUINBY...AND 
TIMMONSVILLE AREAS.

THE FIRST HALF OF AUGUST REMAINED WET...CULMINATING IN ONE OF THE 
ODDEST MID-SUMMER WEATHER PATTERNS EVER OBSERVED LOCALLY. A COLD 
FRONT PUSHED SOUTH INTO GEORGIA ON AUGUST 14TH...WITH A WINTER-LIKE 
STEADY RAIN DEVELOPING NORTH OF THE FRONT ACROSS THE CAROLINAS. AS 
RAIN FELL INTO DRY AIR...EVAPORATIONAL COOLING HELD HIGH TEMPS 15 TO 
20 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL AUGUST 15-16TH. WILMINGTON BROKE A RECORD 
FOR THE COLDEST DAYTIME HIGH EVER RECORDED FOR AUGUST 15TH: 71 
DEGREES. THE HIGH IN FLORENCE ON AUGUST 16TH WAS ONLY 69 DEGREES... 
ONLY THE FOURTH TIME IN HISTORY WHERE AN AUGUST DAY IN FLORENCE 
FAILED TO REACH AT LEAST 70 DEGREES. BEACH WATER TEMPERATURES WERE 
KNOCKED DOWN INTO THE MID 70S BY THE COLD AIR TEMPERATURES... 
CLOUDS...AND PERSISTENT RAIN. 

THE WET PATTERN FINALLY ENDED DURING THE LAST WEEK OF AUGUST. THE 
CLIMATOLOGICAL PEAK OF HURRICANE SEASON IN AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER WAS 
UNEVENTFUL...PERHAPS DUE TO SUBSTANTIAL SAHARAN DUST IN THE TROPICAL 
ATLANTIC INHIBITING STORM FORMATION. DUE IN PART TO THE LACKLUSTER 
HURRICANE SEASON...OUR RAINFALL WAS BELOW-NORMAL FROM SEPTEMBER 
THROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR. A COLD FRONT MOVED ACROSS THE AREA 
DURING THE MORNING OF SEPTEMBER 22ND...PRODUCING A THUNDERSTORM WITH 
A BRIEF TORNADO TOUCHDOWN IN HOLDEN BEACH AROUND 440 AM. AN NWS 
STORM SURVEY ESTIMATED WINDS WERE AROUND 65 MPH. 

DRY WEATHER IN OCTOBER WAS MAINTAINED BY CONTINENTAL AIR THAT 
COVERED THE CAROLINAS MUCH OF THE MONTH. THE ONLY SIGNIFICANT RAIN 
OF THE MONTH OCCURRED OCTOBER 8TH WHEN MOISTURE FROM TROPICAL STORM 
KAREN WAS BROUGHT NORTH AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT...WITH LESS THAN 1.5 
INCHES OF RAIN MEASURED LOCALLY. THE FIRST WIDESPREAD FREEZE OF THE FALL 
OCCURRED ON OCTOBER 26TH WITH 29 DEGREE TEMPERATURES IN BOTH 
FLORENCE AND LUMBERTON. BEGINNING IN NOVEMBER TEMPERATURES WERE ON A 
NEARLY-CONTINUOUS ROLLER COASTER RIDE WITH UNUSUALLY WARM WEATHER 
ALTERNATING WITH SHORT-LIVED COLD SHOTS. A STRONG ARCTIC COLD FRONT 
CROSSED THE CAROLINAS ON NOVEMBER 12TH...BRINGING THE EARLIEST SNOW 
(A TRACE) IN WILMINGTON'S 140-YEAR HISTORY OF CLIMATE RECORDS. 
SEVERAL LOCATIONS IN PENDER COUNTY AND NORTHERN NEW HANOVER COUNTY 
MEASURED UP TO 0.4 INCHES OF SNOWFALL.

DECEMBER'S TEMPERATURES AVERAGED SEVERAL DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL MAINLY 
DUE TO AN IMPRESSIVE WARM PERIOD THAT DEVELOPED JUST BEFORE 
CHRISTMAS. HIGHS DECEMBER 20-23 REACHED THE 70S AND LOWER 80S AT ALL 
OF OUR CLIMATE STATIONS. NEW DAILY RECORD HIGHS WERE ESTABLISHED IN 
WILMINGTON (80 DEGREES ON DECEMBER 23RD) AND IN FLORENCE. (83 
DEGREES ON DECEMBER 22ND) 

*** WILMINGTON NC   2013 CLIMATE DATA - PRELIMINARY ***

    AVG HI/DEP AVG LO/DEP  AVG T/DEP  WARMEST   COOLEST   PRECIP/DEP
JAN  61.8/+5.4  39.8/+4.2  50.8/+4.8  78/17TH+  22/25TH   2.13/-1.63   
FEB  57.8/-2.1  37.2/-0.7  47.5/-1.4  69/26TH+  24/18TH+  5.14/+1.52
MAR  60.8/-5.6  38.6/-5.2  49.7/-5.4  79/16TH   29/4TH    2.44/-1.77
APR  71.8/-2.4  51.8/+0.2  61.8/-1.1  83/10TH   38/7TH+   5.70/+2.88
MAY  78.9/-1.8  59.0/-1.0  68.9/-1.5  91/16TH   46/14TH   1.30/-3.19
JUN  85.3/-1.6  69.6/+0.9  77.4/-0.4  95/13TH   60/15TH  11.46/+6.28
JUL  86.7/-3.0  73.0/+0.4  79.8/-1.3  92/16TH   69/27TH+  5.64/-1.84
AUG  86.6/-1.5  69.9/-1.4  78.3/-1.4  95/12TH   62/26TH   8.68/+1.27
SEP  83.6/-0.1  65.4/-1.1  74.1/-0.5  91/2ND+   53/24TH   0.98/-6.86
OCT  75.0/-0.7  56.4/+1.8  65.7/+0.5  86/5TH+   35/26TH   2.27/-1.62
NOV  66.5/-1.5  42.6/-2.8  54.5/-2.2  84/18TH   23/25TH   3.67/+0.38 
DEC  64.0/+4.7  41.3/+3.5  52.6/+4.0  80/22ND   27/13TH   1.73/-1.89
---------------------------------------------------------------------
ANN  73.2/-0.9  53.6/-0.2  63.4/-0.6  95 8/12   22 1/25  51.14/-6.47

NUMBER OF DAYS WITH TEMPERATURES...
 90 DEGREES OR HIGHER: 22
 32 DEGREES OR LOWER: 38

HEATING DEGREE DAYS: 2368    44 BELOW NORMAL
COOLING DEGREE DAYS: 1914   130 BELOW NORMAL

NUMBER OF DAYS WITH PRECIPITATION...
 0.01" OR GREATER: 133
 0.10" OR GREATER: 82
 0.50" OR GREATER: 38
 1.00" OR GREATER: 15

SNOW OR SLEET FELL ON 4 DAYS.
MEASURABLE SNOW OR SLEET FELL DID NOT FALL.

AVERAGE WIND SPEED: 7.1 MPH
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE WIND SPEED: 41 MPH ON 1/31
MAXIMUM 5-SECOND WIND GUST: 49 MPH ON 3/6

*** FLORENCE SC    2013 CLIMATE DATA - PRELIMINARY ***

    AVG HI/DEP AVG LO/DEP  AVG T/DEP  WARMEST   COOLEST   PRECIP/DEP
JAN  62.5/+7.2  39.8/+5.2  51.2/+6.3  81/12TH   22/25TH   1.50/-1.73
FEB  58.0/-1.6  35.9/-1.6  46.9/-1.6  73/26TH   19/18TH   5.02/+2.10
MAR  62.5/-5.1  37.6/-6.0  50.1/-5.5  83/16TH   25/4TH    2.49/-0.84
APR  75.2/-0.6  52.0/+1.3  63.6/+0.3  87/19TH   39/6TH    4.98/+2.36
MAY  80.5/-2.2  58.5/-0.9  69.5/-1.6  90/17TH   44/25TH   4.84/+1.58
JUN  88.3/-0.1  69.5/+1.5  78.9/+0.7  96/13TH+  60/16TH+  8.28/+3.66
JUL  88.9/-2.1  72.5/+1.1  80.7/-0.5  95/17TH   69/27TH  14.91/+9.65
AUG  87.5/-1.9  70.6/+0.1  79.0/-0.9  96/12TH+  61/27TH+  4.44/-0.80
SEP  85.8/+1.6  63.5/-0.8  74.6/+0.4  92/12TH   52/30TH   0.89/-2.78
OCT  76.6/+1.1  54.4/+1.3  65.5/+1.2  90/5TH    29/26TH   0.83/-2.25
NOV  65.2/-1.9  39.7/-4.0  52.4/-3.0  83/18TH   21/25TH   2.16/-0.51 
DEC  62.5/+4.7  39.5/+3.0  51.0/+3.9  83/22ND   24/13TH   4.33/+1.32
---------------------------------------------------------------------
ANN  74.5/-0.1  52.8/+0.0  63.6/-0.1  96 MANY   19 2/18  54.67/+11.76

NUMBER OF DAYS WITH TEMPERATURES...
 90 DEGREES OR HIGHER: 51
 32 DEGREES OR LOWER: 51

HEATING DEGREE DAYS: 2442   82 BELOW NORMAL
COOLING DEGREE DAYS: 2064    2 ABOVE NORMAL

NUMBER OF DAYS WITH PRECIPITATION...
 0.01" OR GREATER: 126
 0.10" OR GREATER: 87
 0.50" OR GREATER: 38
 1.00" OR GREATER: 16

AVERAGE WIND SPEED: 6.1 MPH
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE WIND SPEED: 36 MPH ON 7/27
MAXIMUM 5-SECOND WIND GUST: 46 MPH ON 7/27

*** NORTH MYRTLE BEACH SC  2013 CLIMATE DATA - PRELIMINARY ***

    AVG HI/DEP AVG LO/DEP  AVG T/DEP  WARMEST   COOLEST   PRECIP/DEP
JAN  61.5/+6.4  40.5/+4.3  51.0/+5.3  77/12TH   25/25TH   0.64/-3.05
FEB  57.1/-0.3  37.2/-1.4  47.2/-0.8  70/6TH    23/18TH   4.42/+1.00
MAR  59.4/-4.7  39.0/-5.3  49.2/-5.0  80/16TH   28/22ND   3.18/-0.74
APR  70.6/-0.7  52.7/+0.8  61.7/+0.1  77/18TH   39/7TH    6.82/+3.86
MAY  76.7/-1.9  60.5/-0.3  68.6/-1.1  89/16TH   45/14TH   2.38/-1.03
JUN  83.7/-0.8  71.4/+2.1  77.6/+0.7  91/13TH   61/15TH  12.45/+7.81
JUL  85.3/-2.3  74.6/+1.5  79.9/-0.4  91/17TH   70/26TH   6.68/+0.78
AUG  85.1/-1.0  71.3/-0.4  78.2/-0.7  92/12TH   63/15TH   4.19/-3.22
SEP  82.9/-0.5  65.1/-1.8  74.0/-1.1  90/2ND    56/30TH+  1.36/-4.92
OCT  74.3/-0.8  56.0/+0.3  65.1/-0.3  84/2ND    33/26TH   1.37/-2.51
NOV  65.5/-1.1  43.0/-3.4  54.2/-2.3  82/18TH   23/14TH   3.49/+0.45
DEC  62.2/+3.7  41.3/+2.3  51.7/+2.9  75/22ND   26/13TH   1.58/-1.88
---------------------------------------------------------------------
ANN  72.0/-0.4  54.4/-0.2  63.2/-0.3  92 8/12   23 11/14 48.56/-3.45

NUMBER OF DAYS WITH TEMPERATURES...
 90 DEGREES OR HIGHER: 10
 32 DEGREES OR LOWER: 35

HEATING DEGREE DAYS: 2381   67 BELOW NORMAL
COOLING DEGREE DAYS: 1848   55 BELOW NORMAL

NUMBER OF DAYS WITH PRECIPITATION...
 0.01" OR GREATER: 117
 0.10" OR GREATER:  69
 0.50" OR GREATER:  32
 1.00" OR GREATER:  15

AVERAGE WIND SPEED: 7.1 MPH
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE WIND SPEED: 37 MPH ON 11/26
MAXIMUM 5-SECOND WIND GUST: 47 MPH ON 12/29

*** LUMBERTON NC   2013 CLIMATE DATA - PRELIMINARY ***

    AVG HI/DEP AVG LO/DEP  AVG T/DEP  WARMEST   COOLEST   PRECIP/DEP
JAN  58.9/+5.2  38.1/+4.9  48.5/+5.1  78/12TH   21/25TH   1.48/-1.49
FEB  55.6/-2.4  34.5/-1.1  45.1/-1.7  69/26TH   21/18TH   4.09/+1.19
MAR  59.5/-6.8  35.5/-6.5  47.5/-6.6  79/16TH   25/4TH    1.88/-1.45
APR  73.4/-1.1  48.4/-0.6  60.9/-0.8  84/19TH+  35/6TH    3.91/+1.09
MAY  81.1/-1.0  55.6/-2.0  68.4/-1.4  91/31ST+  39/14TH   3.12/+0.07
JUN  89.2/+0.7  67.9/+0.5  78.6/+0.6 100/13TH   59/15TH  10.71/+4.34
JUL  88.9/-2.1  72.6/+1.3  80.7/-0.4  95/16TH   69/27TH+  5.63/+0.15
AUG  87.4/-0.9  69.4/-0.3  78.4/-0.6  98/12TH   61/27TH+  5.16/-0.34
SEP  84.5/+0.8  62.0/-0.3  73.2/+0.2  92/12TH+  51/24TH   1.40/-3.40
OCT  75.2/-0.3  52.6/+1.3  63.9/+0.5  89/6TH+   29/26TH   0.35/-2.22
NOV  64.6/-2.6  38.6/-2.8  51.6/-2.7  82/18TH   19/25TH   2.47/-0.40
DEC  60.5/+3.7  38.7/+3.1  49.6/+3.4  81/22ND   25/13TH   4.66/+1.77
---------------------------------------------------------------------
ANN  73.2/-0.7  51.2/-0.2  62.2/-0.4 100 6/13   19 11/25 44.86/+1.34  

NUMBER OF DAYS WITH TEMPERATURES...
 90 DEGREES OR HIGHER: 55
 32 DEGREES OR LOWER: 61

HEATING DEGREE DAYS: 2783   22 ABOVE NORMAL
COOLING DEGREE DAYS: 1876   34 BELOW NORMAL

NUMBER OF DAYS WITH PRECIPITATION...
 0.01" OR GREATER:  120
 0.10" OR GREATER:   80
 0.50" OR GREATER:   32
 1.00" OR GREATER:   13

AVERAGE WIND SPEED: 5.4 MPH
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE WIND SPEED: 33 MPH ON 4/19
MAXIMUM 5-SECOND WIND GUST: 44 MPH ON 1/31

$$

TRA

   Radar Estimated Rainfall Graphics

Radar-estimated rainfall for 2013.  The Eastern Carolinas averaged 45 to 55 inches.  Low values along the South Carolina coast are not realistic and are caused by radar beam blockage.

Radar-estimated rainfall (percent of normal) for 2013.  Rainfall was 25 percent above normal inland, and 10-25 percent below normal along the coast.  Very low values along the South Carolina coast are not realistic and are caused by radar beam blockage.

Radar-estimated rainfall (departure from normal) for 2013.  Rainfall was up to 12 inches above normal inland, and 3 to 6 inches below normal along the coast.  Very low values along the South Carolina coast are not realistic and are caused by radar beam blockage.

Page Author: Tim Armstrong
Page Created:  Jan 1, 2014
Last Modified:  Jan 3, 2014