2008 Climate Summary for Southeastern North Carolina & Northeastern South Carolina

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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