PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA SC
520 PM EDT WED JUN 06 2012

...FIRST MONTH OF ABOVE NORMAL RAINFALL THIS YEAR AT BOTH COLUMBIA
AND AUGUSTA...
...TROPICAL SEASON BEGINS EARLY WITH THE FORMATION OF ALBERTO AND
BERYL OFF THE SOUTHEAST COAST...
...ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES CONTINUE THROUGH MAY...
...TIED FOR THE 10TH WARMEST MAY ON RECORD AT COLUMBIA...

FINALLY THE SKIES OPENED UP ACROSS THE MIDLANDS AND CENTRAL SAVANNAH
RIVER AREA AND ABOVE NORMAL RAINFALL FELL ACROSS NEARLY ALL OF THE
REGION. THE TREND OF ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES DID CONTINUE ACROSS
THE REGION. LOOKING AT THE GLOBAL PATTERNS DURING THE MONTH OF
MAY...LA NINA IS OVER AND CURRENTLY NEUTRAL CONDITIONS HAVE RETURNED
TO THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN PACIFIC. THE NORTH ATLANTIC OSCILLATION
(NAO) REMAINED NEGATIVE TO NEARLY NEUTRAL FOR THE MONTH OF MAY. THE
DISSIPATION OF THE LA NINA AND THE NEGATIVE VALUES OF NAO LIKELY
COMBINED TO CREATE THE WETTER THAN NORMAL CONDITIONS ACROSS THE
REGION. THE WETTER THAN NORMAL WEATHER PATTERN ENDED A TREND OF
BELOW NORMAL MONTHLY PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS THAT HAVE PERSISTED FOR
ABOUT ONE YEAR. AT COLUMBIA METRO AIRPORT...THE LAST TIME THERE WAS
A MONTH WITH ABOVE NORMAL PRECIPITATION WAS JULY 2011. AT AUGUSTA
REGIONAL BUSH FIELD...THE LAST TIME THERE WAS A MONTH WITH ABOVE
NORMAL PRECIPITATION WAS MARCH 2011. THE JUNE OUTLOOK FROM THE
CLIMATE PREDICTION CENTER (CPC) IS FORECASTING EQUAL CHANGES. THIS
MEANS THAT THERE IS NO CLEAR SIGNAL FOR ABOVE...BELOW OR NORMAL
PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS FOR THE MONTH. THE FORECAST FOR TEMPERATURES
IS FOR A 33 PERCENT TO 40 PERCENT CHANCE OF ABOVE NORMAL
TEMPERATURES FOR JUNE. THE TROPICAL WEATHER OR HURRICANE
SEASON...WHICH BEGAN ON JUNE 1ST...GOT OFF TO A FAST START IN THE
ATLANTIC BASIN. THERE WERE TWO NAMES SYSTEMS DURING THE MONTH. THE
FIRST SYSTEM...TROPICAL STORM ALBERTO...FORMED ON THE 29TH AND
CONTINUED THROUGH THE 22ND. THE SYSTEM FORMED OFF THE SOUTH CAROLINA
AND GEORGIA COAST AND THEN MOVED NORTHEAST AWAY FROM THE COAST AND
WEAKENED. THE STORM PRODUCED STRONG WINDS ALONG AND OFFSHORE OF THE
CAROLINA COAST AS WELL AS DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS. THE SECOND
SYSTEM...SUBTROPICAL STORM/TROPICAL STORM BERYL...FORMED ON THE 26TH
OFF THE COAST OF SOUTH CAROLINA EAST OF CHARLESTON. THE STORM
TRANSITIONED FROM SUBTROPICAL TO TROPICAL BEFORE COMING ASHORE NEAR
JACKSONVILLE FLORIDA JUST AFTER MIDNIGHT ON THE 28TH. THE STORM
WEAKENED TO A TROPICAL DEPRESSION SHORTLY THEREAFTER AND BECOME POST
TROPICAL ON MAY 30TH. WHEN BERYL REACHED THE FLORIDA COAST...HER MAX
WINDS WERE 70 MPH...IT WAS THE STRONGEST LANDFALL IN THE UNITED
STATE FOR ANY PRE-SEASON ATLANTIC TROPICAL SYSTEM ON RECORD. AS
BERYL MOVED ACROSS SOUTHEAST GEORGIA INTO THE LOWCOUNTRY OF SOUTH
CAROLINA...SHE PRODUCED HEAVY RAINFALL ACROSS THE EASTERN MIDLANDS
AND SOUTHEAST CENTRAL SAVANNAH RIVER AREA. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 3 TO
5 INCHES WERE COMMON IN THESE AREAS.

HERE ARE SOME TWO DAY RAINFALL TOTALS FROM ACROSS THE AREA:

CAMERON 2.0 SE (COCORAHS)...........7.30 INCHES
CAMERON 4.2 SE (COCORAHS)...........5.96 INCHES
BARNWELL 3.6 E (COCORAHS)...........5.94 INCHES
VANCE 1.5 ENE (COCORAHS)............5.83 INCHES
BAMBERG (NWS COOP OBSERVER).........5.23 INCHES
BARNWELL (NWS COOP OBSERVER)........5.09 INCHES
ST. MATTHEWS 4.6 SE (COCORAHS)......5.04 INCHES
ORANGEBURG 7.2 N (COCORAHS).........4.89 INCHES
DENMARK 2.8 WNW (COCORAHS)..........4.74 INCHES
ST. MATTHEWS 1.1 W (COCORAHS).......4.39 INCHES

THE MONTH OF MAY ALSO CONTINUED THE TREND OF ABOVE NORMAL MONTHS
THAT HAS PERSISTED FOR THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS. MAY 2012 WAS TIED
FOR THE 10TH WARMEST MONTH AT COLUMBIA WITH 2000 AND 1991.


HERE ARE THE PEAK WIND GUSTS FOR THE MONTH AT EACH STATION:


ORANGEBURG COUNTY AIRPORT............45 MPH ON THE 29TH
DANIEL FIELD AUGUSTA.................40 MPH ON THE 9TH
COLUMBIA METRO AIRPORT...............37 MPH ON THE 28TH
HAMILTON OWENS AIRPORT...............36 MPH ON THE 28TH
AUGUSTA REGIONAL BUSH FIELD..........33 MPH ON THE 27TH


CHECKING SOME OF THE MONTHLY RAINFALL TOTALS FROM OUR COCORAHS
(COMMUNITY COLLABORATIVE RAIN...HAIL AND SNOW NETWORK)
OBSERVERS...MOST RECEIVED BETWEEN 3 AND 5 INCHES OF RAIN DURING THE
MONTH. THERE WERE SOME VERY IMPRESSIVE MONTHLY AMOUNTS OVER
10 INCHES AT A FEW LOCATIONS.

HERE ARE SOME OF THE HIGHEST TOTALS RECORDED DURING THE MONTH:

SC-BW-1  (BARNWELL 3.6 E).........11.47 INCHES
SC-BW-3  (BARNWELL 1.2 WSW).......11.00 INCHES
SC-CA-8  (CAMERON 2.0 SE).........10.30 INCHES
SC-CA-7  (CAMERON 4.2 SE).........10.29 INCHES
SC-BW-2  (BARNWELL 3.1 W)..........9.74 INCHES
SC-CD-7  (MANNING 3.3 WNW).........8.72 INCHES
SC-CD-6  (MANNING 1.9 SSE).........8.42 INCHES
SC-LN-7  (LANCASTER 4.0 S).........8.21 INCHES
SC-CD-4  (SUMMERTON 5.2 SSE).......7.75 INCHES
SC-OR-10 (ORANGEBURG 7.2 N)........7.74 INCHES

CHECKING SOME OF THE MONTHLY RAINFALL TOTALS FROM OUR COOPERATIVE
WEATHER OBSERVERS...MANY LOCATIONS RECEIVED BETWEEN 3 AND 5 INCHES
OF RAIN DURING THE MONTH.

HERE ARE SOME OF THE HIGHEST TOTALS RECORDED DURING THE MONTH:

BAMBERG (BAMS1)....................10.98 INCHES
BARNWELL 5 ENE (BNLS1)..............9.95 INCHES
LONGTOWN (LNTS1)....................8.02 INCHES
PELION 4 NW (PLNS1).................6.95 INCHES
MANNING (MANS1).....................6.29 INCHES
WAYNESBORO (WYNGS1).................6.25 INCHES
SPRINGFIELD (SPRS1).................6.06 INCHES
SUMTER (SMRS1)......................5.98 INCHES
COLUMBIA UNIV. OF SC (USCS1)........5.82 INCHES
AIKEN 2 E (AKIS1)...................5.65 INCHES

RAINFALL TOTALS AT OFFICIAL NWS ASOS SITES FOR THE MONTH:

ORANGEBURG COUNTY AIRPORT (OGB).........6.90 INCHES
HAMILTON-OWENS AIRPORT COLUMBIA (CUB)...5.46 INCHES
COLUMBIA METRO AIRPORT (CAE)............4.71 INCHES
AUGUSTA REGIONAL BUSH FIELD (AGS).......4.56 INCHES
DANIEL FIELD AUGUSTA (DNL)..............3.64 INCHES

SIGNIFICANT EVENTS...

THE PERIOD FROM MAY 14TH THROUGH THE 17TH...

AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE MOVED ACROSS THE REGION...THEN A COLD FRONT
STALLED NEAR/OVER THE REGION FOR SEVERAL DAYS. THIS BOUNDARY WAS A
FOCUS FOR STRONG TO SEVERE AFTERNOON AND EVENING THUNDERSTORMS. MANY
OF THE STORMS PRODUCED DAMAGING WIND GUSTS WHICH DOWNED LARGE LIMBS
AND TREES ALONG WITH HAIL UP TO 1.75 INCHES...GOLF BALL SIZE. ON THE
14TH...ONE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM PRODUCED AN EF0 TORNADO IN ORANGEBURG
COUNTY NEAR ALBEE ROAD AND JAMISON FARM ROAD. THE TORNADO TOPPED
SEVERAL TREES AND ALSO UPROOTED SEVERAL TREES. ON THE 15TH...A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM PRODUCED NICKEL TO QUARTER SIZE HAIL THAT
COVERED THE GROUND IN SUMTER COUNTY NEAR TIVERTON CHURCH ROAD. ON
THE 16TH...LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL PRODUCED FLASH FLOODING ACROSS
PORTIONS OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

ON MAY 29TH-30TH...

ON THE 29TH AND 30TH...TROPICAL DEPRESSION BERYL PRODUCED LOCALLY
HEAVY RAINFALL ACROSS THE EASTERN MIDLANDS AND SOUTHEASTERN PORTION
OF THE CENTRAL SAVANNAH RIVER AREA. RAINFALL AMOUNTS RANGED FROM 3
TO 5 INCHES. BERYL ALSO PRODUCED ONE TORNADO..AN EF1...THAT TOUCHED
DOWN JUST SOUTHEAST OF HOLLY HILL. THE TORNADO TOPPED
TREES...UPROOTED SEVERAL TREES...FLATTENED A CORN FIELD AND CAUSED
MINOR DAMAGE TO A HOME. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM ASSOCIATED WITH BERYL
DOWNED A TREE WHICH FELL ON AN SUV KILLING THE OCCUPANT. THIS
OCCURRED IN ORANGEBURG COUNTY NEAR HIGHWAY 400 AND CUT OFF ROAD.

TEMPERATURES...

RECORD DAILY TEMPERATURES FOR MAY 2012 FOR COLUMBIA METROPOLITAN
AIRPORT (CAE) AND AUGUSTA BUSH FIELD (AGS):

AT COLUMBIA...
ON THE 4TH...SET A NEW RECORD HIGHEST LOW TEMPERATURE FOR THE DATE
WITH A LOW TEMPERATURE OF 69 DEGREES. PREVIOUS RECORD WAS 68 DEGREES
IN 1935.

ON THE 5TH...TIED THE RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 95 DEGREES SET IN
1955.

ON THE 28TH...SET A NEW RECORD HIGHEST LOW TEMPERATURE FOR THE DATE
WITH A LOW TEMPERATURE OF 74 DEGREES. PREVIOUS RECORD WAS 73 IN
1973.

AT AUGUSTA...
ON THE 5TH...SET A NEW RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE FOR THE DATE WITH A
HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 96 DEGREES. PREVIOUS RECORD WAS 94 DEGREES IN
1955.


COLDEST TEMPERATURE OF THE MONTH
CAE 51 10TH AND 11TH
AGS 54 10TH

WARMEST TEMPERATURE OF THE MONTH
CAE 95 5TH
AGS 96 5TH


COLUMBIA SC METROPOLITAN AIRPORT (CAE) AVERAGE TEMPERATURE...

         AVG HIGH/DEEP  AVG LOW/DEEP   AVG TEMP  NORMAL  DEPARTURE
JAN 2010  52.4/-2.7      29.6/-4.4      41.0      44.6    -3.6
FEB       51.8/-7.7      31.2/-5.1      41.5      47.9    -6.4
MAR       65.7/-1.7      41.1/-2.4      53.4      55.4    -2.0
APR       80.3/+4.6      51.3/+0.6      65.8      63.2    +2.6
MAY       86.6/+3.5      65.3/+5.3      76.0      71.6    +4.4
JUN       94.6/+5.5      72.8/+4.9      83.7      78.5    +5.2
JUL       95.1/+3.0      73.7/+1.9      84.4      82.0    +2.4
AUG       92.3/+2.3      74.6/+4.6      83.5      80.3    +3.2
SEP       91.3/+6.5      66.6/+2.0      78.9      74.7    +4.2
OCT       79.8/+4.0      51.2/-0.3      65.5      63.7    +1.8
NOV       68.3/+1.6      41.9/-0.7      55.1      54.7    +0.4
DEC       51.1/-6.7      28.2/-7.9      39.6      47.0    -7.4
ANNUAL    75.8/+0.5      52.3/+0.7      64.0      63.6    +0.4

JAN 2011  52.7/-2.4      30.7/-5.5      41.7      44.6    -2.9
FEB       64.6/+5.1      39.7/+3.4      52.2      47.9    +4.3
MAR       68.6/+1.2      45.7/+2.2      57.1      55.4    +1.7
APR       80.9/+5.2      54.6/+3.9      67.8      63.2    +4.6
MAY       85.5/+2.4      62.8/+2.8      74.2      71.6    +2.6
JUN       95.2/+6.1      71.4/+3.5      83.3      78.5    +4.8
JUL       96.4/+3.7      74.6/+3.0      85.5      82.2    +3.3
AUG       94.5/+3.8      73.0/+2.0      83.8      80.8    +3.0
SEP       86.9/+1.7      65.9/+1.7      76.4      74.7    +1.7
OCT       74.7/-1.4      49.3/-2.8      62.0      64.1    -2.1
NOV       69.2/+1.9      42.1/-0.2      55.6      54.8    +0.8
DEC       64.4/+6.2      38.7/+3.4      51.5      46.7    +4.8
ANNUAL    77.8/+2.3      54.0/+1.6      65.9      63.9    +2.0

JAN 2012  61.8/+5.8      36.9/+3.2      49.4      44.8    +4.6
FEB       64.1/+3.8      40.3/+3.5      52.2      48.5    +3.7
MAR       77.7/+9.5      53.2/+10.2     65.4      55.6    +9.8
APR       79.3/+3.0      54.7/+4.3      67.0      63.4    +3.6
MAY       85.8/+2.0      64.9/+5.4      75.4      71.7    +3.7


AUGUSTA GA BUSH FIELD (AGS) AVERAGE TEMPERATURE...

         AVG HIGH/DEEP  AVG LOW/DEEP  AVG TEMP   NORMAL  DEPARTURE
JAN 2010  53.9/-2.6      29.5/-3.6     41.7       44.8    -3.1
FEB       53.6/-7.7      30.6/-4.9     42.1       48.4    -6.3
MAR       66.0/-3.2      39.5/-3.0     52.8       55.9    -3.1
APR       80.9/+4.2      47.7/+0.4     64.3       62.4    +1.9
MAY       86.9/+3.0      61.4/+4.2     74.2       70.5    +3.7
JUN       95.9/+6.3      69.6/+4.2     82.8       77.5    +5.3
JUL       95.8/+3.8      71.5/+1.9     83.6       80.8    +2.8
AUG       92.4/+2.2      72.2/+4.3     82.3       79.3    +3.0
SEP       91.5/+6.2      61.9/-0.5     76.7       73.8    +2.9
OCT       81.1/+4.6      47.3/-2.3     64.2       63.1    +1.1
NOV       70.1/+2.3      39.7/-1.2     54.9       54.4    +0.5
DEC       52.9/-6.2      26.0/-8.7     39.4       46.9    -7.5
ANNUAL    76.8/+1.1      49.7/-1.0     63.2       63.2     0.0

JAN 2011  54.1/-2.4      29.2/-3.9     41.7       44.8    -3.1
FEB       65.9/+4.6      36.9/+1.4     51.4       48.4    +3.0
MAR       71.4/+2.2      43.9/+1.4     57.6       55.9    +1.7
APR       82.6/+5.9      51.6/+3.5     67.1       62.4    +4.7
MAY       86.7/+2.8      57.7/+0.5     72.2       70.5    +1.7
JUN       96.2/+6.6      67.9/+2.5     82.0       77.5    +4.5
JUL       97.3/+3.9      71.8/+2.0     84.6       81.6    +3.0
AUG       97.7/+5.9      71.0/+1.7     84.4       80.5    +3.9
SEP       88.8/+2.1      62.7/+0.1     75.7       74.6    +1.1
OCT       75.4/-2.3      46.4/-4.6     60.9       64.4    -3.5
NOV       70.6/+1.5      39.9/-1.5     55.3       55.2    -0.1
DEC       64.7/+4.7      36.8/+2.3     50.7       47.2    +3.5
ANNUAL    79.3/+2.4      51.3/+0.3     65.3       63.9    +1.4

JAN 2012  63.4/+5.5      34.3/+1.5     48.8       45.4    +3.4
FEB       65.6/+3.3      39.1/+3.2     52.4       49.1    +3.3
MAR       77.0/+7.1      51.0/+9.0     64.0       55.9    +8.1
APR       79.4/+2.0      51.3/+3.2     65.4       62.7    +2.7
MAY       86.0/+1.0      61.6/+4.3     73.8       71.1    +2.7

PRECIPITATION...

COLUMBIA METRO AIRPORT PRECIPITATION...

                    TOTAL       NORMAL      DIFFERENCE
                  (INCHES)
JANUARY 2010        3.18         4.66         -1.48
FEBRUARY            2.88         3.84         -0.96
MARCH               2.34         4.59         -2.25
APRIL               0.91         2.98         -2.07
MAY                 2.10         3.17         -1.07
JUNE                4.20         4.99         -0.79
JULY                7.70         5.54         +2.16
AUGUST              5.56         5.41         +0.15
SEPTEMBER           1.94         3.94         -2.00
OCTOBER             1.83         2.89         -1.06
NOVEMBER            1.46         2.88         -1.42
DECEMBER            1.40         3.38         -1.98
ANNUAL             35.50        48.27        -12.77

JANUARY 2011        1.70         4.66         -2.96
FEBRUARY            4.21         3.84         +0.37
MARCH               4.00         4.59         -0.59
APRIL               2.76         2.98         -0.22
MAY                 2.74         3.17         -0.43
JUNE                2.87         4.99         -2.12
JULY                6.17         5.46         +0.71
AUGUST              4.01         5.26         -1.25
SEPTEMBER           3.36         3.54         -0.18
OCTOBER             2.01         3.17         -1.16
NOVEMBER            1.68         2.74         -1.06
DECEMBER            1.11         3.22         -2.11
ANNUAL             36.62        44.59         -7.97

JANUARY 2012        1.76         3.58         -1.82
FEBRUARY            2.46         3.61         -1.15
MARCH               2.21         3.73         -1.52
APRIL               2.28         2.62         -0.34
MAY                 4.71         2.97         +1.74

AUGUSTA BUSH FIELD PRECIPITATION...

                    TOTAL       NORMAL      DIFFERENCE
                  (INCHES)
JANUARY 2010        5.39         4.50         +0.89
FEBRUARY            2.37         4.11         -1.74
MARCH               3.20         4.61         -1.41
APRIL               1.20         2.94         -1.74
MAY                 1.36         3.07         -1.71
JUNE                2.19         4.19         -2.00
JULY                5.86         4.07         +1.79
AUGUST              2.04         4.48         -2.44
SEPTEMBER           1.89         3.59         -1.70
OCTOBER             0.67         3.20         -2.53
NOVEMBER            1.30         2.68         -1.38
DECEMBER            1.17         3.14         -1.97
ANNUAL             28.61        44.58        -15.97

JANUARY 2011        2.11         4.50         -2.39
FEBRUARY            4.31         4.11         +0.20
MARCH               5.45         4.61         +0.84
APRIL               1.93         2.94         -1.01
MAY                 2.50         3.07         -0.57
JUNE                1.98         4.19         -2.21
JULY                4.05         4.33         -0.28
AUGUST              1.16         4.32         -3.16
SEPTEMBER           1.56         3.22         -1.66
OCTOBER             1.47         3.27         -1.80
NOVEMBER            1.63         2.82         -1.19
DECEMBER            1.28         3.39         -2.11
ANNUAL             29.43        43.57        -14.14

JANUARY 2012        1.40         3.91         -2.51
FEBRUARY            1.12         3.92         -2.80
MARCH               2.28         4.18         -1.90
APRIL               1.45         2.84         -1.39
MAY                 4.56         2.65         +1.91


.NOTE...
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