PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA SC
1120 AM EDT SAT OCT 01 2011

...SEPTEMBER 2011 WEATHER SUMMARY FOR THE MIDLANDS AND CSRA...

...3 FLASH FLOOD EVENTS ALONG ROCKY BRANCH CREEK IN COLUMBIA...
...MUCH ABOVE NORMAL RAINFALL AT SOME SITES DURING THE MONTH...
...MULTIPLE SEVERE WEATHER EVENTS DURING THE MONTH...
...ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES CONTINUE...


SEPTEMBER BROUGHT A BREAK FROM THE PERSISTENT HEAT AND LACK OF 
RAINFALL THAT PERSISTED DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS. AS EXPECTED WHEN 
FALL IS ABOUT TO BEGIN...THE JET STREAM PATTERN BECAME MORE 
AMPLIFIED AND PROGRESSIVE DURING THE MONTH. THIS PROVIDED 
TEMPERATURES THAT WERE JUST A LITTLE ABOVE NORMAL FOR THE MONTH AND 
PRECIPITATION THAT WAS GENERALLY ABOVE NORMAL AT MANY LOCATIONS 
DURING THE MONTH. HOWEVER...THE MONTH WILL MOST LIKELY BE REMEMBERED 
FOR THE MULTIPLE FLOOD EVENTS IN DOWNTOWN COLUMBIA...ESPECIALLY 
ALONG ROCKY BRANCH CREEK ALONG WITH SEVERAL SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 
EVENTS.  

OFTEN SEVERE WEATHER AND HEAVY RAIN EVENTS DURING THE MONTH OF 
SEPTEMBER ARE ASSOCIATED WITH TROPICAL SYSTEMS...BUT THAT WAS NOT 
THIS CASE IN 2011. FROM THE 20TH THROUGH THE 27TH...A FRONTAL 
BOUNDARY STALLED JUST WEST OF THE AREA. THE MID/UPPER FLOW ACROSS 
THE AREA WAS FROM THE SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST WITH A LOW LEVEL FLOW FROM 
THE SOUTHEAST AND SOUTH. THIS PRODUCED HIGH PRECIPITABLE WATER 
VALUES NEAR 2 INCHES AND HIGH RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES. THIS 
PRODUCED 3 FLOOD EVENTS ALONG ROCKY BRANCH CREEK IN COLUMBIA. THE 
THIRD EVENT PRODUCED THE HIGHEST GAUGE READINGS OBSERVED ALONG THE 
CREEK SINCE THEY WERE INSTALLED SEVERAL YEARS AGO. THERE WERE ALSO 
SEVERAL SEVERE WEATHER EVENTS DURING THE MONTH. THE AREA ASOS AND 
OTHER OFFICIAL NWS SYSTEMS RECORDED SOME VERY STRONG WIND GUSTS 
ASSOCIATED WITH THE STORMS. 

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

AUGUSTA REGIONAL BUSH FIELD.....68 MPH ON THE 15TH
AUGUSTA DANIEL FIELD............29 MPH ON THE 5TH AND 6TH 
ORANGEBURG AIRPORT..............37 MPH ON THE 16TH
COLUMBIA METRO AIRPORT..........55 MPH ON THE 25TH
OWENS FIELD DOWNTOWN AIRPORT....51 MPH ON THE 25TH
LAKE MURRAY (LMFS1).............41 MPH ON THE 27TH


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

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

UNIV. OF SOUTH CAROLINA (USCS1)...9.09 INCHES
SUMTER (SMRS1)....................6.18 INCHES 
SANDHILL RESEARCH CTR (SAHS1).....5.63 INCHES
HOLLY HILL (HHLS1)................5.52 INCHES
CHESTERFIELD (CTFS1)..............5.32 INCHES 
ORANGEBURG (ORBS1)................5.23 INCHES 
SANDY RUN (SANS1).................5.19 INCHES
BATESBURG (BATS1).................5.12 INCHES
RIMINI (RIMS1)....................5.03 INCHES

CHECKING SOME OF THE MONTHLY RAINFALL TOTALS FROM OUR COCORAHS 
(COMMUNITY COLLABORATIVE RAIN...HAIL AND SNOW NETWORK) OBSERVERS 
MANY LOCATIONS RECEIVED OVER 5 INCHES OF RAIN DURING THE MONTH.

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

SC-RC-28 (COLUMBIA 2.7 NNW).......7.94 INCHES
SC-CA-02 (GASTON 5.3 E)...........7.22 INCHES
SC-RC-30 (HOPKINS 3.9 NNE)........7.05 INCHES
SC-LX-43 (LEXINGTON 1.2 SW).......6.60 INCHES
SC-SM-01 (SUMTER 1.3 SE)..........6.55 INCHES
SC-NW-04 (PEAK 0.4 SSE)...........6.31 INCHES
SC-LX-05 (LEXINGTON 1.6 WNW)......6.26 INCHES
SC-OR-03 (NORTH 0.3 W)............6.10 INCHES


RAINFALL ACROSS THE AREA WAS GENERALLY BETWEEN 2 AND 4 
INCHES...WHICH IS NEAR NORMAL FOR THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER. THE 
HEAVIEST PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS WERE ACROSS THE MIDLANDS WHERE 3 TO 6 
INCHES OF RAIN FELL. THE LOWEST PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS WERE ACROSS 
PORTIONS OF THE CENTRAL SAVANNAH RIVER AREA WHERE ONLY 1 TO 3 INCHES 
OF RAIN FELL.    

RAINFALL TOTALS AT OFFICIAL NWS ASOS SITES FOR THE MONTH:

COLUMBIA OWENS FIELD (CUB)........9.46 INCHES
ORANGEBURG AIRPORT (OGB)..........4.21 INCHES
COLUMBIA METRO AIRPORT (CAE)......3.36 INCHES
AUGUSTA DANIEL FIELD (DNL)........1.78 INCHES
AUGUSTA REGIONAL BUSH FIELD (AGS).1.56 INCHES

SIGNIFICANT EVENTS...

ON THE 5TH...THE REMNANTS OF TROPICAL STORM LEE APPROACHED THE AREA 
FROM THE SOUTHWEST AND MERGED WITH A FRONTAL BOUNDARY. THIS PRODUCED 
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE MIDLANDS. THERE WAS ONE CONFIRMED 
TORNADO...AN EF0 TORNADO IN NEWBERRY COUNTY. THE TRACK LENGTH WAS 
100 YARDS LONG WITH A WIDTH OF 50 YARDS AND WINDS OF 65 TO 75 MPH. 
THE TORNADO MAINLY DAMAGED A SMALL AREA OF TREES. THE OTHER SEVERE 
THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCED NUMEROUS REPORTS OF DOWNED TREES AND POWER 
LINES.  

ON THE 15TH...A COUPLE OF ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE 
SOUTHERN MIDLANDS AND CENTRAL SAVANNAH RIVER DOWNED A COUPLE OF 
TREES AND POWERLINES. AT AUGUSTA REGIONAL BUSH FIELD THEY RECORDED A 
SUSTAINED WIND OF 44 MPH WITH A GUST TO 68 MPH. 

ON THE 21ST...THIS WAS THE FIRST OF THE 3 FLOODING EVENTS IN 
COLUMBIA ALONG ROCKY BRANCH CREEK. THE NWS RAIN GAUGE AT USC 
RECEIVED 1.78 INCHES OF RAIN IN APPROXIMATELY 1 HOUR. A PERSON IN 
THE MELROSE HEIGHTS AREA REPORTED 3.50 INCHES OF RAIN. THIS PRODUCED 
SOME FLOODING IN PORTIONS OF DOWNTOWN COLUMBIA INCLUDING THE 5 
POINTS AREA. THE GAUGE ALONG ROCKY BRANCH CREEK AT PICKENS ST. 
CRESTED AT 9.5 FEET (FLOOD STAGE IS 7.2 FT.) AND THE GAUGE AT WHALEY 
ST. CRESTED AT 10.5 FEET. (FLOOD STAGE IS 7.2 FEET).  

ON THE 23RD...THIS WAS THE SECOND OF THE 3 FLOODING EVENTS IN 
COLUMBIA ALONG ROCKY BRANCH CREEK. THE NWS RAIN GAUGE AT USC 
RECEIVED 2.24 INCHES IN JUST UNDER 90 MINUTES. THIS PRODUCED 
FLOODING IN DOWNTOWN COLUMBIA IN THE AREAS OF WHALEY ST. AND MAIN 
ST. ALONG WITH OVERFLOWING SEWERS IN THE ROSEWOOD COMMUNITY. THE 
GAUGE ALONG ROCKY BRANCH CREEK AT PICKENS ST. CRESTED AT 9.2 FEET 
(FLOOD STAGE IS 7.2 FT.) AND THE GAUGE AT WHALEY ST. CRESTED AT 10.5 
FEET (FLOOD STAGE IS 7.2 FT.). 

ON THE 25TH...THE THIRD EVENT OF FLOODING IN DOWNTOWN COLUMBIA AND 
ALONG ROCKY BRANCH CREEK WAS THE WORST. RAINFALL RATES ASSOCIATED 
WITH THE HEAVY RAINFALL WERE NEAR 50 YEAR RAINFALL RATES. AT THE NWS 
RAIN GAUGE AT USC...3.31 INCHES OF RAIN FELL IN UNDER 90 MINUTES. 
THIS PRODUCED FLOODING IN MANY AREAS OF DOWNTOWN 
COLUMBIA...ESPECIALLY IN THE 5 PTS AREA...WHALEY ST. AREA...SHOP RD. 
AREA...WOODROW ST. AREA...ROSEWOOD AREA AND THE BELTLINE BLVD. 
AREA. THERE WERE REPORTS OF CARS EITHER SUBMERGED OR STRANDED IN THE 
HIGH WATER IN MANY LOCATIONS. A PERSON IN THE UNIVERSITY HILL AREA 
REPORTED 3.50 INCHES OF RAIN AND A PERSON IN THE SHANDON COMMUNITY 
REPORTED 3.25 INCHES OF RAIN WITH THE EVENT. THE GAUGE ALONG ROCKY 
BRANCH CREEK AT PICKENS ST. CRESTED AT 11.1 FEET (FLOOD STAGE IS 7.2 
FT.) AND THE GAUGE AT WHALEY ST. CRESTED AT 12.4 FEET (FLOOD STAGE 
IS 7.2 FT.). THESE CRESTS ARE THE HIGHEST SINCE THE STREAM GAUGE 
NETWORK WAS INSTALLED A FEW YEARS AGO. ADDITIONAL FLOODING OCCURRED 
IN SUMTER WITH A RESIDENCE AND APARTMENT BUILDING NEARLY FLOODED. 
THE STORMS THAT PRODUCED THE HEAVY RAIN ALSO PRODUCED SEVERE 
WEATHER. THERE WERE NUMEROUS REPORTS OF DOWNED TREES ACROSS THE 
MIDLANDS. A 55 MPH WIND GUST WAS RECORDED AT COLUMBIA METRO AIRPORT 
AND A 51 MPH WIND GUST WAS RECORDED AT COLUMBIA OWENS FIELD. 

ON THE 27TH...A CLUSTER OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS MOVED ACROSS THE 
NORTHERN CENTRAL SAVANNAH RIVER AREA EASTWARD TO THE MIDLANDS. THE 
STORMS PRODUCED DAMAGING WINDS AND THERE WERE NUMEROUS REPORTS OF 
DOWNED TREES AND POWER LINES. IN NEWBERRY COUNTY A TREE FELL ON A 
CAR WITH 2 PEOPLE INSIDE...THE PEOPLE SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES. THE 
STORMS ALSO PRODUCED LARGE HAIL IN AIKEN COUNTY. HAIL UP TO 2 INCHES 
IN DIAMETER...LARGER THAN A GOLF BALL...COVERED THE GROUND NORTH OF 
THE TOWN OF AIKEN. AT FLOTILLA ISLAND...A WIND GUST OF 41 MPH WAS 
RECORDED AS THE STORMS MOVED OVER LAKE MURRAY. 

 
TEMPERATURES...

RECORD DAILY TEMPERATURES FOR APRIL 2011 FOR COLUMBIA METROPOLITAN 
AIRPORT (CAE) AND AUGUSTA BUSH FIELD (AGS):

AT COLUMBIA...
17TH...THE HIGH TEMPERATURE WAS 66 DEGREES. THIS BROKE THE RECORD 
LOW HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 68 DEGREES SET IN 1946. 
     
AT AUGUSTA...
NO RECORDS WERE EITHER TIED OR BROKEN.

    
COLDEST TEMP OF THE MONTH
CAE 56 17TH
AGS 52 11TH

WARMEST TEMP OF THE MONTH
CAE 97 2ND AND 17TH
AGS 98 2ND


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
 

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

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


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              1.19         4.32         -3.13
SEPTEMBER           1.56         3.22         -1.66


.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 .