NOUS42 KCHS 042040
PNSCHS
GAZ087-088-099>101-114>119-137>141-SCZ040-042>045-047>051-060000-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
435 PM EST TUE APR 4 2006

...MARCH 2006 GOES DOWN AS THE ONE OF THE DRIEST ON RECORD FOR THE 
CHARLESTON AND SAVANNAH AIRPORTS AS WELL AS DOWNTOWN CHARLESTON...

VERY DRY CONDITIONS CONTINUE TO PLAGUE MUCH OF SOUTHEAST SOUTH 
CAROLINA AND SOUTHEAST GEORGIA. YEARLY RAINFALL DEFICITS CONTINUE TO 
RUN IN THE 3 TO 5 INCH RANGE ACROSS MUCH OF THE REGION. MARCH 2006 
ENDED AS ONE OF THE TOP 5 DRIEST MARCHES ON RECORD FOR CHARLESTON 
AIRPORT...DOWNTOWN CHARLESTON AND SAVANNAH AIRPORT.

TOP 5 DRIEST MARCHES FOR THE CHARLESTON AIRPORT /KCHS/.
1. MARCH 1938....  0.33 INCHES
2. MARCH 2004....  0.36 INCHES
3. MARCH 2006....  0.44 INCHES 
4. MARCH 1995....  0.70 INCHES
5. MARCH 1963....  0.99 INCHES

TOP 5 DRIEST MARCHES FOR DOWNTOWN CHARLESTON /KCHL/.
1. MARCH 2004....  0.44 INCHES
2. MARCH 1955....  0.47 INCHES
3. MARCH 1968....  0.60 INCHES
4. MARCH 1994....  0.66 INCHES
5. MARCH 2006....  0.67 INCHES 

TOP 5 DRIEST MARCHES FOR THE SAVANNAH AIRPORT /KSAV/.
1. MARCH 1925....  0.04 INCHES
2. MARCH 2004....  0.09 INCHES
3. MARCH 1955....  0.18 INCHES
4. MARCH 2006....  0.32 INCHES 
5. MARCH 1967....  0.50 INCHES

BELOW NORMAL PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE WELL INTO EARLY 
SUMMER. THE LATEST NOAA DROUGHT OUTLOOK ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL 
WEATHER SERVICE CLIMATE PREDICTION CENTER ON MARCH 16 2006 CONTINUES 
TO INDICATE THAT DROUGHT CONDITIONS MAY DEVELOP ACROSS MUCH OF 
SOUTHERN SOUTH CAROLINA AND SOUTHEAST GEORGIA THROUGH JUNE 2006.

$$

ST/JPC