NCDC /
Clim. Monitoring /
Climate-2002 /
Jun /
U.S. Regional Drought /
Search /
Help
|
Climate of 2002 - June South Carolina Drought National Climatic Data Center, 15 July 2002 |
|
|
June marked the eleventh consecutive month with below to much below normal precipitation for South Carolina. The persistently dry conditions have resulted in the driest August-June and July-June on record (see table below). The current drought can be traced back to May 1998, making this the fourth consecutive dry year. The cumulative effect of this persistent dryness has resulted in long-term drought (as measured by the Palmer Hydrological Drought Index) as severe in magnitude as the droughts of the 1930s and 1950s, although not as severe as the 1925 drought. Agriculture has been severely impacted, with the USDA rating 57% of South Carolina's pasture and range land in the poor to very poor category by early July.
According to the USDA-NWS Joint Agricultural Weather Facility (JAWF), Columbia, SC followed up its unusual record-wet May (9.39 inches [239 mm]) with its driest June on record (0.63 inch [16 mm] or 13% of normal). The previous June record had been set with a 0.71-inch (18 mm) total in 1946. |
|
  |
 |
 |
NCDC /
Clim. Monitoring /
Climate-2002 /
Jun /
U.S. Regional Drought /
Search /
Help
Downloaded Sunday, 12-Oct-2008 06:03:31 EDT
Last Updated Tuesday, 19-Jul-2005 08:12:01 EDT by Richard.Heim@noaa.gov
Please see the NCDC Contact Page if you have questions or comments.