The December 2021 Climate Summary

DECEMBER 2021 CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR THE MIDLANDS OF SC AND
CENTRAL SAVANNAH RIVER AREA OF GA.

TEMPERATURES WELL ABOVE NORMAL ACROSS THE MIDLANDS AND CENTRAL
SAVANNAH RIVER AREA.

PRECIPITATION SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL ACROSS MUCH OF THE MIDLANDS
AND CENTRAL SAVANNAH RIVER AREA.

3RD WARMEST DECEMBER ON RECORD AT AUGUSTA

5TH WARMEST DECEMBER ON RECORD AT COLUMBIA

COLUMBIA SC AVERAGE TEMPERATURES

THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE AT COLUMBIA METROPOLITAN AIRPORT FOR
DECEMBER 2021 WAS 54.8 DEGREES OR 7.1 DEGREES ABOVE THE MONTHLY
NORMAL OF 47.7 DEGREES.

AUGUSTA GA AVERAGE TEMPERATURES

THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE AT AUGUSTA REGIONAL BUSH FIELD FOR DECEMBER
2021 WAS 56.6 DEGREES OR 7.2 DEGREES ABOVE THE MONTHLY NORMAL OF
49.4 DEGREES.

IT WAS THE 3RD WARMEST DECEMBER ON RECORD AT AUGUSTA. HERE ARE THE
TOP 5 WARMEST DECEMBER AVERAGES:

1. 59.3 DEGREES IN 2015
2. 57.4 DEGREES IN 1889
3. 56.6 DEGREES IN 2021
4. 55.9 DEGREES IN 1931
5. 55.6 DEGREES IN 1971

IT WAS THE 5TH WARMEST DECEMBER ON RECORD AT COLUMBIA. HERE ARE THE
TOP 5 WARMEST DECEMBER AVERAGES:

1. 60.1 DEGREES IN 2015
2. 58.0 DEGREES IN 1889
3. 56.4 DEGREES IN 1971
4. 56.2 DEGREES IN 1956
5. 54.8 DEGREES IN 2021

COLUMBIA RAINFALL

COLUMBIA METRO AIRPORT RECEIVED 3.92 INCHES OF RAINFALL DURING
DECEMBER, 0.22 INCHES ABOVE THE MONTHLY NORMAL OF 3.70 INCHES.

AUGUSTA RAINFALL

AUGUSTA BUSH FIELD RECEIVED 5.55 INCHES OF RAINFALL DURING DECEMBER,
1.68 INCHES ABOVE THE NORMAL MONTHLY VALUE OF 3.87 INCHES.

YEAR TO DATE MONTHLY TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION STATS…

COLUMBIA SC METROPOLITAN AIRPORT 2021 MONTHLY AVERAGE TEMPERATURES
AND DEPARTURES FROM NORMAL…

AVG HIGH/DEP AVG LOW/DEP AVG TEMP NORM DEPARTURE
JAN 2021 55.5/-1.3 35.8/+1.2 45.6 45.7 -0.1
FEB 58.7/-2.1 38.2/+0.9 48.4 49.1 -0.7
MAR 70.5/+2.2 46.5/+2.9 58.5 55.9 +2.6
APR 77.2/+0.5 49.6/-1.9 63.4 64.1 -0.7
MAY 83.5/-0.3 57.0/-3.5 70.3 72.2 -1.9
JUN 88.4/-1.3 69.2/+0.6 78.8 79.1 0.3
JUL 90.2/-2.5 71.4/-0.6 80.8 82.4 -1.6
AUG 90.0/-0.8 72.7/+1.5 81.4 80.8 +0.4
SEP 85.3/-0.4 63.6/-1.7 74.4 75.5 -1.1
OCT 78.7/+1.5 57.0/+4.3 67.9 64.6 +3.3
NOV 66.1/-0.3 37.8/-3.8 52.0 54.0 -2.0
DEC 66.5/+7.6 43.0/+6.5 54.8 47.7 +7.1

AUGUSTA GA BUSH FIELD 2021 MONTHLY AVERAGE TEMPERATURES AND
DEPARTURES FROM NORMAL…

JAN 2021 59.5/-0.1 36.8/+1.5 48.2 47.4 +0.8
FEB 63.1/-0.4 39.1/+1.0 51.1 50.8 +0.3
MAR 74.3/+3.3 47.0/+2.9 60.6 57.5 +3.1
APR 79.2/+0.7 47.8/-2.8 63.5 64.6 -1.1
MAY 85.5/-0.4 55.5/-4.1 70.5 72.7 -2.2
JUN 90.0/-1.3 67.9/-0.2 79.0 79.7 -0.7
JUL 91.9/-2.2 70.7/-0.9 81.3 82.8 -1.5
AUG 92.7/+0.1 72.3/+1.3 82.5 81.8 +0.7
SEP 87.4/-0.4 62.8/-2.2 75.1 76.4 -1.3
OCT 80.4/+1.4 55.8/+2.7 68.1 66.0 +2.1
NOV 68.4/-0.7 37.1/-5.1 52.8 55.6 -2.8
DEC 69.3/+7.8 43.9/+6.6 56.6 49.4 +7.2

COLUMBIA SC METROPOLITAN AIRPORT 2021 MONTHLY/YEARLY PRECIPITATION…

TOTAL NORMAL DEPARTURE (INCHES)
JAN 2021 5.32 3.49 +1.83
FEB 6.39 3.39 +3.00
MAR 3.43 3.57 -0.14
APR 0.80 2.83 -2.03
MAY 2.64 3.49 -0.85
JUN 3.71 4.97 -1.26
JUL 6.09 5.35 +0.74
AUG 9.55 4.65 +4.90
SEP 4.09 3.91 +0.18
OCT 1.48 3.13 -1.65
NOV 0.28 2.76 -2.48
DEC 3.92 3.70 +0.22

YTD TOTAL 47.70 45.24 +2.46

AUGUSTA GA BUSH FIELD 2021 MONTHLY/YEARLY PRECIPITATION…

TOTAL NORMAL DEPARTURE (INCHES)
JAN 2021 4.87 3.84 +1.03
FEB 6.59 3.67 +2.92
MAR 4.70 4.08 +0.62
APR 1.57 2.92 -1.35
MAY 2.49 3.05 -0.56
JUN 8.30 4.75 +3.55
JUL 6.54 4.48 +2.06
AUG 5.79 4.61 +1.18
SEP 6.65 3.60 +3.05
OCT 1.39 2.56 -1.17
NOV 0.27 2.66 -2.39
DEC 5.55 3.87 +1.68

YTD TOTAL 54.71 44.09 +10.62

TEMPERATURE/PRECIPITATION RECORDS TIED OR BROKEN DURING THE MONTH OF
DECEMBER:

AUGUSTA…

26TH…A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 81 DEGREES WAS SET. THIS BREAKS
THE OLD RECORD OF 80 DEGREES SET IN 1964.

29TH…A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 81 DEGREES WAS SET. THIS BREAKS
THE OLD RECORD OF 80 DEGREES SET IN 1984.

COLUMBIA…

2ND…A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 82 DEGREES WAS SET. THIS BREAKS
THE OLD RECORD OF 79 DEGREES SET IN 1970 AND 1991.

26TH…A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 78 DEGREES WAS SET. THIS BREAKS
THE OLD RECORD OF 77 DEGREES SET IN 1964.

HERE ARE SOME OF THE HIGHEST MONTHLY RAINFALL TOTALS FOR DECEMBER
2021 FROM OUR NWS COOP WEATHER OBSERVERS:

GRANITEVILLE 1.2 NE (GNTS1)…6.78 INCHES
LINCOLNTON (LNCG1)…………6.03 INCHES
CLARKS HILL (CHDS1)………..5.87 INCHES
AIKEN 2 E (AKIS1)………….5.48 INCHES
LINCOLNTON 4.4 S (LNCG2)……5.46 INCHES

HERE ARE SOME HIGHEST MONTHLY RAINFALL TOTALS FOR DECEMBER 2021 FROM
OUR COCORAHS (COMMUNITY COLLABORATIVE RAIN, HAIL AND SNOW NETWORK):

SC-RC-127 COLUMBIA 2.1 NNW……7.27 INCHES
SC-AK-14 AIKEN 7.8 SSE………7.24 INCHES
SC-AK-59 NEW ELLENTON 2.7 NE…7.03 INCHES
SC-ED-13 TRENTON 6.5 SSW…….6.57 INCHES
SC-LX-169 W. COLUMBIA 5.7 S…..6.23 INCHES

GA-CU-21 MARTINEZ 3.0 NE…….7.21 INCHES
GA-RC-12 AUGUSTA 4.2 W………6.97 INCHES
GA-MD-5 THOMSON 2.6 S………6.67 INCHES
GA-BK-9 S. AUGUSTA 4.1 S……6.10 INCHES
GA-LC-2 TIGNALL 10.2 NE…….4.15 INCHES

SIGNIFICANT WEATHER EVENTS FOR DECEMBER 2021.

DEC. 17TH-18TH…A SLOW MOVING COLD FRONT PRODUCED LOCALLY HEAVY
RAINFALL ACROSS THE MIDLANDS AND CENTRAL SAVANNAH RIVER AREA. THE
HEAVIEST RAIN FELL IN THE CSRA WERE AMOUNTS RANGED FROM 2 TO 3
INCHES. PORTIONS OF THE NORTHERN AND CENTRAL MIDLANDS RECEIVED
BETWEEN 1 AND 2 INCHES OF RAINFALL.

DEC. 25TH…STRONG SOUTHWEST WINDS AHEAD OF COLD FRONT PRODUCED
BREEZY CONDITIONS ACROSS THE REGION. WINDS GUSTED FROM 35 TO 40 MPH
ACROSS THE REGION DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS.

HERE ARE SOME OF THE STRONGEST WIND GUSTS REPORTED:

HIGHEST WIND REPORTS FOR DECEMBER 25TH 2021

LOCATION SPEED TIME/DATE LAT/LON
COLUMBIA METRO AIRPORT 41 MPH 0113 PM 12/25 33.93N/81.12W
SHAW AFB SUMTER 40 MPH 0106 PM 12/25 33.97N/80.47W
LANCASTER MCWHIRTER FIELD 38 MPH 1255 PM 12/25 34.72N/80.85W
CAROLINA SANDHILLS NWR 38 MPH 0314 PM 12/25 34.66N/80.27W
CAMDEN WOODWARD FIELD 37 MPH 0135 PM 12/25 34.28N/80.57W
CHERAW MUNICIPAL APT 35 MPH 0115 PM 12/25 34.72N/79.95W
WEIR TOWER FT JACKSON 34 MPH 0151 PM 12/25 34.02N/80.87W
ORANGEBURG 33 MPH 0118 PM 12/25 33.45N/80.88W
COLUMBIA HAMILTON-OWENS APT 33 MPH 0138 PM 12/25 33.97N/81.00W
NEWBERRY (WXSTEM) 33 MPH 0200 PM 12/25 34.28N/81.62W
ORANGEBURG MUNICIPAL APT 33 MPH 0212 PM 12/25 33.47N/80.85W
FLOTILLA IS. LAKE MURRAY 33 MPH 0220 PM 12/25 34.11N/81.27W
LAKE WATEREE DAM 33 MPH 0230 PM 12/25 34.34N/80.70W
ORANGEBURG MUNICIPAL APT 33 MPH 0310 PM 12/25 33.47N/80.85W
2.0 SE COLUMBIA (WXSTEM) 32 MPH 0140 PM 12/25 33.98N/81.02W
MCENTIRE JNG 31 MPH 1150 AM 12/25 33.92N/80.78W
NORTH AF AUX AIRFIELD 31 MPH 1252 PM 12/25 33.61N/81.08W
AIKEN REGIONAL APT 31 MPH 0315 PM 12/25 33.65N/81.68W
I-20 AT I-77 COLUMBIA (SCDOT 30 MPH 1259 PM 12/25 34.07N/80.92W
COLUMBIA 30 MPH 0105 PM 12/25 34.03N/80.95W
FAIRFIELD CO APT WINNSBORO 30 MPH 0135 PM 12/25 34.32N/81.12W
SUMTER MUNICIPAL APT 30 MPH 0235 PM 12/25 34.00N/80.37W

THE 3-MONTH CLIMATE OUTLOOK
(JANUARY/FEBRUARY/MARCH)

THE OUTLOOK CALLS FOR ABOUT A 40 TO 50 PERCENT CHANCE OF ABOVE
NORMAL TEMPERATURES WITH A 33 TO 40 PERCENT CHANCE OF BELOW NORMAL
PRECIPITATION.

ENSO (EL NINO SOUTHERN OSCILLATION).

..LA NINA ADVISORY
LA NINA IS PRESENT. EQUATORIAL SEA SURFACES
TEMPERATURES ARE BELOW AVERAGE ACROSS THE EAST-CENTRAL AND EASTERN
PACIFIC OCEAN. LA NINA IS FAVORED TO CONTINUE THROUGH THE NORTHERN
HEMISPHERE WINTER 2022 AND TRANSITION TO ENSO-NEUTRAL DURING THE
SPRING 2022. THERE IS A 60 PERCENT CHANCE OF ENSO-NEUTRAL CONDITIONS
DURING THE PERIOD OF APRIL INTO JUNE.

CLIMATE OUTLOOKS AND ENSO DISCUSSIONS COURTESY OF NOAA CLIMATE
PREDICTION CENTER…WWW.CPC.NCEP.NOAA.GOV .

MUCH APPRECIATION GOES OUT TO OUR NWS COOPERATIVE WEATHER
OBSERVERS…COCORAHS (COMMUNITY…COLLABORATIVE…RAIN… HAIL AND
SNOW NETWORK) OBSERVERS…SOUTH CAROLINA STATE CLIMATE
OFFICE…SOUTHEAST REGIONAL CLIMATE CENTER…RICHLAND COUNTY
EMERGENCY SERVICES…USGS AND LOCAL WEATHER PARTNERS FOR THE DATA
THEY PROVIDE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. THEIR HARD WORK AND DEDICATION IS
GREATLY APPRECIATED.

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 HTTPS://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/CAE.