Drought in South Carolina, August 1 to 31, 2008

Name: Drought in South Carolina, August 1 to 31, 2008
Start: 2008-08-01T00:00
End: 2008-08-31T23:59
Location: South Carolina

August 1 to 31, 2008 · NWS GSP · 15 events in 15 counties and zones

During the early part of the month, flows on most of the major streams across the area were running at record low levels. Only a handful of streams were running at more than 1 to 7 percent of normal.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 8 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 15

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS GSP wrote it up.

During the early part of the month, flows on most of the major streams across the area were running at record low levels. Only a handful of streams were running at more than 1 to 7 percent of normal. Groundwater levels were 2-5 feet below normal. Significant agricultural impacts persisted, with losses to summer crops, including hay, estimated at 30 percent. The dry weather also affected the livestock industry, due to shortages of pasture crops necessary for feeding.

By the end of the month, Tropical Storm Fay had dropped several inches of rainfall in parts of the area, providing some relief from the drought conditions.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 31, 8:02 PM EST, 3 hours 58 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 31, 8:02 PM EST, 3 hours 58 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
902 PM EDT THU JUL 31 2008

.SYNOPSIS...
A SURFACE BOUNDARY WILL PUSH THROUGH THE AREA TONIGHT...THEN WASH
OUT TO THE SOUTH ON FRIDAY. A WEAK COLD FRONT WILL MOVE IN FROM THE
NORTH LATE SATURDAY AND STALL JUST SOUTH OF THE AREA FOR THE FIRST
PART OF THE WEEK...BEFORE MOVING BACK TO THE NORTH TUESDAY.

&&

.NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM FRIDAY MORNING/...
CONVECTION CONTINUES TO WEAKEN WITH COOLING BUT THERE IS STILL
ENOUGH INSTABILITY TO HOLD ON TO CHANCE POPS UNTIL THE H5 SHORT WAVE
PASSES AFTER MIDNIGHT. MORNING LOWS WILL COOL TO AROUND 70 ACROSS
THE PIEDMONT WITH 60S MTNS. TWEAKED HOURLY TEMP/DP/RH THIS UPDATE
AND SINCE AIR BECOMES NEARLY SATURATED ADDED PATCHY FOG AROUND
DAYBREAK.

MODEL SOUNDINGS IMPLY DEWPOINTS WILL MIX INTO THE U50S TO L60S OVER
MUCH OF THE FOOTHILLS AND PIEDMONT FRIDAY...EFFECTIVELY CAPPING THE
AIRMASS. THE NC MOUNTAINS...PARTICULARLY ALONG THE TN LINE...MAY
SOME SOME TSTM ACTIVITY IN THE AFTERNOON...THOUGH COVERAGE WILL BE
QUITE SPARSE AS THE ATMOSPHERE WILL BE MUCH DRIER ALOFT TOMORROW.

&&

.SHORT TERM /6 AM FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT/...
AT 120 PM EDT THURSDAY...A S/W APPROACHES THE AREA FROM THE NW...AS
IT ROUNDS THE WRN SIDE OF AN EASTERN CONUS TROF. A WEAK FRONT/SFC
TROF ASSOC WITH THIS ENERGY IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN N OF THE AREA THRU
SATURDAY AFTN. MEANWHILE...BOTH THE GFS AND ECMWF HAVE A STALLED
BNDRY ALONG THE GULF COAST...KEEPING THE DEEP GULF AND ATLANTIC
MOISTURE S OF THE AREA. SO MEAGER MODEL QPF IS GENERATED WITH THE
PASSING S/W ACROSS THE SRN APPLNS. HENCE...I HAVE JUST A LOW-END CHC
POP FOR MOST OF THE MTNS AND NC FOOTHILLS/NW PIEDMONT...AND SCHC S.
AN AXIS OF 20-22C H8 TEMPS ACROSS THE SE STATES THRU THE CAROLINAS
SHUD ALLOW MAX TEMPS TO REACH THE MID/UPR 90S ACROSS MOST OF THE
PIEDMONT SATURDAY.

AXIS OF UPR TROF WILL SHIFT E OF THE APPLNS SATURDAY NIGHT...KEEPING
THE AREA UNDER NW FLOW FROM SUNDAY THRU MONDAY NIGHT. A MID LVL
RIDGE BUILDS OVR THE LWR MS VALLEY AND EWD...WITH RELATIVELY DRY HI
PRES AT THE SFC ALLOWING FOR A DRY FCST WITH SLIGHTLY ABV AVG MAX
TEMPS AND PLEASANT OVRNGT MINS (FOR EARLY AUG). A BLEND OF 00Z/31
MEX MOS AND HPC GUIDANCE WAS USED FOR SUNDAY AND MONDAY.

&&

.LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/...
AS OF 130PM THURSDAY...THE GFS AND THE ECMWF APPEARED TO BE IN GOOD
STANDING WITH EACH OTHER OUT UNTIL DAYS 6 AND 7...SO DECIDED TO GO
WITH THE HPC DECISION OF USING GFS FOR THE EXTENDED RANGE FORECAST.
A STRONG UPPER LEVEL RIDGE CONTINUES TO DOMINATE THE REGION FROM
12Z WEDNEDSDAY THROUGH THE DAY THURSDAY UNTIL THE RIDGE WEAKENS
AND IS PUSHED OUT BY AN UPPER LEVEL TROF. THE WEAK FRONT AHEAD
OF THE TROF IS EXPECTED TO BRING SOME ISOLATED SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS TO THE NORTH CAROLINA MOUNTAINS STARTING THURSDAY
AFTERNOON AND CONTINUING THROUGH THE WEEKEND AS THE FRONT APPROACHES
THE AREA FROM THE NORTH.TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN AT OR
SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL UNTIL THE FRONT PASSES THROUGH THE AREA LATER
IN THE WEEKEND. TEMPERATURES WILL RUN ANYWHERE FROM 5 TO 8 DEGREES
ABOVE NORMAL FOR THE CWFA.

&&

.AVIATION /01Z FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/...
SCT STORMS STILL PSBL UNTIL AFTER MIDNIGHT BUT CHANCE TOO LOW TO
INCLUDE IN TAFS ATTM. EXPECT EARLY MRNG MVFR FOG ALL SITES WITH
TEMPO IFR AT KAVL AND KHKY. SW WINDS WILL GO LIGHT OVERNIGHT BEFORE
PICKING UP FROM THE N TO NW FRI. WEAK LEE TROF SETS UP IN THE AFTN
ACROSS THE SC PIEDMONT SO WINDS SWING W TO SW AFT 18Z.

OUTLOOK...A COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH FROM THE NW SAT BRINGING A
CHANCE OF TSTMS. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD IN BEHIND THE FRONT SUN
WITH FAIR CONDITIONS EARLY IN THE WEEK.

&&

.GSP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
GA...NONE.
NC...NONE.
SC...NONE.

&&

SYNOPSIS...RB
NEAR TERM...MCAVOY/RB
SHORT TERM...ARK
LONG TERM...SBK
AVIATION...RB

Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 31, 8:11 PM EST, 3 hours 49 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
911 PM EDT THU JUL 31 2008

GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033-035>037-048>053-056>059-062>065-
068>072-082-501>510-SCZ001>014-019-020115-
RABUN-HABERSHAM-STEPHENS-FRANKLIN-HART-ELBERT-AVERY-ALEXANDER-
IREDELL-DAVIE-MADISON-YANCEY-MITCHELL-SWAIN-HAYWOOD-BUNCOMBE-CATAWBA-
ROWAN-GRAHAM-NORTHERN JACKSON-MACON-SOUTHERN JACKSON-TRANSYLVANIA-
HENDERSON-CLEVELAND-LINCOLN-GASTON-MECKLENBURG-CABARRUS-UNION NC-
CALDWELL MOUNTAINS-GREATER CALDWELL-BURKE MOUNTAINS-GREATER BURKE-
MCDOWELL MOUNTAINS-EASTERN MCDOWELL-RUTHERFORD MOUNTAINS-
GREATER RUTHERFORD-POLK MOUNTAINS-EASTERN POLK-OCONEE MOUNTAINS-
PICKENS MOUNTAINS-GREENVILLE MOUNTAINS-GREATER OCONEE-
GREATER PICKENS-GREATER GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG-CHEROKEE-YORK-
ANDERSON-ABBEVILLE-LAURENS-UNION SC-CHESTER-GREENWOOD-
911 PM EDT THU JUL 31 2008

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST GEORGIA...PIEDMONT
NORTH CAROLINA...WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT.

EXPECT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS UNTIL AFTER MIDNIGHT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY.

HOT TEMPERATURES AND HIGH HUMIDITY EAST OF THE MOUNTAINS MAY CREATE
HEAT ADVISORY CONDITIONS MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 31, 7:14 PM EST, 4 hours 46 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
814 PM EDT THU JUL 31 2008

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0312 PM     TSTM WND DMG     2 N CAMPOBELLO          35.15N 82.15W
07/31/2008                   SPARTANBURG        SC   NWS EMPLOYEE

            A COUPLE OF LARGE TREE LIMBS BLOWN DOWN APPROXIMATELY 2
            MILES NORTH OF CAMPOBELLO.

&&

JPT

Special weather statement, Jul 31, 7:54 PM EST, 4 hours 6 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
854 PM EDT THU JUL 31 2008

NCZ048-051>053-058-059-010200-
BUNCOMBE-GRAHAM-HAYWOOD-MADISON-NORTHERN JACKSON-SWAIN-
854 PM EDT THU JUL 31 2008

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT GRAHAM...HAYWOOD...NORTHWESTERN
JACKSON...SOUTHERN MADISON...SWAIN AND WESTERN BUNCOMBE COUNTIES
THROUGH 1000 PM EDT...

AT 850 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 5 MILES SOUTHEAST OF
MARSHALL TO 22 MILES SOUTHWEST OF MARYVILLE...MOVING SOUTH AT 17 MPH.

THESE STORMS WILL BE NEAR...
  WEAVERVILLE BY 900 PM EDT.
  WAYNESVILLE AND CANTON BY 945 PM EDT.
  BRYSON CITY BY 1000 PM EDT.

WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS.

LANE

Local storm report, Jul 31, 8:12 PM EST, 3 hours 48 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
912 PM EDT THU JUL 31 2008

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0630 PM     TSTM WND DMG     2 N CLINTON             34.51N 81.87W
07/31/2008                   LAURENS            SC   COUNTY OFFICIAL

            TREES DOWN JUST NORTH OF CLINTON.

&&

JPT

Local storm report, Jul 31, 8:45 PM EST, 3 hours 15 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
945 PM EDT THU JUL 31 2008

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0420 PM     TSTM WND DMG     GREAT FALLS             34.57N 80.90W
07/31/2008                   CHESTER            SC   COUNTY OFFICIAL

            4 POWER LINES REPORTED DOWN AND 1 TREE FELL ONTO A BANK.

&&

JPT

Local storm report, Jul 31, 9:37 PM EST, 2 hours 23 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1037 PM EDT THU JUL 31 2008

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0410 PM     TSTM WND DMG     WOODRUFF                34.74N 82.03W
07/31/2008                   SPARTANBURG        SC   COUNTY OFFICIAL

            NUMEROUS TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN IN WOODRUFF.

&&

JPT

Local storm report, Jul 31, 9:48 PM EST, 2 hours 12 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1048 PM EDT THU JUL 31 2008

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0500 PM     TSTM WND DMG     EASLEY                  34.82N 82.59W
07/31/2008                   PICKENS            SC   COUNTY OFFICIAL

            3 TREES DOWN IN EASLEY.

&&

JPT

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

15 drought. Local standard time, as filed.

Drought, Abbeville

When: August 1, 12:00 AM EST to August 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Abbeville forecast zone
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 34.223, -82.459 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Anderson

When: August 1, 12:00 AM EST to August 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Anderson forecast zone
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 34.519, -82.638 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Cherokee

When: August 1, 12:00 AM EST to August 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Cherokee forecast zone
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 35.048, -81.620 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Chester

When: August 1, 12:00 AM EST to August 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Chester forecast zone
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 34.692, -81.159 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Greater Greenville

When: August 1, 12:00 AM EST to August 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Greater Greenville forecast zone
Reported by: Newspaper

Drought, Greater Oconee

When: August 1, 12:00 AM EST to August 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Greater Oconee forecast zone
Reported by: Newspaper

Drought, Greater Pickens

When: August 1, 12:00 AM EST to August 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Greater Pickens forecast zone
Reported by: Newspaper

Drought, Greenwood

When: August 1, 12:00 AM EST to August 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Greenwood forecast zone
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 34.154, -82.126 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Laurens

When: August 1, 12:00 AM EST to August 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Laurens forecast zone
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 34.484, -82.006 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Oconee Mountains

When: August 1, 12:00 AM EST to August 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Oconee Mountains forecast zone
Reported by: Newspaper

Drought, Pickens Mountains

When: August 1, 12:00 AM EST to August 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Pickens Mountains forecast zone
Reported by: Newspaper

Drought, Spartanburg

When: August 1, 12:00 AM EST to August 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Spartanburg forecast zone
Reported by: Newspaper

Drought, Union

When: August 1, 12:00 AM EST to August 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Union forecast zone
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 34.689, -81.619 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, York

When: August 1, 12:00 AM EST to August 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: York forecast zone
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 34.975, -81.184 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Greenville Mountains

When: August 1, 12:00 AM EST to August 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Greenville Mountains forecast zone
Reported by: Newspaper

What these are

Drought: A drought reaching severe (D2) or worse on the US Drought Monitor, or with notable impacts.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in South Carolina in 2008 Every state in 2008 This day in weather history Warnings in South Carolina, August 2008

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 132650, 132651, 132652, 132653, 132654, 132655, 132656, 132657, 132658, 132659, 132660, 132661, 132662, 132663, 132664.