2008 Weather Review
2008 was a year that saw an end to a drought, a tornado outbreak and a close call from a tropical storm. Here is a timeline of significant 2008 weather events in the eastern Carolinas.
The year started with a wintery January. On the 16th and 17th, a mix of sleet and snow fell in interior parts of the Carolinas with Marion seeing ½ inch accumulation. On the 19th and 20th, a bigger winter storm struck, bringing widespread one inch snow and sleet accumulations from Darlington to Clio to Lumberton. The highest total was 1 ½ inch in Lumberton. After a harsh January, winter took a break and temperatures were well above normal in February.
Thunderstorms and severe weather were frequent in March. A thunderstorm outbreak on March 5th brought widespread wind damage from the Pee Dee region toward Wilmington. Winds were measured to 57 mph at Wrightsville Beach. A major severe weather outbreak occurred just 10 days later with hail, high winds and 7 tornadoes on March 15th. The worst tornado touched down just south of Timmonsville where 70 homes were damaged and three people injured.
The rest of spring was relatively quiet. Summer seemed to arrive early with a June heat wave. Wilmington hit 100 degrees for just the second time this decade, and saw it’s hottest weather since August, 1999. That was not a preview of the summer to come… we enjoyed cooler than normal temperatures through summer and into the fall. Along with the cooler than normal weather, came more rain. Several months in the summer and fall had greater than normal rainfall, which slowly but surely erased the rainfall deficit we accumulated in 2007. By the end of 2008, we were no longer considered in a drought.
Summer ended with a threat from Tropical Storm Hanna on September 5 & 6. The center passed just offshore, keeping the strongest winds and highest storm surge east of the Grand Strand. Winds to 72 mph were recorded at Wrightsville Beach, and a storm surge of four feet hit Ocean Isle Beach. Rainfall was the biggest issue in South Carolina with over 8 inches in Marion, and 4-6 inches common across Horry County. Later in the month, on the 25th & 26th, a strong non tropical storm system brought stronger winds and higher tides to the Grand Strand.
November was highlighted with frequent cold blasts and even some snow flurries on the 18th and 21st. The cold weather on the 18th was ushered in with a line of thunderstorms that produced brief early morning tornadoes in Dillon and near St. Pauls, NC.
2008 ended with the same up and down weather we saw all year long, the November cold was replaced with above normal temperatures, and much calmer weather in December.
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on 01/26 at 04:21 PM
