Draft:Geography of South Carolina
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South Carolina is a state within the Southeastern, South Atlantic and Deep South regions of the United States. It borders North Carolina to the north and northeast, the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast, and Georgia to the west and south across the Savannah River.
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 A relief map showing South Carolina, with the Blue Ridge Mountains in the North. | |
| Continent | North America |
|---|---|
| Region | Southeastern South Atlantic Deep South Carolinas |
| Area | |
| • Total | 82,932.7 km2 (32,020.5 sq mi) |
| • Land | 93.88% |
| • Water | 6.12% |
| Borders | North Carolina Georgia |
| Highest point | Sassafras Mountain (3,560 ft) |
| Lowest point | Atlantic Ocean (0 ft) |
| Largest lake | Lake Marion |
Geographically, it has various amounts of lakes, shares the Blue Ridge Mountains with North Carolina and other states, and has high climates. Holding 32,000 square miles, it is the 40th biggest state in the United States. Mostly being land, with 6% having water.
Overview
Climate
The Climate of South Carolina is a Humid subtropical climate. The state has hot summers for most of the time, with exceptions being in the Blue Ridge Mountains. In addition, the state also holds 70 to 80 inches of annual rainfall.[3]
The highest temperature ever recorded was 113 °F (45.0 °C), on June 29, 2012 at USC Columbia.[4][5] While the lowest temperature was −19 °F (−28.3 °C), on January 21, 1985 in Caesars Head.[6][7]
| Climate data for Greenville, South Carolina (Greenville–Spartanburg Int'l), 1991–2020 normals,[a] extremes 1884–present[b] | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 82 (28) |
81 (27) |
91 (33) |
94 (34) |
100 (38) |
105 (41) |
107 (42) |
105 (41) |
101 (38) |
98 (37) |
86 (30) |
79 (26) |
107 (42) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 70.3 (21.3) |
73.2 (22.9) |
81.2 (27.3) |
85.8 (29.9) |
90.6 (32.6) |
95.1 (35.1) |
97.3 (36.3) |
95.9 (35.5) |
92.1 (33.4) |
85.1 (29.5) |
77.0 (25.0) |
70.6 (21.4) |
98.3 (36.8) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 52.8 (11.6) |
57.0 (13.9) |
64.4 (18.0) |
73.2 (22.9) |
80.3 (26.8) |
87.2 (30.7) |
90.3 (32.4) |
88.5 (31.4) |
82.7 (28.2) |
73.1 (22.8) |
62.9 (17.2) |
54.9 (12.7) |
72.3 (22.4) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 42.5 (5.8) |
45.9 (7.7) |
52.8 (11.6) |
61.0 (16.1) |
68.9 (20.5) |
76.3 (24.6) |
79.7 (26.5) |
78.4 (25.8) |
72.5 (22.5) |
61.7 (16.5) |
51.6 (10.9) |
44.8 (7.1) |
61.3 (16.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 32.1 (0.1) |
34.8 (1.6) |
41.2 (5.1) |
48.7 (9.3) |
57.5 (14.2) |
65.5 (18.6) |
69.2 (20.7) |
68.3 (20.2) |
62.4 (16.9) |
50.4 (10.2) |
40.4 (4.7) |
34.8 (1.6) |
50.4 (10.2) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 15.7 (−9.1) |
20.3 (−6.5) |
24.8 (−4.0) |
33.5 (0.8) |
43.7 (6.5) |
56.3 (13.5) |
63.0 (17.2) |
61.6 (16.4) |
50.6 (10.3) |
35.1 (1.7) |
26.1 (−3.3) |
21.1 (−6.1) |
13.7 (−10.2) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −6 (−21) |
−5 (−21) |
11 (−12) |
22 (−6) |
27 (−3) |
40 (4) |
53 (12) |
50 (10) |
32 (0) |
25 (−4) |
11 (−12) |
3 (−16) |
−6 (−21) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 4.12 (105) |
3.84 (98) |
4.48 (114) |
4.04 (103) |
4.07 (103) |
3.90 (99) |
4.82 (122) |
4.66 (118) |
3.73 (95) |
3.59 (91) |
3.84 (98) |
4.58 (116) |
49.67 (1,262) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 1.6 (4.1) |
1.0 (2.5) |
0.6 (1.5) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.1 (0.25) |
0.6 (1.5) |
3.9 (9.9) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 10.4 | 9.4 | 10.2 | 9.7 | 9.7 | 10.8 | 12.0 | 11.1 | 8.0 | 7.1 | 8.5 | 10.0 | 116.9 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 1.1 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 2.6 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 65.8 | 62.6 | 62.1 | 60.7 | 68.5 | 70.5 | 74.0 | 75.6 | 75.8 | 70.9 | 68.2 | 67.7 | 68.5 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 176.6 | 182.7 | 236.2 | 264.7 | 269.2 | 270.8 | 267.8 | 253.9 | 229.2 | 235.2 | 184.3 | 169.4 | 2,740 |
| Percentage possible sunshine | 56 | 60 | 64 | 68 | 62 | 62 | 61 | 61 | 62 | 67 | 59 | 55 | 62 |
| Source: NOAA (relative humidity 1962–1990, sun 1961–1990)[8][9][10] | |||||||||||||
| Climate data for Myrtle Beach (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1931–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 81 (27) |
86 (30) |
88 (31) |
92 (33) |
99 (37) |
104 (40) |
101 (38) |
104 (40) |
99 (37) |
93 (34) |
86 (30) |
84 (29) |
104 (40) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 55.5 (13.1) |
57.8 (14.3) |
63.7 (17.6) |
71.5 (21.9) |
78.8 (26.0) |
84.5 (29.2) |
87.4 (30.8) |
86.5 (30.3) |
83.0 (28.3) |
75.6 (24.2) |
66.4 (19.1) |
58.6 (14.8) |
72.4 (22.4) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 44.5 (6.9) |
46.6 (8.1) |
52.7 (11.5) |
61.1 (16.2) |
69.3 (20.7) |
76.2 (24.6) |
79.5 (26.4) |
78.3 (25.7) |
74.0 (23.3) |
64.7 (18.2) |
54.3 (12.4) |
47.4 (8.6) |
62.4 (16.9) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 33.6 (0.9) |
35.5 (1.9) |
41.8 (5.4) |
50.6 (10.3) |
59.7 (15.4) |
67.9 (19.9) |
71.6 (22.0) |
70.0 (21.1) |
65.0 (18.3) |
53.8 (12.1) |
42.2 (5.7) |
36.3 (2.4) |
52.3 (11.3) |
| Record low °F (°C) | 10 (−12) |
9 (−13) |
18 (−8) |
25 (−4) |
36 (2) |
48 (9) |
54 (12) |
54 (12) |
43 (6) |
25 (−4) |
16 (−9) |
10 (−12) |
9 (−13) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 3.43 (87) |
3.76 (96) |
3.71 (94) |
3.38 (86) |
3.80 (97) |
4.85 (123) |
6.61 (168) |
6.27 (159) |
6.77 (172) |
4.11 (104) |
3.06 (78) |
3.81 (97) |
53.56 (1,360) |
| Source: NOAA[11][12] | |||||||||||||
| Climate data for Charleston Int'l, South Carolina (1991–2020 normals,[13] extremes 1938–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 83 (28) |
87 (31) |
90 (32) |
95 (35) |
101 (38) |
103 (39) |
104 (40) |
105 (41) |
99 (37) |
94 (34) |
88 (31) |
83 (28) |
105 (41) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 76.7 (24.8) |
78.7 (25.9) |
84.2 (29.0) |
88.0 (31.1) |
93.0 (33.9) |
96.4 (35.8) |
97.7 (36.5) |
96.6 (35.9) |
92.9 (33.8) |
87.4 (30.8) |
82.2 (27.9) |
77.2 (25.1) |
98.9 (37.2) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 60.2 (15.7) |
63.8 (17.7) |
70.1 (21.2) |
77.1 (25.1) |
83.6 (28.7) |
88.5 (31.4) |
91.3 (32.9) |
89.8 (32.1) |
85.4 (29.7) |
77.9 (25.5) |
69.4 (20.8) |
62.7 (17.1) |
76.6 (24.8) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 49.5 (9.7) |
52.7 (11.5) |
58.7 (14.8) |
65.8 (18.8) |
73.3 (22.9) |
79.4 (26.3) |
82.5 (28.1) |
81.4 (27.4) |
76.9 (24.9) |
67.8 (19.9) |
58.3 (14.6) |
52.2 (11.2) |
66.5 (19.2) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 38.9 (3.8) |
41.6 (5.3) |
47.3 (8.5) |
54.5 (12.5) |
63.0 (17.2) |
70.4 (21.3) |
73.7 (23.2) |
73.1 (22.8) |
68.3 (20.2) |
57.7 (14.3) |
47.1 (8.4) |
41.6 (5.3) |
56.4 (13.6) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 22.0 (−5.6) |
26.2 (−3.2) |
30.8 (−0.7) |
39.7 (4.3) |
50.2 (10.1) |
61.7 (16.5) |
68.2 (20.1) |
66.4 (19.1) |
57.0 (13.9) |
41.7 (5.4) |
31.7 (−0.2) |
26.0 (−3.3) |
20.3 (−6.5) |
| Record low °F (°C) | 6 (−14) |
12 (−11) |
15 (−9) |
29 (−2) |
36 (2) |
50 (10) |
58 (14) |
56 (13) |
42 (6) |
27 (−3) |
15 (−9) |
8 (−13) |
6 (−14) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 3.37 (86) |
3.05 (77) |
3.35 (85) |
3.29 (84) |
3.32 (84) |
6.21 (158) |
6.60 (168) |
6.97 (177) |
6.01 (153) |
4.33 (110) |
2.66 (68) |
3.35 (85) |
52.51 (1,334) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 0.2 (0.51) |
0.1 (0.25) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.3 (0.76) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 8.9 | 8.5 | 8.2 | 7.9 | 8.1 | 12.1 | 13.2 | 13.1 | 10.2 | 7.3 | 6.9 | 9.3 | 113.7 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 69.8 | 67.4 | 68.1 | 67.5 | 72.5 | 75.1 | 76.6 | 78.9 | 78.2 | 74.1 | 72.7 | 71.6 | 72.7 |
| Average dew point °F (°C) | 36.0 (2.2) |
37.4 (3.0) |
44.8 (7.1) |
51.3 (10.7) |
61.0 (16.1) |
67.8 (19.9) |
71.4 (21.9) |
71.4 (21.9) |
66.9 (19.4) |
55.9 (13.3) |
47.5 (8.6) |
39.9 (4.4) |
54.3 (12.4) |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 179.3 | 186.7 | 243.9 | 275.1 | 294.8 | 279.5 | 287.8 | 256.7 | 219.7 | 224.5 | 189.5 | 171.3 | 2,808.8 |
| Percentage possible sunshine | 56 | 61 | 66 | 71 | 69 | 65 | 66 | 62 | 59 | 64 | 60 | 55 | 63 |
| Average ultraviolet index | 2.4 | 3.6 | 5.4 | 7.3 | 8.5 | 9.3 | 9.5 | 8.6 | 6.9 | 4.7 | 2.9 | 2.2 | 5.9 |
| Source 1: NOAA (relative humidity and sun 1961–1990)[14][15][16] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: UV Index Today (1995 to 2022)[17] | |||||||||||||
| Climate data for Charleston, South Carolina (Downtown), 1991–2020 normals,[13] extremes 1893–present | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 82 (28) |
83 (28) |
94 (34) |
94 (34) |
100 (38) |
104 (40) |
103 (39) |
103 (39) |
100 (38) |
95 (35) |
87 (31) |
81 (27) |
104 (40) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 72.4 (22.4) |
74.8 (23.8) |
80.0 (26.7) |
83.8 (28.8) |
90.1 (32.3) |
93.4 (34.1) |
95.3 (35.2) |
93.9 (34.4) |
90.8 (32.7) |
85.2 (29.6) |
79.2 (26.2) |
74.3 (23.5) |
96.8 (36.0) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 58.0 (14.4) |
60.3 (15.7) |
65.6 (18.7) |
72.3 (22.4) |
79.0 (26.1) |
84.3 (29.1) |
87.5 (30.8) |
86.4 (30.2) |
82.6 (28.1) |
75.6 (24.2) |
67.1 (19.5) |
60.9 (16.1) |
73.3 (22.9) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 50.8 (10.4) |
53.2 (11.8) |
58.8 (14.9) |
66.0 (18.9) |
73.5 (23.1) |
79.2 (26.2) |
82.3 (27.9) |
81.4 (27.4) |
77.6 (25.3) |
69.4 (20.8) |
60.1 (15.6) |
53.8 (12.1) |
67.2 (19.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 43.6 (6.4) |
46.1 (7.8) |
52.0 (11.1) |
59.7 (15.4) |
68.0 (20.0) |
74.2 (23.4) |
77.1 (25.1) |
76.5 (24.7) |
72.5 (22.5) |
63.2 (17.3) |
53.1 (11.7) |
46.8 (8.2) |
61.1 (16.2) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 28.6 (−1.9) |
32.3 (0.2) |
37.2 (2.9) |
46.1 (7.8) |
56.3 (13.5) |
67.1 (19.5) |
71.7 (22.1) |
70.8 (21.6) |
63.4 (17.4) |
48.6 (9.2) |
38.9 (3.8) |
33.1 (0.6) |
26.9 (−2.8) |
| Record low °F (°C) | 10 (−12) |
7 (−14) |
22 (−6) |
36 (2) |
45 (7) |
52 (11) |
61 (16) |
59 (15) |
50 (10) |
37 (3) |
17 (−8) |
12 (−11) |
7 (−14) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 2.56 (65) |
2.56 (65) |
3.03 (77) |
2.96 (75) |
2.58 (66) |
4.85 (123) |
5.08 (129) |
6.11 (155) |
5.25 (133) |
4.07 (103) |
2.30 (58) |
2.91 (74) |
44.26 (1,124) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 8.4 | 8.0 | 7.9 | 7.0 | 6.8 | 10.5 | 11.6 | 11.7 | 8.6 | 6.8 | 6.1 | 8.5 | 101.9 |
| Source: NOAA[14][18][19] | |||||||||||||
Statewide climate
| Climate data for South Carolina | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 88 (31) |
89 (32) |
99 (37) |
99 (37) |
106 (41) |
113 (45) |
110 (43) |
110 (43) |
111 (44) |
103 (39) |
93 (34) |
89 (32) |
113 (45) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −19 (−28) |
−11 (−24) |
−8 (−22) |
17 (−8) |
28 (−2) |
37 (3) |
45 (7) |
45 (7) |
28 (−2) |
16 (−9) |
−1 (−18) |
−6 (−21) |
−19 (−28) |
| Source: "South Carolina Monthly Temperature Extremes". | |||||||||||||
Geology
South Carolina has 6 different geologic areas; the Blue Ridge Mountain Region, the Piedmont, the Sand Hills, the Inner Coastal Plain, the Outer Coastal Plain, and the Coastal Zone.[20]
Mountains
South Carolina has mountains primarily located in Greenville, Pickens, and Oconee counties. It shares the Blue Ridge Mountains alongside other states, including North Carolina. It is located within the Northern side of the state.[21] Inside the mountains holds the highest point in the state, the Sassafras Mountain. With the height reaching 3,560 ft.[22][23]
Lakes
South Carolina has several major lakes covering over 683 square miles (1,770 km2). All major lakes in South Carolina are human-made. The following are the lakes listed by size.[24][25]
- Lake Marion 110,000 acres (450 km2)
- Lake Strom Thurmond (also known as Clarks Hill Lake) 71,100 acres (290 km2)
- Lake Moultrie 60,000 acres (240 km2)
- Lake Hartwell 56,000 acres (230 km2)
- Lake Murray 50,000 acres (200 km2)
- Russell Lake 26,650 acres (110 km2)
- Lake Keowee 18,372 acres (70 km2)
- Lake Wylie 13,400 acres (50 km2)
- Lake Wateree 13,250 acres (50 km2)
- Lake Greenwood 11,400 acres (50 km2)
- Lake Jocassee 7,500 acres (30 km2)
- Lake Bowen 1,534 acres (6.21 km2)
See also
Notes
- Mean monthly maxima and minima (i.e. the expected highest and lowest temperature readings at any point during the year or given month) calculated based on data at said location from 1991 to 2020.
- Official records for Greenville kept April 1884 to 10 December 1941 at downtown, 11 December 1941 to 14 October 1962 at Greenville Downtown Airport, and at Greenville–Spartanburg Int'l near Greer since 15 October 1962. For more information, see Threadex