After last weekend’s coastal storm dropped more rain than expected, the resulting totals did help to alleviate drought in parts of both Carolinas.
This is a welcome change considering how quickly drought was developing since September.
Last week, Myrtle Beach, Florence, and Lumberton were showing a quickly growing deficit in rain, just like in September.
But then after the widespread and prolonged heavy rain, especially along the Grand Strand, the deficit has quickly turned the other way for all three sites.
The official totals easily show why. Many spots in the Grand Strand picked up multiple inches of rain and spots along the Pee Dee and Border Belt saw healthy totals too.
What the graphic below shows is no more drought for the Grand Strand all the way down the South Carolina coast.
That being said, inland South Carolina still is in growing need of more rain in further inland zones and the extended forecast calls for very little. This pattern will likely lead to worsening drought inland and depending on how long it lasts, drought may quickly return for coastal South Carolina…