COLUMBIA, S.C. — The dry, warm weather will continue through the beginning of next week. Some much-need rain is possible starting Tuesday. Temperatures will be closer to normal next week too.
Friday was very warm across the area. Columbia reported a high temperature of 82 degrees. That broke the daily record high for December 3. The old record of 79° was set in 1979 and tied in 1991. The 82° temperature Friday was only the 31st time Columbia has recorded a high of 80° or higher in the month of December.
The all-time record high temperature for December is 83 degrees. That record has been hit three times, December 16, 1971, December 4, 1978, and December 8, 1978.
This weekend will be warm, but no records are expected to be broken. Today will be partly cloudy. Highs will top out in the middle 70s. Tonight will be partly cloudy and cool with lows in the middle 40s. Some fog may be possible early Sunday morning.
Temperatures will be a little cooler Sunday, but still above normal with highs in the upper 60s to near 70 degrees.
The winds will pick up on Monday. This may enhance the fire danger, but moisture will be increasing too. Highs will be in the middle 70s under mostly cloudy skies.
A few showers are forecast for Tuesday, but the best chance for rain appears to be late Tuesday and Wednesday. Models have not been very consistent with this potential rainmaker, but we certainly do need the showers. The drought continues to worsen across the state.
There will be a slight chance for rain Thursday, but Friday appears to be mostly dry. Temperatures will be near-normal Tuesday through Thursday but warming back up Friday.
The 8-14 day temperature outlook is indicating warmer-than-normal conditions for the Southeast.
