Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: Three sub-basins walk into a bar …
As the February tallies poured in, it was clear the Savannah River Basin wasn’t joking around when it came to precipitation.
So far, the sub-basins have collected 
above to well-above average rainfall since October 2018.
The only exception in those five months has been Thurmond last month, which received 70 percent of its average (3 inches versus its 4.3-inch average).
Though Russell pretty much broke even (4.24 versus its 4.14-inch average), Hartwell more than made up for Thurmond’s shortcomings by registering 7.66 inches compared to its 5-inch average.
As we transition from winter (Can you really call it that?) into spring, climatologists with the Southeast River Forecast Center are predicting more of the same: a continued chance of above normal precipitation through May, though the temperatures should be slightly warmer than average in March.
Service Coordination Hydrologist Todd Hamill mentioned that although the organization’s predictions last year about the Southeast’s wet winter came true, they couldn’t take full credit.
“We got the forecast right, but we got a little lucky,” Hamill said in the Water Resources Outlook video, and the subtle difference was due more to persistent weather patterns than global-scale climate patterns.
All of this bodes well for the sub-basins as recreation season begins to gear up. Look for more information about campground and day-use area openings in the coming weeks.
Until then, enjoy that spring weather before the bugs start doing the same.
~ Jeremy S. Buddemeier, Corporate Communications Office
