Drought creeps into SC, but wet winter may follow

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina doesn’t have any serious problems with drought yet, but experts warn rain will be needed this winter or the situation could get much more serious this spring.

The South Carolina Drought Response Committee voted in November to put the entire state under incipient drought status, which is the lowest in the four categories that continue to moderate, severe and extreme.

State Climatologist Hope Mizzell says several indicators the state uses show no drought. But lake and river levels are below normal, so the committee decided to err on the side of caution.

Several inches of rain have fallen in South Carolina since the committee met, and forecasters say there is a better than average chance the winter will have above normal precipitation.