The rainfall across much of South Carolina this week was welcome, but state officials say it fell far short of ending the drought.

Mark Malsick, severe weather liaison at the State Climatology Office says the rains were helpful, but the return of hot weather this weekend will trump most of the benefits.

Horry and Marion counties remain in severe drought status. Most of the rest of the state is in moderate drought, with a handful of Upstate counties listed in incipient drought status.

Malsick says it could take above normal rainfall for a month to pull the state out of its rain deficit.

The Coastal and Pee Dee regions of the state received 2 to 6 inches of rain this week, Malsick says, with the heaviest rainfall occurring in the Mt. Pleasant area.