SMA ENCOUNTERS CEILINGS LOWER THAN BRIEFED. FLT ASSIST TO ASR APCH.

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ON FLT FROM ROANOKE; VA; TO FLORENCE; SC; FOUND FLO 1600 OVCST. I WAS VFR ON TOP. BEFORE DEPARTING ROANOKE AT XX00 AM; WX BRIEFER TOLD ME FLORENCE WAS 1700-2500 BROKEN GETTING BETTER. HIGH DOMINATED THE AREA. DEPARTED ROANOKE AT APPROX XX30 AM; CALLED FLT WATCH OVER GREENSBORO; NC (100 MI N OF FLORENCE); GREENSBORO WAS 4500 SCATTERED. RPTED FLORENCE 7000 SCATTERED. ON ARR IN FLORENCE; FOUND MYSELF UNABLE TO LAND AND MAINTAIN VFR. ATC FLORENCE ASKED ME IF I WAS 'LOOKING FOR A HOLE;' I RPTED I WAS. APPROX 20 MINS LATER; I REQUESTED WX IN MYRTLE BEACH 60 MI TO THE E. ATC RPTED SAME CONDITIONS BUT SUMTER; SC; LOOKED LIKE 2000 BROKEN. I HEADED TOWARD SHAW AFB (SUMTER) BUT WAS TOLD BY ATC THAT RDU INTL IN NC; LOOKED BETTER. I RPTED TO ATC MY FUEL WAS 1 HR. ATC TOLD ME TO TURN AROUND AND TOLD ME TO EXPECT A SURVEILLANCE APCH INTO RWY 36. I ENTERED THE CLOUDS AT 4000 FT AND BROKE OUT AT 1200 AND MADE A NORMAL LNDG. I EITHER DID NOT HEAR FLT WATCH CORRECTLY OR THEY GAVE ME THE WRONG WX. I CALLED FLT WATCH APPROX 10 MI S OF ASHBORO; NC; WHEN I NOTICED SCATTERED BECOMING A SOLID OVCST LAYER. I WAS OVER FLORENCE FOR 30-45 MINS WHEN I SHOULD HAVE RETURNED N (ASHBORO) TO LAND. ON LNDG; MY FUEL WAS BETTER THAN 2 HRS. I ALWAYS PREFER TO BE CONSERVATIVE.