A quiet spell is getting underway in our weather; no major storms will raise any ruckus.
The cold air mass that arrived with a brief fanfare of snowflakes over much of the state Thursday is a transient feature; it will sulk away to the east over the weekend. We remain dry through Sunday but with below-average temperatures. Lows Saturday morning will be in the 20s except for 30s along the Lowcountry coast; temperatures recover to around 50 in the north and middle 50s south under bright sunshine. With the sun out, the afternoon will be tolerable.
Sunday will begin cold with sunshine, but clouds will increase in the afternoon as a storm approaches from the west. Highs will range from the middle 50s north to the lower 60s along and south of I-20. Overall, it looks like another decent day.
This next storm will pass to the south through Florida, and it will be relatively weak. Most of South Carolina will just have a cloudy period late Sunday through Monday morning. However, there could be a little rain in the Lowcountry later Sunday night or early Monday. Some computer models show reaching rain that far north, while others don't.
Notice how it's no big deal whether or not you see a tenth of an inch of rain? If it were unusually cold and it might be an inch of snow instead, you'd be on the edge of your seat!
The sun likely pops back out Monday, though not until the afternoon along our coast. The afternoon should be nice as we continue to warm up, with highs ranging from the middle 60s north to the low 70s for the inland Coastal Plain.
Tuesday and Wednesday look lovely as a high-pressure area of Pacific origin passes through the Southeast. Both days will feature sunshine and highs in the upper 60sto lower 70s.
A cold front will move through on Wednesday night or Thursday, which could trigger showers. Moisture looks limited with this feature, so don't expect much rain. If the front moves through during the day Thursday, we'll be back in the 60s and 70s again Thursday afternoon, but a faster front might result in a cooler day, especially in the Upstate.
That front cools us down, as highs likely return to the 40s and 50s next Friday. Early signs for next weekend hint at a cool and dry Saturday and a potentially wet Sunday as another cold front moves in.
This loop of weather maps from the Weather Prediction Center shows the progression of weather systems across the country over the next week.
The last couple of weeks have brought beneficial rain and snow to most of the state, improving drought conditions. However, the Pee Dee and adjacent parts of the Midlands and Lowcountry remain in drought.
The latest U. S. Drought Monitor shows that drought conditions have eased over parts of South Carolina thanks to recent rain and snow.
Limited rainfall over the next week will not help matters, but next week's update might show further improvements because the latest information from this past Tuesday doesn't include the rain and snow that fell on Wednesday and Thursday.