Yes, I’m a fan of Douglas Adams’s Hitchhiker’s Guide series … you’ll see references to that from time to time.
Precipitation associated with a storm passing by to the south will extend a little farther north than expected today.
Some precipitation is encountering air cold enough for something frozen to fall, and there have already been reports of sleet mixing in with the rain in the Midlands and Pee Dee. This trend will continue through this evening, but some wet snowflakes can also mix in, and you might see primarily or all snow for a time in the Upstate and Catawba River Area.
However, the air and ground temperatures are above freezing across these areas so no accumulation will occur. It would have to snow or sleet really hard to make that happen, and that’s highly unlikely.
But as South Carolinians, there is a strong temptation to clear store shelves of bread, milk, and adult beverages at first sight of a snowflake or ice pellet. I’m sending this out mainly to tell y’all that such behavior isn’t necessary this time. Yes, can be a few snowflakes, but only 42 of them.
I also want to warn you about hazards you’ll have to deal with over the upcoming holiday weekend. It’s no secret that bitterly cold arctic air will infiltrate this part of the country starting Friday. We’ll stay in the icebox through early next week.
Ahead of the cold blast, a warm front will lift northward through the state Thursday and will bring a cold and wet day to the Upstate and adjacent parts of the Midlands and Central Savannah River Area. At the same time, milder air surges into our coastal plain with temperatures reaching the 60s.
Then the arctic cold front will pass through early on Friday. It will cause showers as it moves through; a few spots in the Pee Dee region might see a thunderstorm. Look for temperatures to fall right through the floor as this cold air arrives. The front should be through the Upstate by daybreak, so you’ll already be in the cold air there when you start your day. But elsewhere, temperatures will be in the 50s, perhaps low 60s at the coast as the day begins, then temperatures will plummet as the day wears on. Most of the state will be below freezing by nightfall, with the rest of the state in the 30s. The point here is that you’ll want to be dressed for extreme cold if you’re going somewhere that day, even if it’s not cold when you leave.
An even more significant concern for those traveling Friday is that the cold will be carried into the state on strong westerly to northwesterly winds. Gusts may reach 50 mph across the state during the day, then gradually lessen Friday night, producing less-than-ideal travel conditions due to crosswinds. This will slow you down while driving, and those who drive larger vehicles such as SUVs, particularly RVs, will need to exercise great caution if traveling on Friday. Between the wind and cold, travel Friday will be no fun.
Along with the effects on road travel, the strong winds may also cause flight delays at airports in South Carolina and adjacent states. There will also be delays to flights in the Midwest due to an intense winter storm, potential delays in the Northeast due to rain and wind, and a separate winter storm will cause flight delays in the northwestern part of the nation.
Temperatures on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and Monday will all be frigid. Lows will mainly be in the teens each morning, except low 20s close to the coast. Typically colder spots in the Upstate might reach the single digits on the morning of Christmas Eve. Such harsh cold means you must check on things that could be affected by extreme cold, like your home’s plumbing and your car’s antifreeze. I’d hate to see y’all have to deal with pipes bursting at Christmas. Ensure any exposed pipes are properly insulated before the harsh cold arrives. As for your car, if it’s newer (less than five years old) and there have never been any leaks, you’re probably OK as the antifreeze in the cooling system comes from the factory good to at least -30°F. If your car is older or has had to add coolant due to leaks, you ought to get it checked by Thursday and have the antifreeze drained and refilled if it’s not protecting you to at least 0°F.
For now, there is still no definitive signal for a winter storm. Some models show a potential winter storm on the 27th, a week from today, and it can’t be ruled out. However, it isn’t something to get excited about just yet. I’ll be watching the computer models to see if we get a better agreement in the coming days.