CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) — A major winter storm across the Southeast is likely to bring at least the chance of minor ice accumulation to part of the Lowcountry over the weekend.
Click here to download the free Live 5 First Alert Weather app so you can stay prepared.
Saturday and Sunday are First Alert Weather Days because of the possibility of winter weather.
What to expect
Live 5 First Alert Meteorologist Joey Sovine says precipitation will move into the region Saturday through Sunday as a low-pressure system develops over the Gulf Coast and tracks northeast toward the area. The critical window for winter weather effects will be Saturday evening through Sunday morning.
The primary threat will be freezing rain, which could create hazardous travel conditions and cause power outages if accumulation occurs. The highest chance of this occurring is for areas outside of the Lowcountry, from the Midlands to the Pee Dee and Upstate regions. Freezing rain develops when rain falls through a shallow layer of subfreezing air near the surface, coating everything with ice.
Where the Greatest Risk Exists
The best chance of accumulating ice will be across Williamsburg, Clarendon, northern Berkeley and Orangeburg Counties. Minor impacts are possible in these areas where accumulations could be up to .10″.
A major winter storm across the Southeast is likely to bring at least the chance of minor ice accumulation to part of the Lowcountry over the weekend.(Live 5 News)
A light glaze of icing may occur east of those areas but away from the coast. The risk of icing will occur from Saturday evening through Sunday morning. Most areas near the coast will never drop to 32°. Also of note, Sovine says, is that most of this precipitation will remain light and scattered from Saturday into Sunday.
What comes next
Precipitation will end Sunday night into early Monday as a cold front moves through. However, very cold temperatures will quickly follow, with arctic air moving in Monday night into Tuesday morning.
Lows are expected to dip into the teens west of I-95 and across much of the Francis Marion Forest, while low to mid 20s are anticipated along the coast.
Wind chills could reach the mid-upper teens, and a Cold Weather Advisory could be issued for the entire area.
Cold weather will continue for much of next week.
What This Means for You
The latest model updates suggest the following steps:
- Monitor the First Alert Weather App for the latest updates as this system approaches
- Check your vehicle and ensure you have an ice scraper and emergency supplies
- Prepare your home for potential power outages; Make sure to charge all of your devices while you have power in case the power should go out
- Adjust travel plans if possible, especially Saturday evening through Sunday morning
- Keep pets indoors during the winter weather event and the extreme cold that follows
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