The first winter storm of the season to move through the Carolinas will likely brush the Upstate of the Palmetto State with minor accumulations of freezing rain and sleet early Wednesday morning.
A Winter Weather Advisory has been issued for the mountain areas of Oconee, Pickens and Greenville counties, where an ice accumulation of 1/10th of an inch is possible. Minor snow and sleet accumulations of up to an inch are also possible in these areas, and the National Weather Service says hazardous conditions could impact Wednesday morning's commute.
The precipitation, mainly in the form or sleet or freezing rain, is expected to begin in the pre-dawn hours Wednesday along and north of the I-80 corridor, but it will most likely remain on the light side until after sunrise. By then, temperatures are expected to warm slightly above freezing, allowing for a transition to rain in most areas. Elevated surfaces, such as sidewalks, bridges and overpasses, are most susceptible to minor glazing before the warmer temperatures arrive.
A mainly rain event is expected across the rest of South Carolina Wednesday, with pockets of heavy rain possible in the LowCountry and Pee Dee regions by later in the afternoon hours. A cold front will then slice through the state Wednesday night, bringing and end to the wet weather, with cooler temperatures to follow through the end of the week.