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Forecast: Two storms will cross South Carolina, a winter cocktail & dangerous roads, timing

As the forecast continues to be fine-tuned, more alerts are appearing on the weather maps. Little by little, a big chunk of the U.S. is now turning blue with cold advisories and extreme cold watches that will likely turn into warnings on Sunday.

The arctic blast touched over areas just east of the Rockies on Saturday with highs that remained below 0F in parts of North Dakota. This arctic air will continue to drip over the Southeast, and we can expect the first touch of the first of two air masses to arrive in South Carolina late on Sunday. A second system, the same one that threatens parts of the Gulf States with rare snowfall, could cross South Carolina on Wednesday.

First, let´s focus on the storm moving on Sunday, which will continue to bring the chance for showers on Sunday with perhaps a storm of two over the Lowcountry and PeeDee. This low pressure will cross the state, and depending on how much moisture stays available over the Upstate, there could be some little snowfall over the higher elevation.

Monday and mostly all day Tuesday will be quiet but very windy. These winds will make the cold temperatures much more extraordinarily cold. Highs on Monday will be in the 40s and the mid to upper-30s on Tuesday; temperatures around 40 degrees below normal.

The second storm is the one with a wintry mix.

We are closely monitoring the position of the low and how close its center crosses over the Midlands of South Carolina or if it moves to the south. Suppose the system takes the northern route, and its center crosses Upstate or the Midlands. In that case, the precipitation will stay primarily liquid in the afternoon, but ice accretions and mountain snow could occur throughout the night.

A low pressure system emerging from the Gulf of Mexico will affect the Gulf State during the beginning of the week and continue over the Southeast, brining rounds of mixed pre
A low pressure system emerging from the Gulf of Mexico will affect the Gulf State during the beginning of the week and continue over the Southeast, bringing rounds of mixed precipitation and even snow across some southern states.

If the system stays between the southern fringe of the Midlands and the coast, there could be enough snowfall to cause dangerous road driving conditions. In fact, under this track, the Lowcountry and Pee Dee would also have a chance to see snow and sleet.

Winter storm planning
NWS
Winter storm planning.

We will continue to monitor this situation closely. Remember that roads could be dangerous, so perhaps it is time to consider staying home between Tuesday night and Thursday morning. Reviewing your home and knowing that this extreme cold can break water pipes and snow and ice accretions can cause power outages is also essential. The winds will be strong, with gusts that could reach 25 mph, especially on Wednesday. The temperatures will feel colder than what the thermometer marks. Bundle up. Take care of the kids, elderly, pets, plants, and pipes.

Protect people, pets, plants and water pipes.
NWS
Protect people, pets, plants and water pipes.