As the country heads into the heart of the winter season, South Carolina transportation officials say its crews and equipment are ready to respond to any threats posed by Mother Nature across all 46 counties.
While major winter storms are considered to be rare, the South Carolina Department of Transportation has a detailed strategy to ensure major thoroughfares are treated quickly to minimize hazards.
For the 2025-2026 winter season, SCDOT says it has an army of 626 snowplows statewide, prepared to respond to any sign of frozen precipitation, from the mountains to the coastal zones.
“Our snowplow operators go through training every year in the summer in order to refresh their memory on operating the snowplow and allow them to practice using a simulation,” an SCDOT spokesperson stated.
According to the agency, officials track potential winter weather up to two weeks out to begin planning on how to respond to adverse conditions.
During a typical year, Greenville sees nearly five inches of snowfall, while Columbia reports around an inch. But these totals can reach double digits during more powerful winter storms.
A recent stretch of wintry weather occurred in January, when two separate storm systems brought the threat of frozen precipitation across the Carolinas, which prompted widespread response operations.
When weather forecasters indicate the possibility of snow or ice, crews begin pretreating major roadways with salt brine - a mixture of water and salt that prevents ice from sticking.
SCDOT explained that once the brine is applied, the water evaporates and leaves a thin layer of salt behind, providing a buffer as temperatures fall below freezing.
Salt can be used during snow, sleet or freezing rain, but the agency stresses that pretreating before the precipitation arrives can significantly reduce the risk of hazardous travel conditions.
“We have two 10,000-ton capacity salt domes in the state. One is located here in Columbia on Shop Road, and one is in Spartanburg off of I-85. These domes are places where counties can replenish their salt supplies,” an SCDOT spokesperson stated.
The winter weather response also includes treating bridges and overpasses, many of which feature permanent warning signs.
Signs stating “Bridge Freezes Before Road Surface” are common across South Carolina because elevated surfaces tend to freeze faster than ground-level pavement.
The increased air circulation around the structure and moisture from nearby waterways can cause the formation of ice, once air temperatures dip below 32 degrees Fahrenheit.
The frozen coating is often called “black ice,” which is a thin layer of ice that is often transparent enough to see the color of the road surface.
It isn’t just roadway crews that are prepared - airports across the Palmetto State also keep snow-removal and de-icing equipment ready throughout the season to maintain operations when temperatures plunge.
Still, during significant winter weather events, many airlines opt to delay or cancel flights than attempt to operate routes during the episodes of frozen precipitation.
Typically, communities often see their most snowfall during January, with frozen precipitation events possible from November through April.
