Winter Storm Thoughts:
A storm system will be moving through the Southeast this weekend bringing a variety of winter precipitation. Most of the bad weather for the Carolinas will be on Sunday. The computer models this week have been producing some wild solutions. These usually resolve themselves as we get closer to the event. The following is directed to the areas of central South Carolina.
Note: please consult the latest advisories and warnings from either the National Weather Service in your area or a trusted professional meteorologist. There are often last-minute changes which cannot be anticipated here.
An upper-level storm system will be moving through the Southeast on Sunday as depicted in the picture below. Warm, moist air will be streaming northward of the system and pushing over the cold, dry air in the Carolinas. This will produce the winter precipitation this weekend.
Precipitation will be spread across the Southeast on Saturday and will begin to move into the Carolinas Saturday night. It will start as rain in the midlands of South Carolina and could be mixed with sleet in the northern sections at the onset. The rain will change to freezing rain as the air cools from evaporation. Ice will begin to accumulate, but it will be a problem for those areas north of I-20.
Ice accumulation in the Columbia area should be confined to about 0.1 inch. This is not enough to cause much in the way of power outages. Most of the freezing rain will occur between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m. for Columbia.
The picture below shows what the situation will look like at daybreak on Sunday. Winds will be increasing in the Carolinas in advance of the system with gusts up to 40 mph. This will create a dangerous wind chill in some areas and may aggravate the number of power outages across the region.
The ice accumulation will increase to the north of I-20. Amounts of about .25-.50 inch can be expected from Newberry County to Chesterfield County. Power outages will be more likely there. The worst icing will be through the piedmont of South Carolina into central North Carolina and power outages will likely be widespread.
Most of the snow will be in the upstate of South Carolina and throughout much of western North Carolina. The highest snow totals will be in the mountains. The I-85 corridor will be an area hit by snow, freezing rain and sleet. It is expected to be difficult to travel through this area on Sunday.
Thus, the area north of I-20 and inland up the East coast should prepare for winter weather. Travel will be difficult in many areas. Power outages and wind chill will create dangerous conditions for some. Keep up on the latest conditions and be prepared for anything. Conditions will only slowly improve next week.
