Major East Coast Storm Update:

Weather Alert  –  January 29, 2026

Snowstorm This Weekend

Key Points:

• A snowstorm is likely to affect South Carolina Friday night through Saturday night. A Winter Storm Watch is in effect for the entire state.
• Many areas may see light rain at the onset, and parts of the Coastal Plain may see up to a few hours of sleet and freezing rain. However, the risk for power outages will be low because significant ice buildup is unlikely, and the snow will be dry and fluffy.
• Snow will start Friday evening in the Upstate and spread over the state through the night, reaching I-20 by around midnight and the Lowcountry around daybreak.
• There remains uncertainty about how much snow will fall. However, the Catawba Region, the Pee Dee, and perhaps the Grand Strand will likely see the heaviest snowfall.
• Snow will taper off from west to east on Sunday, ending by daybreak in the Upstate and by midday along the Grand Strand.
• Winds will increase during the storm with peak gusts of 35-40 mph along the coast and around 30 mph elsewhere on Sunday. The wind will cause blowing and drifting snow where we see a substantial accumulation. The winds will also drive wind chills down to the single digits and teens over most of the state on Saturday through Sunday.
• Roads will become slippery for a few days where substantial snow falls because it will remain cold behind the storm, resulting in slow daytime melting and nighttime refreezing. The extent and duration of potential travel problems are uncertain; it will depend on how much snow falls.

It’s gonna snow this weekend, y’all, with impacts from the storm lingering into early next week. The only questions are how much, and who gets the heaviest.

In the meantime:

• A moisture-starved front in the area through tonight brings us some high clouds, but no rain or snow. Probably would have been snow with a better supply of moisture.
• Clouds will increase on Friday into Friday night ahead of the approaching storm. Highs on Friday will range from the low 40s in the Upstate to the upper 50s in the far south.

Uncertainty remains in the forecast, but there is more confidence than before. We can provide you with an accumulation forecast now; here’s what the National Weather Service (NWS) is calling for:

The current questions are about where the heaviest snow falls and how much we all see. The heaviest snow may fall over tomato-and-vinegar country instead of here, though it’s most likely that some of the heavy snow will affect the northern part of the state. The greatest uncertainty for snow amounts is over the Grand Strand and lower Pee Dee region; the ceiling is pretty high there, but the most likely scenario is relatively low. I just did a quick check before sending this out; it looks like the NWS is in the process of increasing the forecast snow for the Pee Dee region, so don’t be surprised to see the forecast for that area being bumped up.

Storms like these sometimes cause oddities, such as a large difference in snowfall over a relatively short distance, due to small bands of heavy snow that often form. Don’t be surprised if what falls in your backyard varies a lot from what a buddy of yours 15 miles away sees.

The primary impact will be slippery travel, since it’s going to be mainly dry, fluffy snow (parts of the coastal Plain might see a brief period of freezing rain that would make elevated roads slick like a muddy pig). Snow-covered roads will be a problem Saturday through Monday morning, and it’s going to remain cold behind this storm, so the roads could remain slick for a while. How hard it will become to get around and how long the roads remain bad will depend on how much snow falls. If you’re in an area that could see over three inches, start planning to avoid travel from Saturday through at least Monday. Areas to the south are likely to see lower impacts, but travel will be hazardous at least through Saturday and Sunday morning.

Bundle up if you go out to play in the snow or if you must be out for work or an emergency; this is among the coldest snow events we’ve seen. The frigid winds will bring a bite, so layer up! Do check your pipes if you didn’t before the last storm to ensure that they’re properly insulated, because it will be at least as cold behind this storm as it was after the last one.

What else can you do now? Check out SCEMD’s SC Winter Weather Guide and ready.gov for tips, and go from there.

Frank Strait
Severe Weather Liaison
S.C. State Climate Office

Weather Alert  –  January 21, 2026

Weekend Winter Storm Update

Key Points:

• A Winter Storm Watch is now in effect for much of northern South Carolina, including the Upstate, Catawba Region and Chesterfield County.

A map showing the counties under a Winter Storm Watch, highlighted in blue

• Confidence continues to increase that at least a part of South Carolina will be affected by a major, long-duration winter storm this weekend.
• However, the storm’s forecast track has shifted northward, lessening potential impacts for areas along and south of I-20. Timing has changed as well, with the storm starting in the afternoon or evening on Saturday and lasting into early Monday.
• The storm’s details, such as precipitation type, remain uncertain. Shifting computer model output will likely lead to more forecast changes.
• Most likely scenario, not heavily favored due to uncertainty:
  • Snow, if any, and sleet in the Upstate starting on Saturday, will eventually turn to freezing rain. There may be a sleet accumulation into Saturday night, and a damaging ice buildup is possible on Sunday. Travel will be hazardous through at least Monday morning. Should there be a significant sleet accumulation, it would be slow to melt behind the storm as it remains cold.
  • Across the CSRA, the Midlands, and northern Pee Dee, freezing rain may dominate north of I-20, with a chance of damaging ice accumulation and slippery travel Saturday night into Sunday. Areas along and south of I-20 see freezing rain for a time, then rain as temperatures warm above freezing on Sunday.
  • Areas further south and east may see freezing rain for a time Saturday night, then rain Sunday. Elevated road surfaces could become icy for a time.
  • The Lowcountry and Grand Strand primarily see rain, though a period of freezing rain is possible at the onset, especially inland. Some models show it warming up enough on Sunday for thunderstorms.
• Worst-case scenarios include:
  • A severe ice storm is possible where freezing rain is dominant; the best chance appears to be in the Upstate, the Catawba Region, and the northern CSRA and Midlands.
  • Continued northward shifts in the storm track would shift the potential for sleet accumulations out of South Carolina, but a damaging ice storm would still occur in the Upstate. Less of the state would be at risk for a damaging ice buildup.
  • A more southerly track of the storm would bring heavy snow and sleet back into South Carolina, with a damaging ice storm further south, as previously thought. This idea is looking increasingly unlikely. However, the warmer, further north computer models may not be handling this weekend’s cold-air damming, and temperatures may remain below freezing near I-20 longer than the models indicate, resulting in a significant ice buildup in that area.

Good afternoon. A northward shift in the computer model guidance on the track of a winter storm for much of the nation changes the potential impacts here in South Carolina. 

The forecast for now through Friday night remains unchanged:

• We remain dry through most of tonight.
• The next cold front will move in on Thursday, bringing light rain to the Upstate, possibly starting by daybreak in some areas.
• Light rain is possible over much of the state Thursday night into Friday evening as this cold front slowly sinks southward.
• Arctic air will filter into South Carolina behind this front starting Friday evening.

Our next storm, currently approaching California, will reach us on Saturday. It has become unlikely that any significant snow will fall in the state (a little at the onset maybe), but sleet and freezing rain are likely to affect much of the state. The computer models continue to show a range of possibilities, but the trend has been our friend, showing less of the state experiencing significant impacts.

It would be best to start your preparations soon if you’re in an area that still may be hit by a damaging ice storm and slippery travel. How do you deal with it? SCEMD’s SC Winter Weather Guide is a good starting point, and you can get more tips on winter storm preparedness at ready.gov. Pay close attention to the generator safety and kerosene and propane heater safety tips; carbon monoxide is quite the villain.

The picture should get increasingly clearer over the next couple of days as we get closer to the event. Another update is coming on Thursday!

Frank Strait
Severe Weather Liaison
S.C. State Climate Office