Weather Alert  –  January 30, 2026

A Fluffy Weekend Ahead

Key Points:

• A major snowstorm will affect all of South Carolina from Friday night into Saturday morning, and it will last into Saturday night or Sunday morning. The entire state is under a Winter Storm Warning.
• Frigid air will move into the state during the storm and will remain through Monday. The cold will be comparable to the extreme cold around Christmas 2022. An Extreme Cold Warning is also in effect statewide. Wind chills will be in the single digits and teens over most of the state starting Saturday and lasting through Monday morning.
• Many areas may see light rain at the onset, and parts of the Coastal Plain and Midlands 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 night in the Upstate and spread over the state through the night, reaching I-20 toward daybreak and the Lowcountry around midday into early afternoon.
• The Catawba Region, the Pee Dee, and perhaps the Grand Strand will likely see the heaviest snowfall, with a realistic chance for double-digit local snow accumulations. Areas farther south and west see less, but most of the state is at risk for seeing 4 inches or more of snow.
• Snow will taper off from west to east Saturday night and early Sunday, ending around midnight 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 Coastal Plain and around 30 mph elsewhere on Sunday. The wind will cause widespread blowing and drifting snow.
• 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. Travel problems may persist into midweek in areas where the heaviest snowfall occurs.

We remain on track for a snowstorm across the state this weekend. The forecast has changed only a little since Thursday, with snow amounts revised upward. Here’s the latest from the National Weather Service:

We now have high confidence that snow will fall across South Carolina late tonight through early Sunday, with most of the state seeing heavy snowfall. Travel will become hazardous during the storm, with heavy snow and even blowing snow, resulting in slippery roads and poor visibility at times.

The good news is that we expect mainly snow. The storm will start with plain rain in some areas. There can be 2-3 hours of sleet or freezing rain during the transition across the Coastal Plain and Midlands, but not enough to cause power outages. Also, the dry, fluffy snow that will fall won’t adhere well to trees or power lines. So, our primary concern from the storm will be slippery travel.

Don’t be surprised if what falls in your backyard varies considerably from what a buddy of yours 15 miles away sees. Storms like this cause narrow bands of heavier snow, so people not too far away could get a good bit more or less than you get.

The arctic blast that will arrive during the storm is our second problem. This Extreme Cold Warning that the National Weather Service has in effect is something that will be new to many South Carolinians. It means that dangerously cold temperatures or wind chills are in the forecast. The minimum temperatures and amount of time we spend at or below freezing will rival what we saw with the cold snap at Christmas 2022. Bundle up and layer up if you go out to play in the snow or if you must be out for work or an emergency; this will be among the coldest snow events we’ve seen. Definitely ensure your pipes are well-insulated and leave them dripping if it’s appropriate. As someone who had a flooded apartment due to a busted pipe on Christmas Day 2022, I can assure you it’s something you don’t want to deal with! The cleanup took a couple of weeks!

The cold will keep the snow cover around for a while. A little will melt each day and then refreeze each night. Where the heavier snow falls over the northern part of the state, we may see travel problems persist until the middle of next week. On the other hand, most of the Lowcountry should be in good shape by Monday afternoon.

Speaking of travel problems, all our neighboring states will see the snow as well, especially the vinegar sauce zone to our north. Be ready to deal with deep snow if that’s your weekend destination. The peach posers to our west see less; only northern Georgia and the area near the Savanna River will be affected.

Before the storm, check out SCEMD’s SC Winter Weather Guide and ready.gov for winter storm prep tips to be sure you’re ready.

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

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