‘Snow showers’ possible on New Year’s Eve in the Midlands

A blast of cold air is expected to stick around in the Midlands through the weekend, bringing with it the possibility of snow showers on New Year’s Eve.

Freezing rain is possible Wednesday morning before sunrise, but the chances that ice will accumulate are low, according to the Tuesday afternoon forecast by the National Weather Service in Columbia.

Once the cold showers clear, temperatures will remain below normal into Thursday morning, with highs in the lower to middle 40s and lows in the upper 20s to lower 30s, the Weather Service said.

Though there was some lack of clarity on what the weather will be Thursday, the Weather Service’s models are starting to agree that the morning will start off dry. However, light precipitation is expected to move in by the afternoon.

Later in the day, cold arctic air will move through, which could lead to freezing rain, according to Weather Service. Precipitation is expected to end on Thursday, leaving very cold and dry air in its wake for Friday. Saturday is expected to be dry, too.

What happens past Saturday, however, remains unclear.

There is a possibility for wintry weather starting Sunday – New Year’s Eve – into Monday, the Weather Service said. Temperatures are expected to continue to be below normal.

Forecasters at the Weather Channel said the wintry mix could transition to snow showers overnight into Monday. If it does snow, minimal accumulation on Monday is expected.

This story was originally published December 26, 2017 at 3:14 PM with the headline "‘Snow showers’ possible on New Year’s Eve in the Midlands."