Chances increase of snow — and ice — in the Midlands. When to expect winter weather

The chances of getting snow in the Midlands this week have increased, but more than the white stuff could fall in the Columbia area.

“This has the potential to be a messy event because it will not be all snow,” National Weather Service meteorologist Chris Landolfi told The State Wednesday. “There will also be some ice and some rain.”

The combination of freezing temperatures and at least a 70% chance of precipitation have the Midlands bracing for the first winter weather storm of the year.

Snow — or ice, or rain, or all three — could begin falling overnight Saturday and continue into Sunday morning, according to the forecast.

While all of the Midlands could be impacted by the wintry mix, Landolfi said the area north of the Interstate 20 corridor in Richland and Lexington counties is the most likely place for snow and ice.

There’s a greater chance of freezing rain in the morning, then more rain and snow likely between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., according to the forecast. It could continue to be rainy into the evening, but any snow and ice are predicted to have tapered off by then, Landolfi said.

If enough ice accumulates, that could cause considerable damage to trees and branches, which creates the possibility of downed power lines and outages.

Ice and snow could cause hazardous travel conditions for drivers. While temperatures are expected to rise during the day Sunday, enough precipitation could cause disruptions on the roads to linger into the beginning of the work and school week.

While there could be icy roads, Landolfi said it wouldn’t be as much as accumulated in 2014 when Columbia was hit by an ice storm that the meteorologist called “historic.”

Possible snowfall projections for this weekend are uncertain, but as of Wednesday there’s the possibility it will be more than a dusting and will accumulate, according to Landolfi.

Meteorologists should know by Thursday or Friday if there will be snowfall piling up in the Midlands. Any winter weather advisories, watches, or warnings would begin to be issued on Friday, Landolfi said.

If there is snow, it would mark the first time since Jan. 6, 2017, that the white stuff fell on Columbia. About a tenth of an inch was recorded five years ago, according to the National Weather Service.

While the snowfall and freezing rain are expected to be gone by Monday, the colder temperatures will be sticking around longer, according to Landolfi.

“We’re in a cooler pattern than the area had in December or early January,” Landolfi said. “We’re expecting the cold to continue to develop with highs in the 40s and lows in the 20s into next week.”

As temperatures drop, people will want to bring in pets as well as sensitive plants and other vegetation, according to the National Weather Service.

In an effort to get prepared for the winter weather, the South Carolina Emergency Management Division has released a guide.

This story was originally published January 12, 2022 at 12:10 PM.

Noah Feit

The State

803-771-8435

Noah Feit is a Real Time reporter with The State focused on breaking news, public safety and trending news. The award-winning journalist has worked for multiple newspapers since starting his career in 1999. Support my work with a digital subscription