Bitterly cold Christmas weekend forecast for Columbia area. Here’s when it will hit
Temperatures are expected to drop so low over the Christmas holiday weekend in the Midlands that the National Weather Service said it will be “bitterly cold.”
Wednesday was the first official day of winter, and it won’t be long before a blast of arctic air descends on South Carolina causing it to become unusually cold for this time of year.
A cold front will push through the Columbia area between 5 a.m. and noon on Friday, with temperatures rapidly falling through the night, the National Weather Service said.
Temperatures are forecast to be in the low teens overnight Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Thermometers are not expected to climb above 39 degrees at any point through Christmas, according to the forecast. The National Weather Service said sub-freezing temperatures are likely from Friday until Sunday afternoon.
The temperature in Columbia could drop as low as 12 degrees on Saturday, and it could be as cold as 9 degrees in Newberry, the National Weather Service said.
The combination of low temperatures and windy conditions will create bitterly cold wind chills, according to the National Weather Service. Winds gusts as powerful as 40 mph are possible.
A Wind Chill Advisory is in effect from 7 p.m. Friday through 9 a.m. Saturday with minimum wind chills between negative-5 and 5 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. That’s when the coldest wind chills are expected.
The extreme cold could cause pipes to bursts with little warning, the National Weather Service said.
Another threat posed by the severe weather is potential power outages that could be caused by strong wind gusts, according to the National Weather Service. Any loss of heat during the extreme cold could be perilous.
“Those without warm shelter will be prone to illnesses such as frostbite and hypothermia,” the National Weather Service said. “Use caution while traveling outside. Wear appropriate clothing, a hat, and gloves.”
While it will be cold enough, it doesn’t look like it will be a white Christmas in the Midlands. Once rain stops Thursday, there is no precipitation in the forecast, so snow is not expected in the Columbia area.
“Cold, dry conditions expected,” the National Weather Service said.
Despite the dry forecast, the South Carolina Department of Transportation said it had workers out beginning Thursday pretreating roads and bridges to prevent the possible buildup of ice or snow.
It might feel like a heat wave Monday when the temperature is forecast to hit a high of 42 degrees. Temperatures could return to the 50s by Wednesday, according to the forecast.
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This story was originally published December 22, 2022 at 10:58 AM.
