More snow expected in latest forecast for Columbia leading to winter storm watch
The closer it gets to the weekend, the more likely it is that it will snow in the Midlands.
Thursday’s latest forecast shows the chance for snow is so significant in the Columbia area of South Carolina that a winter storm watch was issued by the National Weather Service.
The winter storm watch will go into effect Friday at 7 p.m., the National Weather Service said. It is scheduled to run through 1 p.m. Sunday. All Midlands counties, including Richland and Lexington, are included in the watch.
Should this forecast hold up, the watch will likely be replaced by a winter storm warning on the weekend, according to the National Weather Service.
“The watch is in effect due to likely seeing more than 2 inches of snow accumulation,” National Weather Service Meteorologist Drew Hickok told The State on Thursday. Hickok said any forecast changes could mean substantially less or even more snow than currently predicted.
Hickok said the latest forecast, which is subject to change, shows that the Columbia area is expected to get between 3–6 inches of snow. There’s a 91% chance Columbia gets at least 2 inches of snow in the storm, the National Weather Service said.
According to a morning briefing shared by the National Weather Service, there’s a 20% chance Columbia could get more than 8 inches of snow.
The storm will hit the Midlands on Friday, and precipitation is expected to start as a rain/snow mix, but some flurries could be visible later in the day, according to Hickok.
The greatest snowfall will happen overnight into Saturday morning and through the day, when there’s a 90% chance of precipitation, the forecast shows. Temperatures are expected to be below freezing much of Saturday, creating conditions conducive to snow.
Snow and cold
It will also be bitterly cold Saturday night, when winds could gust more than 30 mph, causing wind chills to drop into the 0-5 degree range, according to the National Weather Service.
Areas north of Columbia, closer to the state line with North Carolina and along the Pee Dee region are predicted to get even more snow, as up to 10 inches is possible, Hickok said. Localized amounts potentially could be greater.
The snow in the Midlands isn’t expected to be a wet, or heavy snow, according to Hickok. That will help any accumulation melt when temperatures rise.
Unfortunately, it will be so cold during and immediately after the snowstorm, that it could cause hazardous conditions in the Columbia area.
“Sunday morning will be very cold,” Hickok said. “Wind chills could make it feel like it’s in the single digits. So even after the snowfall exits the area, we will still have to deal with snow accumulation and the cold. It will be frigid temperatures.”
Snow accumulation could hang around until Monday or Tuesday, according to Hickok.
Dangerous driving conditions
Temperatures are forecast to be in the teens overnight Saturday and Sunday. That means if any snow accumulation melts Sunday, it could refreeze Sunday night and cause ice to form, Hickok said. That, along with remaining snow on the ground would create dangerous travel conditions for Columbia area roads Monday morning.
That opens to the door for schools to cancel in-person classes and businesses as well as government offices to close.
The weekend could be treacherous for drivers as well. The combination of the snow falling and accumulating on roads will be a challenge, as will be gusty and windy conditions that could blow snow around and back onto roads that might have been previously plowed, according to Hickok.
“Any travel will be very difficult,” Hickok said.
It might be the middle of next week when the snow is all gone, according to Hickok. While conditions will warm, temperatures in the beginning of next week aren’t expected to reach above the 40s. That means the Columbia area will be about 10 degrees colder than it normally is at this time of year, Hickok said.
“Take caution and be prepared for chilly temperatures,” Hickok said.
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