Snow to hit Midlands on Saturday, NWS updates forecast to winter storm warning
Get out your boots, heavy coats and snow shovels.
The latest National Weather Service forecast at 4:22 am Friday calls for 5-8 inches of snow likely to hit the north and central Midlands on Saturday.
It is potentially the “largest snowfall for the area since February 2010,” the weather service said.
The storm expected to hit the Midlands and both Carolinas has been named Winter Storm Gianna.
After leaving the Carolinas, Gianna is expected to move up the East Coast and then into New England.
According to the early Friday NWS bulletin:
- Significant snowfall and bitter cold are expected in the Midlands, which includes the major population centers of Richland and Lexington counties. Winter storm watches have been upgraded to warnings.
- The winter storm warning for the 16-county area that stretches from Chesterfield County in the east to Aiken and Edgefield counties in the west goes into effect at 10 p.m.Friday and ends at 10 a.m. Sunday.
- The greatest impacts are expected in the north and central Midlands, with 5-8 inches of show possible.
- The southern and western extent of snowfall is less certain with amounts of snow from 2-5 inches possible.
- Wind chills on Saturday night may range from -5° to 5° degrees with winds gusting over 30 mph at times. Extreme cold watch remains in effect for Saturday night.
Also included in the major areas affected by snow are Fairfield, Newberry, Kershaw, Lancaster, Chesterfield, Lee, Sumter, Clarendon, Calhoun, Bamberg, Barnwell, Orangeburg, Saluda, Edgefield, McCormick and Aiken counties. The extreme cold watch covers all of South Carolina.
The National Weather Service is also warning that travel could become difficult and cold temperatures combined with wind could cause frostbite if exposed long enough.
On Thursday, the S.C. Emergency Management Division urged residents to begin preparing for severe weather.
If it snows, residents should avoid unnecessary travel and prepare for power outages by keeping cell phones and mobile devices fully charged. Have flashlights and extra batteries on hand, the EMD said
South Carolina residents should pay attention to the news and be on the watch for early closings and cancellations of events this weekend.
The S.C. Department of Transportation said Thursday it is actively pretreating roads and is getting crews and equipment ready to respond when and if the snow happens.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
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This story was originally published January 30, 2026 at 6:40 AM.