Cold weather advisory, winter storm watch issued for parts of Lowcountry

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) – The National Weather Service issued a cold weather advisory and a winter storm watch for multiple Lowcountry counties as approaching winter weather will occur during frigid temperatures.

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Be ready for very cold temperatures

The cold weather advisory is in effect through 6 a.m. on Wednesday and includes Charleston, Dorchester and Colleton Counties along with portions of Berkeley, Beaufort, Hampton, Jasper and Allendale Counties.

Wind chills are expected to drop to 15 to 20 degrees overnight Monday and to 10 to 15 degrees above zero both Tuesday night and Wednesday night.

Very cold temperatures can lead to hypothermia with prolonged exposure.

Forecasts call for an unusually long period of bitterly cold weather. Daytime highs will only warm into the 30s both Tuesday and Wednesday with overnight lows dropping into the teens to lower 20s.

Be sure to take protective actions to prepare both your home and business as well as yourself for this period of very cold weather.

Snow accumulations expected Tuesday, Wednesday

The winter storm watch will be in effect from Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday morning for Charleston, Berkeley, Dorchester, Colleton, Beaufort, Hampton, Inland Jasper and Allendale Counties and will be in effect from Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday morning.

Periods of heavy snow with accumulations of between one and three inches are possible. The storm could produce treacherous road conditions, especially on bridges and overpasses.

Very cold temperatures Wednesday night could result in refreezing and black ice formation.

The Live 5 Weather team declared Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday as First Alert Weather Days because of the chances that parts of the Lowcountry could see wintry weather.

Live 5 First Alert Meteorologist Chris Holtzman said it’s now looking like snow will be the primary type of precipitation, though some forecasts call for more of a mix, which would reduce the amount of accumulation.

The most extreme predicted between 1 and 6 inches for the Lowcountry, while another predicted less than an inch total.

Live 5 First Alert Meteorologist Bill Walsh said winter weather will affect the area on Tuesday and Wednesday with a possible second shot coming on Thursday as a second wave passes to the east.

Before that wintry precipitation, an arctic blast will move in on Monday and last through all of next week. Sunday’s high of 65 degrees will give way to a high of just 41 degrees on Monday, with lows Monday night falling to 25.

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The storm system that will deliver the wintry precipitation is set to arrive on Tuesday afternoon and continue affecting the area through Wednesday morning. Walsh says it will be a fast-moving system.

Any effects on travel could be felt starting Tuesday afternoon, he says. Any precipitation that melts during the day will freeze overnight when the temperature drops below freezing.

Lowcountry school districts have not yet released plans about whether they will hold classes or switch to eLearning days because of the wintry weather.

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