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Author: Jared Smith

Jared Smith founded @chswx on Twitter in 2008 as an experiment in disseminating weather data through social media. In the ensuing decade-and-a-half, @chswx has provided live coverage of tropical cyclones, tornadoes, severe weather, and even a couple bouts of winter weather to the good people of Charleston, SC.

Strong storms possible Thursday afternoon and evening, but uncertainty remains

/ October 27, 2021 at 5:58 PM

We’ll start Thursday much as we started today — a mix of sun and cloud cover with a bit of a chill in the air as lows bottom out in the low 50s. We look to end it with widespread rain with embedded thunderstorms, a few of which could be strong to severe, as a potent upper low and associated cold front approach the Lowcountry.

The severe weather threat on Thursday is certainly not a slam-dunk, but there are some concerning signals. First, there’s going to be plenty of wind energy available. A low-level jet of 55-65 MPH winds around 3,500 up looks to traverse the area in the afternoon and evening hours. This will help promote gusty winds throughout the day, even ahead of thunderstorms. Second, winds are veering with height, with southeasterly surface winds turning southerly and then southwesterly as you go up. This wind shear helps sustain thunderstorm updrafts and also can induce spin within stronger storms. Third, there is the potential for instability to spread into the area as a warm front passes by in the evening. However, instability is the biggest question mark given cloud cover and rain ahead of the storms, which often helps to tamp down on this “storm fuel” and, as a result, decreases the severe weather risk.

Ultimately, we will need to keep an eye on how things evolve tomorrow. If that instability does materialize as some of the guidance suggests it will, a few thunderstorms will be able to pull down some strong, potentially damaging winds. Given the spin in the atmosphere, a tornado or two is not out of the cards, either. Our best risk for severe weather appears timed between 4 and 10 PM, according to NWS, with the latter end of the timeline looking the most likely for SC. Stay weather-aware tomorrow and make sure you have multiple, redundant weather warning sources.

Rest of the work week: Crisp Wednesday yields to a stormy Thursday

/ October 26, 2021 at 8:39 PM

Wednesday will be another pleasant weather day. We’re going to get off to a chilly start with lows in the 40s across the area away from the locally warmer coastline. Temperatures will top out in the low 70s, and it’ll feel good in the sun.

As we head into Thursday afternoon and evening, we will want to watch the risk for heavy rain with the potential for a few strong to severe thunderstorms. Damaging wind gusts will be the primary concern, but the forecast wind profiles are such that a tornado cannot be totally ruled out. We’ll need to see how much instability can develop — the less instability, the better. Stay tuned to forecast updates.

The upper-level low that will help to drive Thursday’s severe threat will linger into Friday, keeping clouds and perhaps a few showers in the forecast. Temperatures won’t top out much higher than 70° on Friday afternoon.

Good news, though: The weekend looks good with sweater weather on Saturday, and Halloween is very much game on with picture-perfect weather to close out October.

Tuesday: Turning cooler and more sunny

/ October 25, 2021 at 8:56 PM

A cold front will come through early Tuesday, and with it will be a shot of cooler and drier air that will make for a pleasant day across the Lowcountry. We’ll start the day in the low 60s with highs rising to the mid-70s under mostly sunny skies. Overall, a really good day to get lunch outside if you can.

We’ll see a similar weather day on Wednesday with a cooler start (40s look possible in many spots). Thursday continues to look unsettled as a potent storm system approaches the area. Rain, heavy at times, will be the main concern, though a couple stronger storms are possible as well. We keep showers around on Friday as a lumbering upper low swings through the area before gradual clearing into the weekend.

The week ahead: Unsettled at times with more shots of cool air

/ October 24, 2021 at 5:06 PM

We’ll see a little more of an unsettled pattern going into this week with plenty of temperature peaks and valleys to close October. Monday looks to begin with rain overspreading the area in response to an area of low pressure developing offshore, making for a wet morning commute with some rumbles of thunder possible especially near the coast. Overall rain amounts shouldn’t be terribly heavy, but watch for some slick roads nonetheless as much of the area hasn’t received rain for the better part of two weeks.

A cold front swings through late Monday, bringing with it a slight chance for showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening hours. Thereafter, we will see a nice little cooldown for Tuesday and Wednesday with quiet weather expected. Lows Wednesday morning look to dip into the lower 50s.

We’ll be dealing with a pretty potent storm system heading into Thursday and Friday as a strong upper low digs southward toward the Gulf Coast and brings a cold front with it. Showers and thunderstorms — with a couple stronger storms not out of the question — look to come into the area primarily Thursday afternoon through Friday morning. Temperatures on Thursday peak in the mid-70s and the low 70s on Friday as clouds and maybe a shower or two persist through the rest of the day.

After the front passes through, we’ll get another shot of autumn-appropriate air for the weekend. Lows will flirt with 50° and lower with highs not even reaching 70° on Saturday under partly cloudy skies. Seasonable weather continues for Sunday — solid weather for costumed candy acquisition activities.

Another Friday front yields a beautiful weekend

/ October 21, 2021 at 5:41 PM

We’ve got more excellent weather on the way for this weekend, but first, we deal with a weak cold front on Friday. A few showers and storms could pop off in the afternoon ahead of said front before it swings through, but the vast majority of us look to stay dry. Expect warmer-than-normal temperatures, especially in the morning where we get started in the mid-60s away from the warmer coast and top out in the low-to-mid-80s in the afternoon.

Once the front is through, another area of dry high pressure works into the area. Saturday looks extremely good, starting out in the mid-to-upper 50s with highs topping out shy of 80°. After another cool start in the mid-50s, Sunday will warm to around 80-81° under mostly sunny skies. Enjoy!

Warming trend for the rest of the work week

/ October 19, 2021 at 7:27 PM

A warming trend will continue for the rest of the work week ahead of a cold front swinging through on Friday. Highs look to return to the 80s for Wednesday and beyond, though just barely. Lows will be creeping up more noticeably; we’ll wake up to low 50s on Wednesday, near 60° on Thursday, and in the mid-60s on Friday.

We stay rain-free through Thursday, and it’s probable that you’ll stay dry on Friday, too, with just a little moisture available for the front to squeeze out a few isolated showers in the afternoon. Overall, our weather pattern remains relatively quiet heading into the weekend, but there’s no sign of another good shot of cold air just yet as the temperature trend continues to favor above-normal temperatures heading into next week. (It is nice to dry out a bit, though!)

The week ahead: Generally pleasant weather expected

/ October 17, 2021 at 9:10 PM

Expect a relatively tame week of weather as a series of high pressure systems transit through the area. We’ll get Monday off to the chilliest start since we bottomed out at 49° on May 15 as widespread 40s are expected under clear skies. Much like today, temperatures will rise back into the low 70s for the afternoon, making for a rather delightful day (weather-wise, at least.)

A warming trend commences Tuesday into midweek as high pressure moves over the area and eventually offshore, allowing temperatures to return to the 80s by Thursday. A dearth of moisture, though, will keep these above-normal temperatures feeling quite alright. A cold front comes through sometime late Friday into Saturday, allowing another area of cooler high pressure to build back in.

It’s a rare week of little to no weather worries: tides remain in check, the tropics are quiet, and we look to stay mostly rain free (unless Friday’s front can squeeze out a shower or two). We’ll have a good mix of cooler and warmer temperatures — really, a little something for everyone. Enjoy it!

Weekend forecast: A tale of two seasons

/ October 15, 2021 at 9:23 PM

Get ready for a change in seasons this weekend. After a record high of 87° today at the airport, we’ll climb back into the upper 80s for Saturday as a cold front approaches the area. A few showers and maybe a rumble of thunder or two will be possible as the front gets closer, but the general thinking is that there just won’t be the moisture for more widespread rainfall.

Fall fans, rejoice: We will wake up to a significantly more fall-like feel on Sunday morning with lows bottoming out in the low to mid-50s. Much cooler and drier air will continue to move into the area throughout the day, yielding clear skies and highs only topping out in the low 70s despite uninterrupted sunshine. We may see our first 40s of the season in the metro area on Monday morning, too, before a slow warming trend commences for the rest of the upcoming week.

Friday & the weekend: Fall is incoming

/ October 14, 2021 at 8:04 PM

After a record high was tied at Downtown Charleston today (85°, last set in 1975) and records could be challenged on Friday (87° at the airport, last set in 2018), a cold front will knock us solidly into more autumnal weather starting Sunday. We’ll start Friday in the mid-60s (near the low 70s closer to the coast) with temperatures warming into the mid-to-upper 80s in the afternoon, challenging the aforementioned record, with mostly sunny to partly cloudy skies persisting.

Saturday will be it for the 80s for at least a few days as the cold front approaches the area. The incoming front could help spark off a few afternoon and evening showers and thunderstorms, but severe weather — much less widespread heavy rainfall — is highly unlikely.

The front will come through overnight Saturday, and by Sunday morning, it’ll feel a lot different — temperatures will be in the mid-50s away from the coast to start the day, and will only warm up to the low 70s at best in the afternoon under clear skies. We’ll keep this fall feel for at least the first part of next week, too. Get those hoodies ready!

A little warmer on Thursday

/ October 13, 2021 at 8:40 PM

Temperatures will turn a little warmer Thursday as high pressure continues to build aloft. We’ll start the day in the low to mid-60s away from the warmer coastline and warm nicely into the low-to-mid 80s in the afternoon. Some patches of fog will be possible in the morning, so be aware of this as you commute. Thereafter, partly cloudy to mostly sunny skies will be the general rule, and no precipitation is expected once again.

Warming will continue into Friday and Saturday before a cold front moves through Saturday night and plunges us squarely into fall weather, with some of the coolest temperatures since spring coming up heading into next week. Stay tuned!