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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.

Weekend forecast: Scattered storms each day, but no washout

/ June 21, 2024 at 11:08 PM

The tropical low — but not depression — that’s been driving Friday’s periods of rain will be ashore in far southern Georgia by Saturday morning. It’ll start to turn more northward throughout the day, and that’ll help instigate showers and thunderstorms Saturday afternoon. Outside of storms, expect a warm and muggy day with highs topping out around 90°.

We’ll keep the risk for showers and a few thunderstorms in the forecast for Sunday as well, with the best chances once again in the afternoon (though a few showers or storms could be around all day). We stay muggy, with lows in the mid-70s yielding to low 90s in the afternoon that’ll feel more like the upper 90s.

Friday & the weekend: Turning warmer and more unsettled

/ June 20, 2024 at 10:53 PM

Humid days are here again: tropical moisture associated with a disturbance (which might become a tropical depression before coming ashore in Georgia tomorrow) will overspread the area, with showers and a few thunderstorms expected for a fair bit of the day as a result. It won’t rain all day at any one location — the rain will generally be off and on and be moving fairly quickly — so generally expect a half-inch of rain in most spots. A few locations could see locally heavier rainfall in the wetter storms. Thankfully, severe weather and flooding don’t appear to be major issues this go-around. Temperatures start in the low 70s, warming to the upper 80s between storms. It’ll be a muggy day as dewpoints surge into the low 70s by morning, with heat indices in the mid-90s expected.

High pressure gets into a typical summertime configuration starting Saturday, and we’ll definitely be feeling it as lows bottom out only in the mid-70s. The 90s return Saturday afternoon and will have some staying power through the weekend and well into next week, too. Showers and thunderstorms will be possible each afternoon along and ahead of the seabreeze, with locally heavy rain possible but severe weather generally not expected. Just be ready to bring outdoor activities inside if a thunderstorm approaches your location.

Thursday: One more reasonably quiet and “cool” day

/ June 19, 2024 at 9:34 PM

Thursday looks to remain mostly quiet over the area, though a few showers will be possible near the coast once again during the morning as showers within onshore flow reach land and dissipate in drier air. We start the day around 70° and warm to the upper 80s in the afternoon, much like the past few days. If you’ve been enjoying the somewhat lower-humidity mornings that we’ve had lately, enjoy this tomorrow morning because we’re shifting back into more traditional mid-to-late-June dewpoints starting Friday.

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Juneteenth and the rest of the week: Onshore flow continues, a few storms especially Friday

/ June 18, 2024 at 9:36 PM

Near-normal temperatures and a few stray storms will mark Juneteenth across the Lowcountry. We start the day around 70°, warming to the upper 80s in the afternoon as onshore flow continues to keep temperatures a little lower. A few showers and maybe a thunderstorm will be possible, particularly in the afternoon, but many of us stay dry once again.

An approaching tropical wave — thankfully, of the open wave variety and nothing more organized — will be the weather feature of interest later Thursday into Friday. Ahead of the wave, we should see a mostly quiet day of weather with temperatures near normal and partly cloudy skies. Rain chances tick up Friday as the wave comes ashore, with scattered showers and thunderstorms a decent bet. It won’t rain all day at any one location, though. Temperatures Friday will be limited to the upper 80s with the shower and thunderstorm activity. We’ll start to get much warmer this weekend, with highs returning to the low to mid-90s well into next week.

Tuesday: Onshore flow keeps things breezy but seasonable

/ June 17, 2024 at 8:04 PM

We’ve got one more generally quiet day of weather coming up for Tuesday before turning a little more unsettled heading into the second half of the week. Temperatures will remain around if not a touch below normal as a solid onshore breeze keeps us on the “cool” side. We’ll see a few clouds from time to time, but overall, expect a mostly sunny day. The only downside to the onshore flow will be a moderate risk of rip currents at the beaches, so be alert if you are going to be heading into the surf.

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The week ahead: Seasonably warm, turning unsettled

/ June 16, 2024 at 10:31 PM

The week ahead will generally feature temperatures around if not even a touch below normal at times through mid-week before warming back up, perhaps into the mid-90s, for the weekend.

We start the week off fairly quietly as a little bit of lower-dewpoint air nudges into the area, generally capping highs in the upper 80s to around 90°. High pressure aloft and at the surface will keep thunderstorm chances very low, so expect to at least get the first couple days of the week in rain-free.

High pressure starts to weaken as we head into Juneteenth, and the standard summertime afternoon thunderstorm chances respond accordingly. Storms could be a little more widespread Thursday as low pressure approaches Florida, enhancing the flow of moisture into our neck of the woods. A warming trend begins Friday as high pressure offshore moves a little further south, turning the resulting flow at the surface more southerly as well and essentially turning the heat pump back on. Low-to-mid-90s temperatures are expected Friday through Sunday, with scattered thunderstorms each afternoon.

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Weekend forecast: Plenty warm with a storm or two in the afternoons

/ June 14, 2024 at 6:46 PM

Heat continues to build into Saturday before onshore flow knocks thermometers down a few clicks starting Sunday. After starting the day in the low 70s, temperatures should head to the mid-to-upper 90s in the afternoon especially away from the coast. A few thunderstorms are possible in the afternoon as the seabreeze moves inland, which may offer some relief, but otherwise, be ready for a hot day that’ll feature heat indices over 100° at the height of the afternoon. Take frequent breaks in the shade and with plenty of water if you must be outside.

Winds turn more onshore Sunday, which will make it a little more humid but also “cooler” (technically, 91° is cooler than 97°), though heat indices will peak in the upper 90s so it all comes out in the wash. A few storms will be possible along and ahead of the seabreeze once again in the afternoon, but a rain-free day is quite possible for many of us. Just be ready to bring outdoor activities inside in case a storm threatens your location.

Friday & the weekend: Turning hotter

/ June 13, 2024 at 6:05 PM

Temperatures climb fairly sharply before dropping off back toward normal as we get into Friday and the weekend. Friday will start around 70°, warming to the mid-90s in the afternoon under mostly sunny skies as ridging builds aloft. We make a run toward the Lachey mark on Saturday as highs top out near 98° away from the coast. Dewpoints in the low 70s will contribute to heat indices approaching 104° or so during the height of the afternoon, so be sure that you’re getting enough hydration and taking breaks if you’re going to spend time outdoors. Temperatures back off a bit for Sunday as the wind turns more onshore, but will still be plenty of warm with highs around 90°.

We’ll stay rain-free Friday, but the standard afternoon chance of scattered showers and thunderstorms re-enters the weather picture on Saturday into Sunday as another front stalls out nearby. Overall, though, we should see more sunshine than not. Try to stay cool!

Thursday: A few storms possible as low pressure passes offshore

/ June 12, 2024 at 10:56 PM

Thursday could feature a few showers and storms brushing the coast as low pressure tries to organize along a stationary front that’s been lingering offshore for the past few days. It’ll otherwise be a fairly standard warm June day — lows in the low 70s yielding to highs around 90° in the afternoon under a mix of sun and clouds. Dewpoints in the upper 60s will help keep heat indices from getting too far out of hand, thankfully.

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Rest of the work week: Generally on the warm side and mostly rain-free

/ June 11, 2024 at 6:42 PM

The rest of the work week will generally trend warmer and stay mostly rain-free, especially the further inland you are. Expect generally partly cloudy skies Wednesday, though we’ll see a disturbance swing through later in the day that’ll add some high cloud cover to the mix. Expect highs to top out in the upper 80s to around 90° after a start around 70°.

The aforementioned disturbance in association with the stalled front nearby could kick up some stray showers and thunderstorms on Thursday, especially near the coast. Most locations inland of 17 could have a brief window for a storm or two Thursday morning, but the vast majority of us should get the day in rain-free. Temperatures get a little warmer, with a low 70s start yielding to highs in the low 90s.

The disturbance and associated low is out of here by Friday, yielding a warm and mostly sunny day. Once again, we start in the low 70s, warming to the low to mid-90s in the afternoon. We’ll keep this warming trend going into the weekend, with upper 90s possible on Saturday.