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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.

Thanksgiving Day: Seasonably cool with sunshine

/ November 22, 2023 at 9:13 PM

After some much-needed rain Tuesday and Wednesday, we get a day to dry out on Thanksgiving. Expect plenty of sunshine for much of the day (albeit with clouds increasing late) and some cooler and drier air as well — we’ll wake up to lows in the mid-40s that will yield to highs in the low 60s as generally light north winds blow in. Overall, it looks like a great day to get together with family for food and football, amongst other things.

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Wednesday morning thunderstorms yield to a quiet and cooler Thanksgiving Day

/ November 21, 2023 at 5:55 PM

A cold front will continue to approach the area overnight Tuesday into Wednesday, bringing a line of showers and a few thunderstorms along with it that’ll arrive Wednesday morning. Some periods of heavy rain may be possible, and even a couple pockets of gusty winds won’t be out of the question, either. It’ll be one more warm and muggy start with lows bottoming out in the mid-60s. Highs head to the low 70s in the afternoon ahead of the front, which should get through late Wednesday. Once this happens, cooler and drier air will push in, and we’ll wake up to temperatures in the mid-40s on Thanksgiving Day. High temperatures will only reach the low 60s with continued cool advection under partly cloudy skies. Shower chances return on Black Friday as another disturbance moves across, but it won’t be quite as potent and rain shouldn’t be nearly as heavy, nor will it be a total washout. Expect generally similar temperatures to Thursday, so you’ll probably want longer sleeves with a bit of a water-resistant flair to them.

Tuesday’s forecast: Showers return

/ November 20, 2023 at 8:19 PM

Tuesday’s forecast will be unsettled at times with periods of showers ahead of a cold front that’ll advance through the area on Wednesday. It’s going to be a warm and humid day, with lows around 60-61° warming to the mid-70s in the afternoon. Shower chances will increase as we get into Tuesday night and early Wednesday, and some rumbles of thunder may be possible as well. We need the rain and it looks like we could get a fair bit of it in spots. A half-inch of rain seems to be a decent bet in many locations, with locally heavier amounts possible as well.

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The week ahead: Warm start, unsettled at times, but a seasonable and quiet Thanksgiving

/ November 19, 2023 at 11:40 PM

The week ahead will be unsettled at times as a couple disturbances, including a reasonably strong cold front, come by this week, which will bring more beneficial rain to the area (and maybe even a few rumbles of thunder).

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Weekend forecast: Lots of sun, warm Saturday, cooler Sunday

/ November 17, 2023 at 5:29 PM

Showers will depart overnight Friday, and we look to have a rather nice and warm Saturday ahead. We’ll start the day in the upper 50s and warm to the upper 70s in the afternoon with plenty of sunshine to be had. A cold front will then pass through Saturday evening with nary a whimper, just a gradual drop in dewpoints with temperatures to follow. We start Sunday in the low 50s — a few degrees warmer than recent forecasts — and warm to about 70° in the afternoon. Sunshine will once again be in abundance, and it’ll be another gorgeous (and more seasonally-appropriate) weather day.

Looking ahead: Showers will return to the forecast for the first half of Thanksgiving week with temperatures generally around or above mid-late November norms. From there, a strong cold front looks to sweep through, knocking temperatures down well below normal — thinks highs in the upper 50s to around 60° — just in time to make Thanksgiving Day feel like, well, Thanksgiving Day.

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Friday & the weekend: One more day of tapering showers, then turning nice

/ November 16, 2023 at 10:41 PM

Showers will gradually depart as Friday wears on thanks to low pressure moving away from the area. It’ll be an unseasonably warm day, with lows starting near 60° before temperatures top out in the low to mid-70s in the afternoon. We’ll see some breaks in the clouds between showers, so once again, we’re not expecting a totally gray, washed out day. The only other issue will be the potential for some minor salt water flooding around the 10:25am high tide; expect water levels to peak around 7′ or so, putting some salt water once again on Hagood at Fishburne and perhaps on Lockwood. Widespread flooding issues are not expected.

The weather improves just in time for the weekend. Clouds will be decreasing Saturday as deeper moisture departs. We start the day in the mid-50s before warming into the low 70s in the early afternoon. From there, a cold front will get through later in the day; expect a dry passage thanks to much drier air in place. Sunday will be noticeably cooler — expect lows in the mid-40s, some 10° cooler than Saturday morning — before warming to around 70° in the afternoon.

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Shower chances peak Thursday, taper Friday, ahead of a nice weekend

/ November 15, 2023 at 7:57 PM

This week’s shower chances will peak Thursday as a disturbance moves across the Gulf Coast, spawning low pressure off the Florida coast. Expect shower activity to generally be scattered in nature, though, with some dry periods and maybe a few breaks in the clouds possible at times. Warmer air will make inroads as the wedge of high pressure which kept temperatures fairly well suppressed over the past few days begins to give way. Expect highs to top out in the low 70s in the afternoon as a result.

There will again be the risk for some minor coastal flooding with Thursday morning’s high tide, which is expected to peak around 9:33am. Much like Wednesday morning, water levels should reach 7-7.2′ again, which should be enough to put some salt water on the roads but not enough to begin to introduce widespread issues. Still, the vulnerable locations on the west side of the peninsula near The Citadel and Gadsden Green will likely take on salt water once again during the morning. Be ready to reroute around flooded roads.

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Rest of the work week: A scattering of showers

/ November 14, 2023 at 9:15 PM

Showers re-enter the weather picture for the second half of the work week, though we’ll warm up a little in the process. Expect overcast on Wednesday before scattered showers commence in the afternoon. It doesn’t look like it’ll be a terribly heavy rain, but it could be enough to make the roads a little slick, so be careful when commuting. Temperatures start in the low 50s and rise to about the mid-60s in the afternoon as the cool wedge of high pressure hangs on for one more day.

The wedge starts to weaken Thursday, and despite overcast with periods of showers continuing, temperatures will run a little warmer. Expect mid-50s to start with low 70s in the afternoon. A few peeks of sun will be possible Friday, though scattered showers are expected to continue. Temperatures will run even warmer Friday, with lows around 60° and highs in the low-to-mid-70s.

Minor coastal flooding will continue to be possible with the morning high tides heading into the weekend. Water levels will generally peak around 7-7.1′ or so each day, which is enough to put some salt water on vulnerable roads in downtown Charleston. The highest tide capable of producing flooding on Wednesday is predicted around 8:47am, Thursday a little after 9:30am, and Friday around 10:30am. Stay tuned for Coastal Flood Advisories from the National Weather Service.

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Tuesday’s forecast: Mix of clouds and sun ahead of more unsettled weather for the second half of the week

/ November 13, 2023 at 10:16 PM

Another seasonably cool fall day awaits for Tuesday as we start to see an uptick in cloud cover portending more unsettled weather beginning later Wednesday into the rest of the work week. Temperatures start in the mid-40s before heading to the mid-60s in the afternoon, a couple clicks below normal but certainly very seasonally-appropriate. We’ll see ample sunshine, too, but as mentioned, cloud cover will begin to head up as we get into the evening.

High tide a little after 8am will be capable of producing some minor coastal flooding, with water levels generally approaching 7′ or so. It’ll be enough to put salt water on the most vulnerable roads — think around Hagood and Fishburne — but won’t cause widespread problems. Still, be ready to reroute around salt water-covered roads Tuesday morning.

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The week ahead: Seasonably cool to start, rain in the middle, improving this weekend

/ November 12, 2023 at 10:31 PM

After a dreary weekend, some sun begins to peek back out for Monday, and this will help temperatures get closer to — but still a touch below — mid-November norms. Expect highs in the mid-to-upper 60s Monday through Wednesday, with high temperatures reaching the low 70s starting Thursday and continuing into the weekend, with a slight cooldown for Sunday in the wake of a weak cold front.

Clouds will steadily increase through the first part of the work week as a reasonably vigorous disturbance ejects out of the southern Plains, with surface low pressure moving southeast from the Gulf Coast toward the Florida peninsula, dragging an inverted trough to its north that will help be a forcing mechanism for some shower activity here at home. There’s a slight chance of showers as soon as Wednesday, with rain chances peaking Thursday before gradually tapering Friday and perhaps into Saturday depending on the timing of the trough’s exit and the aforementioned front crossing the area. Most of Saturday should be rather nice, and Sunday will offer even more in the way of sunshine.

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