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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.

Rest of the work week: Above-normal temperatures for a few more days before changes this weekend

/ November 7, 2023 at 9:55 PM

We have a few more days of above-normal warmth before changes in the form of a cold front and subsequent wedge of high pressure arrive for the weekend. For Wednesday, expect another predominantly sunny day starting around 50-51° before warming to the low 80s in the afternoon. Thursday gets off to an even warmer start as lows bottom out in the upper 50s. A few more clouds will dot the sky on Thursday, but we should still have no trouble reaching 80-81°.

Cloud cover continues to increase as we head into Friday, which will be the last of this long stretch of above-normal temperatures (for now, anyway). High temperatures will run in the low 80s for one more day as warm air pumps into the area ahead of a cold front. It increasingly appears we’ll stay rain-free Friday as the front looks to pass through Saturday morning, bringing with it a few showers and much cooler temperatures for the weekend into next week. It won’t be much in the way of rain, but any little bit helps as abnormally dry conditions continue to spread across the area.

Tuesday: Warm temperatures and sunshine continue

/ November 6, 2023 at 9:47 PM

No concerns for Tuesday’s weather as we head to the polls for various local elections — not even any tidal flooding to speak of. We’ll start the day with a light jacket and shed it by midday as highs head to around 80° in the afternoon. Unfettered sunshine will be the rule with a light west to southwest breeze throughout the day.

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The week ahead: Above-normal temperatures continue before a weekend cooldown (and maybe showers)

/ November 5, 2023 at 9:54 PM

The warming trend that began this past weekend continues for much of the upcoming week, but a front will bring along some cooler air — and maybe a few showers — as we head into the weekend.

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Weekend forecast: No complaints

/ November 3, 2023 at 11:35 PM

Another beautiful weekend lies ahead as dry high pressure remains in control at the surface. The warming trend that really started to show itself on Friday continues into the weekend. We start Saturday in the low 40s across much of the metro area, with upper 30s further inland and lows near 50° toward the coast. Temperatures will then head into the low 70s in the afternoon under mostly sunny skies.

Don’t forget to set your clocks requiring manual intervention an hour back before you head to bed Saturday night as Daylight Saving Time ends at 2am Sunday. We’ll see temperatures in the mid-to-upper 40s as the sun comes up around 6:40 am, warming nicely into the mid-70s by afternoon. We’ll see a few more clouds as a trough swings through aloft, but the deep-layer dry air closer to the surface will keep us rain-free. The sun will set Sunday evening around 5:30, and it’ll be February 10 before we see another 6PM or later sunset. (Alas.)

Overall, though, it will be a great weekend to get back out and about. Remember how we couldn’t get a dry weekend to save our lives to start 2023? Seems like a distant memory with the great weekends we’ve had as of late — try to take advantage!

Friday & the weekend: Frosty start for some, but turning warmer

/ November 2, 2023 at 8:47 PM

We’ll get Friday off to a slightly frosty start in some parts away from the coast as lows dip into the 30s once again with a little bit more moisture to work with and a little less in the way of wind (though wind chills could still dip into the low 30s). A Frost Advisory is in effect for inland Berkeley and Dorchester for Friday morning where the risk for frost will be greatest, so ensure you’ve got sensitive plants covered just in case. From there, though, we’ll warm into the upper 60s in the afternoon (and 70° might not be totally out of the question, either) under mostly sunny skies.

The warming trend continues Saturday. We start the day in the mid-to-upper-40s — almost ten degrees warmer than Friday. Highs should get into the low 70s under mostly sunny skies — a very nice day to get outside, it looks like.

We turn even a little warmer for Sunday. Expect Sunday to start out around 50-51° or so, warming to the mid-70s in the afternoon. A few clouds will dot the skies from time to time, but it’ll be another day of brilliant sunshine.

We’ll be getting that sunshine in an hour earlier than Saturday, though, as Daylight Saving Time ends at 2am Sunday, sending us back into Eastern Standard Time (UTC-5). The sun will rise around 6:40am, but will set just shy of 5:30pm. Be sure to set clocks needing manual changes back an hour Saturday night. It’s a good time to change batteries in your weather radios and smoke detectors as well.

Thursday’s forecast: Coldest start since March; freeze warnings well inland

/ November 1, 2023 at 9:33 PM

Thursday gets off to the coldest start since March with lows expected in the mid-30s across much of the metro area. Further inland and in more sheltered locations, it’s quite possible that we’re going to see temperatures fall below freezing. A Freeze Warning is in effect for inland Berkeley and Dorchester for Thursday morning; be sure you’re protecting plants and pets. Add in winds around 5-10 MPH, and we’re talking wind chills in the 20s in many spots. Dress appropriately as you head out tomorrow morning!

From there, temperatures will head to the low 60s in the afternoon despite mostly sunny skies. It’ll ultimately be yet another sweater-worthy day across the area with a continued north to northeasterly breeze.

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Rest of the work week: Sweater weather arrives

/ October 31, 2023 at 7:41 PM

Legitimate sweater weather arrives Wednesday as the coldest air of the season thus far moves into the area. We start the day in the mid-40s but don’t expect temperatures to climb too much beyond the mid-50s despite lots of sunshine. In fact, we may at least tie a different kind of record high on Wednesday — the record low maximum temperature for November 1, which was also 55° last set in 2014.

Thursday looks to get off to the coldest start since early March, and a continued north to northeasterly breeze will drive the wind chill down to around or even below freezing. Dress accordingly in the morning! From there, highs will run a few degrees warmer than they did on Wednesday, but that’s not saying much as we’ll still see temperatures struggle to reach 60° despite unencumbered insolation. The record low maximum of 58° on Thursday is probably safe, but it’ll be close.

The airmass starts to moderate on Friday, though, as warmer air begins to work back into the area. We start Friday in the low 40s before warming to the upper 60s to around 70° in the afternoon under mostly sunny skies. The warming trend continues into the weekend, too, as we head back to the 70s each afternoon under partly cloudy to mostly sunny skies.

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Tuesday: Cold front arrives with increasing clouds and maybe a shower

/ October 30, 2023 at 10:19 PM

Changes are on the way on Halloween as a strong cold front moves across the area later in the day, bringing an uptick in cloud cover, maybe a shower or two, and a surge of the coldest air so far this season to start November. We start Tuesday in the upper 50s to around 60° with just a few clouds to start. From there, expect cloud cover to gradually thicken as the front gets closer. We should see it get through sometime mid-afternoon into the early evening; you’ll notice it when winds shift around more to the north.

Trick-or-treaters will want a light jacket as temperatures cool into the 50s throughout the evening. As mentioned, a shower or two will be possible, but the risk is quite low.

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The week ahead: Big shot of cool air for mid-week; very little, if any, rain in sight

/ October 29, 2023 at 9:23 PM

The week ahead will feature the strongest cold snap of the season thus far sandwiched between a warm start and a warm finish. It’s a classic “shorts then sweaters” week of fall weather in the Lowcountry as a strong front moves by late on Halloween.

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Weekend forecast: Unseasonably warm, with record warmth possible Sunday

/ October 27, 2023 at 7:43 PM

This will be an unseasonably warm final weekend of October across the Lowcountry as temperatures will bear more resemblance to mid-May. Expect highs in the mid-80s each afternoon with lows around 60° to start each day. Sunday’s forecast high of 85° would, if it came to pass, tie the record high for October 29 set in 1946. We’ll do this courtesy of stacked high pressure remaining in control for a few more days; dry air aloft will keep cloud cover at a minimum, and it’ll be a good weekend for sunshine overall.

No good weather deed goes unpunished, though: There will be a high risk of rip currents at the beaches in case you are wanting to wade into the water, and morning high tides will be high enough to cause some minor salt water flooding as well. Keep an ear out for Coastal Flood Advisories from the National Weather Service.

A strong front coming by around Halloween will flip the script on temperatures. We’ll go from 83° on Monday to 77° on Tuesday before highs only top out around 60° on Wednesday and Thursday. It’s probably safe at this point to go ahead with a Sweater Weather Watch for next week!

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