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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.

Thursday: A line of showers and thunderstorms moves through; cooler air to follow

/ February 12, 2025 at 11:34 PM

A warm front will lift north of the area overnight, scouring out some dense fog and sending much warmer and more humid air into the area ahead of an approaching cold front. Within the warm sector, we’ll start in the mid-50s, warming to the mid-70s early on before a line of showers and maybe a few thunderstorms approaches the area, generally affecting the metro between 10am-4pm. Severe weather is unlikely this far north where instability is a bit more meager, but a rumble of thunder or two with a strong wind gust is still not totally out of the question. You won’t need the rain gear all day, though, as storms should be offshore by evening with the front following thereafter.

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Rest of the work week: A bit warmer Wednesday, stormy Thursday, cooler Friday

/ February 11, 2025 at 6:29 PM

The temperature rollercoaster takes another upswing Wednesday and Thursday before dipping again Friday as a series of fronts affect the area.

Astute @chswx readers will note that Wednesday’s forecast high is about 10° cooler than the 74° that was advertised yesterday. High-resolution model guidance is strongly suggestive that the wedge front will take longer to move northward across the area as a warm front than previously thought. In fact, there’s some indications that it may stall out right across the Tri-County for a time, which certainly makes for a tricky temperature forecast. Right now, the going forecast is the mid-60s with mostly cloudy skies expected.

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Tuesday: Wedge hangs on with a few showers possible

/ February 10, 2025 at 11:23 PM

A wedge of cool high pressure hangs tough on Tuesday, bringing another gray and cool day to the area. Temperatures start in the mid-40s, warming to the low 60s in the afternoon — right around normal for this point in February. There’s going to be a risk for some showers from time to time, but an all-day rain isn’t expected.

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The week ahead: More unsettled as we get back aboard the temperature rollercoaster

/ February 9, 2025 at 11:40 PM

After a record-breaking stretch of warmth over the past few days, we turn much cooler and cloudier for Monday as a backdoor front slides south and cooler high pressure wedges into the area in its wake. We could see some showers in the morning, but otherwise expect a mostly overcast day as lows in the mid-50s only warm a few degrees, perhaps not even cracking 60° in the afternoon. This stands in stark contrast to the record high of 84° set on Sunday, smashing the previous record for the date of 80° set in 1949. And while it’s been easy to forget with such warm weather, it is still February, and these things happen.

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Weekend forecast: More record warmth possible, especially Sunday

/ February 7, 2025 at 8:09 PM

It was an incredibly warm February day in the Lowcountry, skipping ahead from a spring preview to an early summer preview as the high topped out around 84° at the airport. This high temperature obliterated the old daily record of 80° set in 2019, and was 22° above normal for February 7.

Record warmth will remain possible this weekend, especially on Sunday, before temperatures moderate (but remain above normal) as the pattern turns a little more unsettled for next week.

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Friday & the weekend: A few showers from time to time, but no washout

/ February 6, 2025 at 8:03 PM

Abnormally warm weather continues for Friday and the weekend as warm high pressure continues to rule the roost for a few more days. We will have a front stall out nearby on Friday; while we’ll be on the warm side of the frontal zone, there’s still a risk for some isolated to scattered showers at time especially getting into the afternoon. A rumble of thunder isn’t totally out of the question, either. Despite the slight risk of showers, temperatures should still head into the upper 70s, threatening February 7’s daily record high of 80° set in 2019.

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Thursday: Record warmth possible again

/ February 5, 2025 at 6:25 PM

Record warmth will be possible once again Thursday as the wedge of high pressure that cooled us off on Wednesday — highs only topped out around 70° as opposed to 82° the day before — retreats northward as a warm front moves through Thursday morning. This will help disperse the cloud cover throughout the day, and temperatures should respond nicely by heading into the upper 70s. The forecast currently calls for at least tying the record high of 78° set in 2019, so we’ll see how that ends up working out.

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Rest of the work week: Brief warmth interregnum Wednesday, then back to near record warmth Thursday and beyond

/ February 4, 2025 at 7:47 PM

We got very close to tying a record high at the airport on Tuesday as temperatures soared to the low 80s for the first time in 2025. Don’t let your hoodies walk too far, though — high pressure wedging southward will bring much cooler and cloudier conditions for Wednesday. After starting in the upper 40s to around 50°, expect temperatures to only head to the mid-to-upper 60s in the afternoon — a pretty stark contrast to getting into the 80s, that’s for sure.

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Tuesday: Another foggy start, then more unseasonable warmth

/ February 3, 2025 at 7:59 PM

Sea fog will come ashore overnight and cause visibility issues especially near the Highway 17 corridor and points east. A Dense Fog Advisory will be in effect from 8PM Monday to 9AM Tuesday as a result. Use those low beams and allow plenty of space between you and the car in front of you.

Winds will go westerly and pick up after sunrise, which should escort the sea fog back offshore for the most part. This will allow temperatures to soar into the mid-to-upper 70s in the afternoon under mostly sunny skies. The exception will be at the immediate coast, where the seabreeze will help keep much cooler temperatures as well as continued sea fog in place. So, if you’re thinking “early February beach day,” just keep in mind that you’ll probably not be getting much sunshine.

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The week ahead: Warmest week of 2025 thus far, with sea fog and a slight shower chance Friday

/ February 2, 2025 at 11:48 PM

A mostly quiet week of weather lies ahead across the Tri-County area with high pressure aloft contributing to some of the warmest weather thus far in 2025.

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