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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.

Friday & the weekend: Warming back up, scattered storms return

/ August 22, 2024 at 6:15 PM

The whiff of fall we’ve felt the past day or two starts to retreat a bit as we head into Friday and the weekend. (All good things…)

We do get one more really nice start on Friday, though. Expect to start the day in the mid-60s in much of the metro, running closer to 70° near the coast and even cooler further inland. We’ll warm to the low 80s in the afternoon under mostly cloudy skies. Dewpoints will be climbing back into the upper 60s, so while not terribly oppressive, the humidity will be a little more noticeable. It should also support the risk for a few showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon after a couple reasonably quiet days.

The warming trend continues into the weekend. We’re back in the mid-80s on Saturday and the upper 80s on Sunday as dewpoints return to the 70s. Scattered showers and thunderstorms will remain possible each afternoon, but not everyone will see rain, nor will it be the kind of rain to completely ruin the day, either. Just keep an eye out for possible storms and be ready to move outdoor activities inside for a bit.

Thursday: Comfortable temperatures, clouds increasing, shower possible late

/ August 21, 2024 at 7:32 PM

We’ve got a reasonably comfortable day (especially as late August goes) for Thursday as cool high pressure continues to rule the meteorological roost in our neck of the woods. We start the day in the upper 60s in much of the metro, likely dropping even lower further inland and in more rural locations. Temperatures should warm to the mid-80s in the afternoon, but humidity will be quite tolerable with mid-60s dewpoints expected. Clouds will be on the increase as a coastal trough takes shape, and there will be a risk for a shower near the coast, but much of us get the day in rain-free.

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Rest of the work week: Cooling trend takes hold, coastal flooding at high tides

/ August 20, 2024 at 7:45 PM

The rest of the work week will feature a cooling trend as high pressure wedges into the area from the northeast and troughing aloft persists. Wednesday should feature a lower storm chance than we’ve seen the past couple days as some drier air takes hold across the area. Temperatures start around 70°, warming to the mid-to-upper 80s in the afternoon with dewpoints in the upper 60s expected.

Thursday into Friday will feature even cooler temperatures as the wedge intensifies over the area; expect mid-80s on Thursday and low 80s on Friday. The intensifying high pressure should lead to a tightening pressure gradient which will drive some gusty winds, particularly around the coast. The onshore winds combined with the recent lunar perigee will also promote coastal flooding around times of high tide (both morning and evening) starting Wednesday evening through at least Friday. Right now generally minor flooding is expected, which is enough to close some of the more vulnerable roads in downtown Charleston.

Shower and thunderstorm chances come back into play for Thursday and Friday as well as more moisture starts to work back into the area, with the best chances of rain closer to the coast. Inland locations may even stay rain-free where drier air is expected to hold firm. No severe weather is expected, though a downpour or two can’t be totally ruled out.

Tuesday: Scattered storms continue as a front meanders nearby

/ August 19, 2024 at 6:53 PM

Tuesday looks a lot like Monday did (in the weather department, anyway) as a front continues to meander nearby, keeping the risk for a few showers and thunderstorms in the forecast in the afternoon primarily east of 17-A. Temperatures will follow a similar curve as well — we start in the low 70s (warmer toward the coast) and warm into the upper 80s to around 90° in the afternoon.

As far as storms go, a few folks could see some locally heavy rain thanks to slow storm motions, but otherwise, no severe weather is expected.

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The week ahead: Cooler air (really) working its way in

/ August 18, 2024 at 6:18 PM

Another break from the heat is in the offing this week as cooler high pressure works its way into the area. We’ll really start to feel it beginning mid-week, and it should last well into the weekend.

One front gets by early Monday, stalling out nearby. This should cut down on coverage of afternoon storms, at least, but a couple storms can’t be ruled out as highs head to the low-to-mid-90s. The cooling trend begins on Tuesday as highs top out around 90°, and will continue for the rest of the week as highs fall into the mid-80s with minimal afternoon thunderstorm chances. Lows will bottom out in the upper 60s fairly routinely as well, with even some mid-60s possible in less urbanized locations.

Temperatures start to warm again as we get into the weekend, but highs should continue to run generally in the mid-to-upper 80s with scattered thunderstorm chances each day.

Sunday: Back to heat; strong evening storms possible

/ August 17, 2024 at 6:01 PM

Well, we are back to the heat — briefly, at least — on Sunday as dewpoints head back to the mid-70s ahead of a cold front that could bring stronger storms later in the day. Expect air temperatures to peak in the mid-90s, with heat indices in the mid-100s — shy of the Heat Advisory criteria of 108°, but not by much — at the height of the afternoon.

Attention will then turn to the potential for strong to severe thunderstorms accompanying the front in the late afternoon and evening hours. A thunderstorm complex is expected to develop in the Upstate and will head to the Lowcountry as the day goes on. Given the heat and humidity, the atmosphere looks to be capable of sustaining strong to severe thunderstorms with damaging wind gusts as the main concern. Heavy rain will be a secondary concern, but these storms should be moving fairly quickly so any ongoing flooding shouldn’t worsen. Be ready for conditions to change in a hurry tomorrow evening, and keep an ear out for possible watches and warnings.

Weekend forecast: Humidity creeps back in, storms increasingly likely late Sunday

/ August 16, 2024 at 7:57 PM

High pressure will gradually give way to another cold front this weekend, bringing humidity back to the picture particularly Sunday. However, the return to mid-70s dewpoints will be brief as slightly drier air moves back in behind the front next week.

Saturday will run a little warmer than Friday did. After another cool-ish (relatively speaking) start in the low 70s, temperatures warm to the low 90s in the afternoon as dewpoints creep back up to the upper 60s. This will make it feel more like 95° or so — not a huge jump, but certainly warmer than it’s felt the past couple days. Expect rain-free conditions on Saturday with one more day of high pressure in control before it cedes ground to the approaching front on Sunday.

Sunday starts warmer — back to the mid-70s — and warms to the mid-90s in the afternoon. Dewpoints in the low to mid-70s will yield heat indices around 100-102° at the height of the afternoon. As the seabreeze moves inland and the front draws closer, expect showers and thunderstorms to develop. Guidance doesn’t show much to write home about with the seabreeze activity — generally scattered coverage — but a round of thunderstorms ahead of the front looks like a good bet as we get into Sunday evening. Shear and instability will be favorable for a few severe thunderstorms, with damaging wind gusts the main concerns (though some hail can’t be ruled out, either). If we get greater coverage of seabreeze storms, that could lower the severe weather risk locally, but we’ll need to see how that materializes. Keep an eye on forecast updates for Sunday evening, just in case.

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Friday & the weekend: Mostly quiet, not as sweltering

/ August 15, 2024 at 6:27 PM

Friday and the weekend look mostly quiet as high pressure remains the main weather player for a few more days. We should start Friday in the mid-to-upper 60s in much of the metro (with low 70s on the coast); temperatures head to the low 90s in the afternoon under mostly sunny skies. With dewpoints in the mid-60s, the heat index could actually run slightly cooler than the air temperature (yes, this can happen!). So, while it’ll still be on the hot side, it won’t be quite as bad as it has been.

Winds go more southerly starting Saturday, and we’ll see a slow uptick in dewpoints as a result, but Saturday still looks quite good. We’ll start in the low 70s, warming to the low 90s in the afternoon under mostly sunny skies once again. Heat indices will run a degree or two warmer than the air temperature, but still generally not too out of bounds especially compared to what we’ve dealt with recently. Dewpoints creep back into the 70s on Sunday, and this will help drive a few scattered showers and storms in the afternoon and evening as another cold front approaches the area. We could see a stronger storm or two, but that’ll depend on the timing of the front. Overall, though, we should have a pretty good weekend of weather. And, given the fact that winds will go more southerly, the risk for coastal flooding is diminished for the upcoming weekend compared to yesterday’s forecast, though a little salt water on Fishburne at Hagood around the evening high tides could still be in play.

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Thursday: Stretch of nice weather begins in earnest

/ August 14, 2024 at 8:14 PM

High pressure wedging southward across the area has brought some cooler and drier air to the area this evening, with dewpoints falling into the mid-60s (it’s been a minute!). This will yield a fairly nice (but still warm) day on Thursday. We’ll start the day in the low 70s and warm to the upper 80s in the afternoon under partly cloudy to mostly sunny skies. With the lack of moisture and influence of high pressure, rain isn’t expected (and won’t be for a few days). Overall, not too shabby for mid-August!

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Rest of the work week: A little bit of drier air as rivers slowly fall

/ August 13, 2024 at 8:08 PM

We have a bit of a respite from the rain and the extreme humidity on the way as a front slides south of the area and stalls tonight. Some lingering moisture and a trough of low pressure will allow for a few storms to remain in the forecast on Wednesday, though, as dewpoints slowly drop through the low 70s throughout the day. We start the day in the mid-70s and warm to the upper 80s in the afternoon, capped by some of that cooler and drier air trying to move back in. Expect the best chance of showers and storms from roughly 2-10PM. A few downpours can’t be totally ruled out as the deeper moisture only really starts to scour out Wednesday night, so a flood advisory or two could still be possible.

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