Another warm day is on tap for Wednesday, with highs topping out in the mid-to-upper 70s across the area (away from the locally cooler coastline, anyway). Most of the day looks dry, but some showers and maybe a thunderstorm or two will be possible in the afternoon as an upper disturbance swings on by. Not expecting anything too crazy, but there may be some raindrops near the commute, so that will be worth watching.
The South Carolina Tornado Drill, weather permitting, will take place at 9am Wednesday. The National Weather Service will send a test tornado warning that will cause NOAA Weather Radio to sound a tone as if a real warning were occurring, but this warning will not go out over cell phones or other alerting systems. (I’ve got a tweet queued up for 9am as well.) Use this time to practice your tornado safety plan! If you participate, tag me in a photo on your favorite social media platform and I’ll share it!
Despite more cloud cover on Tuesday, expect temperatures to once again top out in the low-to-mid-70s as southerly surface flow remains in place. There’s a slight chance of a shower or two as disturbances pass to our north, but the vast majority of us get through Tuesday high and dry.
We have a soggy Thursday ahead as a strong upper-level disturbance drives low pressure through the Gulf Coast states along a stalled front. Said disturbance will arrive with copious amounts of moisture to produce heavy rainfall, perhaps on the tune of 1-2″ on top of the 3/4-inch rainfall we’ve already received across much of the area on Wednesday. This may cause some concerns about localized flooding, particularly this afternoon near high tide. (More about that in a sec.) Rain will come to an end across the area Thursday evening as low pressure heads northeast, turning winds to the northwest and drying us out.
Temperatures will remain in the mid-to-upper 50s on Thursday as we look to remain in the cool sector of the storm for the duration of the event. While there could be some wobbles in the position of the aforementioned front, it’s expected to remain south of the area.
Warm weather continues across the Lowcountry for Tuesday, as we remain ahead of a cold front to the north. Disturbances embedded within the upper-air flow will bring periodic shower chances for early morning and again in the late afternoon/early evening. Don’t be totally shocked if we hear some rumbles of thunder, either, but don’t count on it, either. Bottom line: Keep rain gear nearby and be ready for a slower evening commute.
Another chilly day awaits as temperatures go toward the freezing mark away from the coast on Friday morning. Temperatures will top out in the mid to upper 50s under mostly sunny skies and a breezy west wind which will make it feel a little cooler.
While a hard freeze is not anticipated thanks to winds staying somewhat elevated, you might want to throw some covering over sensitive plants to stay on the safe side. Make sure your pets are in a warm place, too!
It’s a much, much cooler start to Thursday as a cold front swung through late yesterday. Deep-layer dry air will keep skies clear throughout the day, and the cooler high pressure building in from the west will keep temperatures down in the mid-50s this afternoon. It’s a bit windy in the wake of the front; morning lows in the low 40s feel more like the mid-30s.
We start this Wednesday with temperatures remaining close to normal highs for this time of year. At 7am, it was 63° at many stations across the Tri-County, with Moncks Corner running a little cooler at 60°.
We’ll see showers, some heavy at times particularly away from the immediate coast, give way to some breaks in the rain for a fair bit of the late morning into early afternoon before a cold front begins its final push toward the coast. A wet evening commute appears likely, with perhaps some rumbles of thunder mixed in as well.
Temperatures will rise into the low 70s ahead of the rainfall late this afternoon and early evening. The front should clear the area before midnight, clearing us out and cooling us off for Thursday, when highs will top out in the mid-50s.
Showers in association with an approaching front and some favorable upper-level energy will continue overnight Monday into Tuesday morning. As we all know, any amount of rain can make a commute somewhat interesting, so be ready to spend a little extra time in traffic in the morning.
The other change with Tuesday is that despite cloud cover and lingering showers, we’ll be headed back to around 70° in the afternoon. A warm front will lift north of the area overnight, and we’ll likely start the day in the upper 50s to around 60°. This warmth will be relatively short-lived — by Wednesday afternoon, a cold front will be moving through the area, and we’ll make a return to below normal temperatures for Thursday into the weekend.
Friday looks to be a rather chilly day across the Lowcountry despite decreasing clouds and quite a bit of sunshine. Highs will struggle into the mid-40s as cold high pressure builds into the area in the wake of Thursday’s storm system.
There is a small possibility of a few flurries generally north of I-26 in the early morning hours as one last disturbance swings through the area. This probability is extremely low as cold air will be chasing the moisture out of the area, so please manage your expectations accordingly. Elsewhere, a shower or two cannot be totally ruled out. Precipitation — if any — ends by sunrise.
Minor coastal flooding may become an issue in the morning as gusty northeast winds persist across the area. Tide levels may reach 7-7.2′ in the harbor with the 6:34 AM high tide. It is possible that a coastal flood advisory could be needed. Vulnerable roads in downtown Charleston, particularly those on the western edge of the peninsula near the Citadel, could be affected by these tides. Be ready for brief diversions due to water on the road.
Be ready for a very cold night Friday night into Saturday morning, as many locations will dip into the mid-20s away from the immediate coast. Be ready to protect plants, pipes, pets, and people from arguably the coldest air of the season.
Thursday is probably going to rank among the nastier, most raw days of this winter: Temperatures barely moving around within the mid-40s, persistent rain, and gusty northeast winds which will make it feel like the mid-30s. Speaking personally, it’s not my favorite by any stretch.
It’s worth noting that the 5:47 AM high tide may approach 7′ in the harbor as northeasterly winds push water levels higher. Some minor coastal flooding will be possible.
It’s going to feel a lot like it, but I’ve got to set expectations here: No, it is not going to snow. We are going to stay just warm enough at the surface and aloft for all precipitation to remain liquid, and the coldest air will lag the moisture by a few hours overnight. If you’re looking for snow, head northward: There are some small chances in the Pee Dee, but it looks like the bullseye is in eastern North Carolina.
This will be the last gray day for a few days; much more sunshine — and much colder weather — is on tap for Friday.
