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.
Warmer-than-normal temperatures will be the headline for the rest of the work week as high pressure ridges in a bit aloft. We’re still on track to see our first 70°+ reading of 2025 on Friday, too.
Tuesday will feel a lot better than Monday did as a front swings through with mostly a drier airmass, but not nearly as cold as the one we dealt with last week. We start the day in the upper 30s and warm to around 60° in the afternoon under mostly sunny skies. The black ice threat has ended, especially after Monday’s rain melted much of the rest of the snowpack and any lingering ice patches. If you have some snow left, it won’t be much longer, especially as we get into a warming trend this week.
A Winter Storm Warning continues through noon Wednesday as winter weather is beginning to affect the area this evening. So far, we’ve seen some freezing drizzle primarily in the US-17 coastal corridor and points east, with trace accretion reported in places like James Island, Mt. Pleasant, and even at my home in West Ashley. Some bursts of sleet have been reported to be mixing in at times, particularly around Johns Island. Ice pellets have also been reported at the airport, and so we officially have a trace of snow so far today in North Charleston (sleet and snow are functionally considered the same accumulation in the historical climate record).
A special evening weather balloon release continued to indicate a pocket of warmer air aloft that is contributing to primarily freezing rain and sleet so far. The atmospheric column should continue to cool, though, and a changeover to all snow is still expected overnight into early Wednesday morning. By the time all is said and done, many spots should have between 3-5″ of snow. Areas closer to the coast may see accumulations impacted if more sleet falls, while others who stay in the snow longer could see upwards of 6″. This is a pretty stark upward revision from previous forecasts, but thus far all we’ve seen this storm do to our west is overperform. We’ll see how things shake out. Regardless of how much falls, we can still expect some tough road conditions tonight into Wednesday morning even after snow ends. The best course of action is to stay put tonight if at all possible, leaving roads open for essential and emergency workers.
The weather story will continue to be the coldest air of the season and an attendant threat of winter weather, especially Tuesday evening through Wednesday morning. Regardless of what ends up falling at your location, it’ll be quite cold, and you’ll need to put your cold weather plans for your home in place each day through the weekend.
There’s not much to write home about weather-wise for the rest of the work week as generally quiet conditions continue through Friday before turning more unsettled over the weekend.
We start Wednesday right around freezing as a dry front comes through, which will help hold highs down to the low 50s in the afternoon despite plenty of sunshine. Winds turn a little more westerly on Thursday, and after a subfreezing start, we’ll warm to the mid-to-upper 50s in the afternoon under plenty of sunshine. We’ll keep this going for one more day on Friday, with lows right around the freezing mark and highs in the mid-50s with plenty of sun.
After a dreary Monday the 13th, we’ll see much more sunshine on Tuesday as high pressure rebuilds across the area. Our run of cooler-than-normal temperatures will continue, but it won’t be quite as bad; lows bottom out in the low 30s, just under freezing, and warm to the mid-50s in the afternoon. You’ll still probably need a jacket, but the bitterness of the cold will come down a notch.
The chilly week continues as we get over the hump and down the stretch with high pressure in place for a couple more days ahead of a storm system that will affect the area Friday night into Saturday. You’ll want to make sure you have sensitive plants covered and your pets indoors the next few nights for sure with such cold temperatures expected!
The weather takes a turn for the cold and stays there for the rest of the work week starting Tuesday in the wake of a front that passed through Monday evening. We’ll start Tuesday below freezing away from the coast, with lows in the low 30s expected. A bit of a breeze — though certainly not the gusty winds we saw on Monday — will keep wind chills in the low 20s Tuesday morning, so prepare accordingly for bus stops. Highs on Tuesday will struggle to the mid-to-upper 40s despite plenty of sunshine as cold and dry high pressure builds in.
2025 gets off to a seasonably cool start in the wake of a cold front that will be coming through overnight tonight. Lows on Wednesday bottom out in the mid-40s, but ongoing cool advection will keep highs around 60° or so despite just about full sunshine during the day. Thursday runs a little cooler, starting in the mid-30s and warming to just the mid-50s in the afternoon, and Friday is essentially a carbon copy, with lows in the mid-30s once again yielding to highs in the mid-50s in the afternoon with plenty of sunshine. Overall, the start to the year is quiet, with the first rain chance of the year coming up on Monday.
Have a happy and safe New Year’s celebration. Here’s to you and yours in 2025!