COLUMBIA, S.C. — The coldest temperatures of the season are expected tonight. Now is the time to prepare for the subfreezing temperatures. Things will moderate Wednesday afternoon. Thursday and Friday will be seasonable, but then we will have to watch for a pattern change over the weekend.
Today we started off in the middle 20s to lower 30s for most of the Midlands. Columbia reported a low temperature of 28 degrees. This afternoon will be sunny and cool. Highs will be in the middle 40s across the area.
Tonight, temperatures will drop quickly under clear skies. Lows are forecast to fall into the middle to lower 20s. Some of the traditionally cooler locations may fall into the teens.
Here are five things to remember when it comes to cold safety.
- Protect People - Symptoms of hypothermia can set in during the cold morning time. Check in on the elderly to make sure their heat is working. Children and elderly people are more prone to cold weather impacts.
- Protect Pets - Consider bringing outside dogs inside or give them a warm place to seek shelter. Outdoor water bowls will freeze during the morning time. Smaller dogs and dogs with thinner fur are more susceptible to cold.
- Protect Plants - Leafy landscape shrubs are fine in this weather, but flowers may be damaged so give them a frost cloth. The winter greens in our garden can only handle temperatures briefly into the 20s
- Protect Pipes – This one is only for people who have pipes that are exposed to freezing temperatures. Keep your faucet on a drip and wrap pipes that are exposed to the elements. Opening a sink cabinet door can help keep pipes warmer if the rest of the home is heated. A sink against an outside wall or above ground water pipes outside could freeze or burst. If you have not had problems with freezing pipes, you likely will not have an issue with temperatures in the 20s. All outdoor faucets should be turned off, otherwise there will be ice on the ground.
- Practice Fire Safety - Check to make sure smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are working and never leave fire pits, fireplaces, or space heaters unattended. Space heaters account for four out of five home heating deaths around the nation. A space heater must be operated away from anything that can catch on fire and must be plugged directly into a wall.
Temperatures will moderate Wednesday afternoon through Friday. There could be a few more clouds Thursday, but we are keeping the forecast dry.
Confidence in the forecast over the weekend is low, but something to watch for sure.
Saturday will start off dry and chilly. Colder air will be moving in as high pressure builds in from the north and a low develops off the coast of the Carolinas.
The forecast models have been inconsistent with the details, but precipitation is expected to form late Saturday and into Sunday.
Some of the models have indicated the potential for wintry weather, but they also have indicated just rain.
There are lots of model runs that show up on social media. It is best to be wary of those forecasts this far out. A lot can change from now until the weekend, but this is something to watch for sure.
Just do not get too excited yet, if you are looking for a winter wonderland this weekend. A lot has to happen for that to occur in the Midlands, but we will know a lot more by late Wednesday and Thursday.
