Nationwide winter storm will bring freezing temps to Beaufort Co. Here’s how cold it’ll get
Like it or not, meteorologists say there won’t be a White Christmas in Beaufort County this year.
While other, more northern, parts of the state may see some wet snowflakes that won’t stick, Frank Strait, severe weather liaison for the state’s department of natural resources, said there’s not reason to panic.
“As South Carolinians, there is a strong temptation to clear store shelves of bread, milk and adult beverages at first sight of a snowflake or ice pellet,” Strait wrote in a Tuesday email. “Such behavior isn’t necessary this time.”
Though flurries aren’t expected to fall in the county and haven’t since January 2019, temperatures will plummet, sending a bitter chill throughout the Lowcountry.
The brisk vice-grip on Beaufort County will set in Friday evening, after the rain has blown over. The low is an expected 22 degrees — 10 degrees below freezing. National Weather Service meteorologists said Tuesday wind chills could make it feel even colder.
Saturday will see a high of 38, with Christmas Eve temperatures dropping down to 26 degrees. And on Christmas Day, the temperature will rise to 42. On Monday, the high will climb to 44.
While rain is projected for the area through Friday day, meteorologist Dwight Koehn said there’s no worry that it will freeze as temperatures drop, because the ground temperatures will be too warm. While ice and snow won’t ruffle Beaufort County, the cold can still cause problems.
The cold is blowing into the state with strong westerly to northwesterly winds, Strait said. Those gusts could produce “less-than-ideal travel conditions due to crosswinds.” The gales also have the potential to disrupt flights.
“There will also be delays to flights in the Midwest due to an intense winter storm, potential delays in the Northeast due to rain and wind, and a separate winter storm will cause flight delays in the northwestern part of the nation,” Strait said.
For cars, the severe weather liaison said if a car is older than five years or has had to add coolant due to leaks, drivers should get it checked by Thursday and have the antifreeze drained and refilled if it’s not protecting you to at least 0°F.
As the chill nears, Koehn made remembering weather safety easy. He breaks it down by the four Ps.
Four Ps of winter weather safety
People: Bundle up with layers if you have to go outside. Check on elderly family or neighbors who need extra blankets, help winterizing their homes or a warm place to stay.
Pets: Cats and dogs need to be brought inside, especially at night when the temperature drops below freezing.
Plants: Cover plants to keep them warm at night or bring them inside. Citrus plants are particularly affected by cold weather.
Pipes: The Beaufort-Jasper Water and Sewer Authority said Tuesday that “property owners are responsible for maintenance of water service lines from the meter to the home, as well as any in-home pipes.” Frozen water lines usually happen in places such as crawl spaces or along the outside walls where uncovered plumbing tends to be more vulnerable to inclement weather.
To protect your pipes from freezing, BJWSA says to do the following:
- Leave a pencil-thin stream of water flowing from the faucet.
- Disconnect and drain outdoor hoses.
- For under-the-sink pipes, leave the cabinet door open.
- Insulate pipes/faucets in unheated areas.
If a pipe breaks and a customer cannot isolate the leaks during repairs, the authority can turn off water at the meter, but charges will apply, according to BJWSA. The authority cannot make repairs beyond the meter box.
Once the leak is fixed, call 843-987-9200 to report the leak and ask about a potential billing adjustment.
This story was originally published December 20, 2022 at 12:31 PM.
