COLUMBIA, S.C. — It was a very cold start to the day across the palmetto state. The holiday workweek will start off dry, but rain returns to the area Tuesday. Some rain is possible Wednesday. Scattered showers are expected Thursday before some of the coldest air of the season moves into the state.
This morning was cold. The Columbia airport dropped to 24 degrees. The record low for today is 14 set in 1924. Cedar Creek reported a low temperature of 19 degrees. Lugoff dropped to 21 this morning. Lake Wateree, Little Mountain, Sumter, and Winnsboro all reported low temperatures of 26 degrees.
Clouds will increase overnight, and Tuesday will be mostly cloudy. Rain will develop and move south to north. A wedge pattern is forecast to develop Tuesday. With the clouds and rain in place, high temperatures will be in the middle 40s.
The cold-air damming will linger Wednesday. It will be an overcast, cool day with highs in the middle 40s. A few light showers or sprinkles will be possible, but rainfall amounts will likely be very light.
Rain chances will increase as a strong cold front approaches the state. Showers are expected Thursday, but it will all be in the form of liquid precipitation. The very cold air will lag behind the cold front. Winds will be increasing as the colder, drier air moves in.
Temperatures Thursday will top out in the lower 50s. Official high temperatures will be achieved early Friday morning. Much colder air will move in during the day on Friday. Winds will be strong at times. A wind advisory may be issued.
Friday night and Saturday morning will be very cold and windy. A wind chill advisory may be needed as temperatures drop into the teens and wind chills values are expected to fall into the single digits.
The holiday weekend will be cold. Highs on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day will only be in the middle to upper 30s, but the winds will begin to relax by Sunday.
