A significant rainfall event is anticipated for South Carolina as the state enters the early days of meteorological winter, characterized by an unstable weather pattern. According to forecast models, after a weak cold front passes through on Monday, rain is expected to develop across the state later that day and continue into Tuesday due to the movement of another frontal boundary from west to east.
This combination of systems is likely to yield widespread rainfall accumulations of 1-3 inches, particularly concentrated on Tuesday morning. This upcoming precipitation marks the most substantial rainfall across South Carolina since before Halloween, providing a necessary reprieve from the notable drought conditions that have emerged due to a lack of significant moisture over the past month.
Fortunately, the prevailing dry soil moisture levels and manageable rainfall rates suggest that flooding should not pose a concern with this weather event. By Wednesday, precipitation chances will diminish across the state as a ridge of high pressure begins to settle in behind the storm system, ushering in a period of calmer weather along with temperatures that will be slightly below average for early December.
Daytime highs are expected to hover in the 50s throughout much of the state from Wednesday to Friday, while the immediate coastal areas, including Hilton Head, may experience some readings in the 60s.
Looking ahead to late in the week and into the weekend, another wet weather system is projected to approach the region, bringing additional chances for rain. While temperatures remain warm enough across most areas to limit precipitation to rain, higher elevations in the Upstate may see brief instances of freezing rain or even light snow flurries, primarily between midnight and sunrise on Tuesday.
Despite the potential for wintry weather in some elevated regions, significant impacts are not expected, particularly in larger population centers such as Greenville, Columbia, and Charleston, which are likely to see only rain. So far this season, South Carolina has not recorded measurable snowfall, with only a few locations noting traces of wintry precipitation in November, affirming that this winter has exhibited minimal snow activity thus far.
As South Carolina prepares for this anticipated rain, the upcoming weather will not only relieve drought conditions but also reintroduce a sense of seasonal change, bringing much-needed moisture to the state’s landscape.