Winter storm Warning: Storm forecast as rain then transition to freezing rain in Anderson area

Tamia Boyd and Sarah Sheridan, Anderson Independent Mail
·2 min read

A major winter storm will start pushing into the Upstate Saturday night beginning with a period of cold rain then transitioning into sleet and rain early Sunday morning, according to National Weather Service.

Freezing rain will persist before 3 p.m. on Sunday with patchy fog before 2 p.m., the wind gust could reach as high as 40 mph on Sunday.

The National Weather Service called for less snow accumulation and more ice for parts of the Upstate this weekend. Snow totals have dropped for South Carolina and in return more ice is expected, according to the weather services' latest forecast at 11 a.m. Friday.

Two to five inches of sleet, snow and ice are expected in South Carolina and ice accumulations of one quarter to one half inch with light sleet and snow accumulations are expected

Travel could be nearly impossible across the entire area. At least scattered power outages and tree damage are likely across the Piedmont due to the ice as well as gusty winds, according to National Weather Service's Winter Storm Warning.

Black ice could be a problem each morning early next week, the weather service said.

Anderson County is expected to see 0.25 to 0.5 inches of ice, according to the National Weather Service.

Anderson were highlighted in red on a weather service map. Areas highlighted in red should prepare for a damaging ice storm, according to the weather service.

Temperatures will drop as low as 28 degrees Saturday night in Anderson, according to the NWS.

More: Winter storm watch updated: Prepare for damaging ice storm in Anderson

The northern part of Anderson County could have more winter weather than the southern part, since the air is slightly warmer farther south.

Hundreds of power line workers gather in the parking lot of the Anderson Civic Center Saturday evening January 15, 2022. A winter storm mix is expected for the city of Anderson, with ice and snow at different times.
Hundreds of power line workers gather in the parking lot of the Anderson Civic Center Saturday evening January 15, 2022. A winter storm mix is expected for the city of Anderson, with ice and snow at different times.

Preparing for the winter storm

The civic center is ready to be used as an emergency shelter in case the storm causes damage or power outages, emergency manager Joshua Hawkins said.

Besides the civic center, medical shelters are also in the works with AnMed, he said.

These shelters are not open but being prepared in case they're needed, Hawkins said. The extent of the storm is still unknown, so he's taking it day by day while they get more information about Sunday's forecast.

The county will have extra sheriff deputies with 4-wheel vehicles ready to help over the weekend, he said.

Preparation is the name of the game this weekend, Hawkins said. Get extra food and water. Avoid driving. Make sure to have batteries, backups.

South Carolina residents should download the CodeRED alert system for notifications and warnings on storm updates, Hawkins said.

Hundreds of power line workers gather in the parking lot of the Anderson Civic Center Saturday evening January 15, 2022. A winter storm mix is expected for the city of Anderson, with ice and snow at different times.
Hundreds of power line workers gather in the parking lot of the Anderson Civic Center Saturday evening January 15, 2022. A winter storm mix is expected for the city of Anderson, with ice and snow at different times.

Tamia Boyd is a Michigan native who covers breaking news in Greenville. Email her at tboyd@gannett.com, and follow her on Twitter @tamiamb.

This article originally appeared on Anderson Independent Mail: Winter storm weather NWS forecast for Anderson SC area Saturday