Daniel Prince
Climatologist compares front to a Mike Tyson punch in his prime
A frigid air mass accompanied by strong winds has arrived in the area. Frank Strait, the Severe Weather Liaison with the SC State Climate Office compared the arrival of the front to being hit by a right cross from Mike Tyson in his prime. The bitter cold is expected to stay with us through Christmas weekend, followed by gradual warming next week.
The winds picked up throughout the overnight hours, and they were expected to reach their peak of around 43 mph between 4-5 a.m. However, strong wind gusts will continue throughout the day and into the early evening hours. Because of that, the National Weather Service issued a wind advisory across the region from 3 this morning until 7 this evening. The temperature reached its peak around 4 a.m. at 45 degrees and has been rapidly falling since then. The forecast calls for temperatures at or below freezing starting at 7 a.m., and they will continue to fall throughout the day, falling to around 25 degrees by 4 p.m. Temperatures will continue to fall overnight, with a low of around 10 degrees, and wind chills going below zero early Saturday morning. Those dangerous wind chills have led to a wind chill advisory for the area from 5 p.m. today through 1 p.m. Saturday. The cold wind chills could result in frost bite and hypothermia if precautions are not taken.
Strait offered these tips to survive the weather:
• It's critical to protect your home's plumbing from the extreme cold. Don't let bursting pipes ruin your holiday weekend.
• It will get cold enough that your car might be damaged if the antifreeze is poorly maintained. Check the antifreeze if you own an older car, your cooling system is leaky, or if you suspect the coolant can freeze this weekend and make any necessary repairs. Don't forget about ATV and boat engines with liquid cooling systems.
• Don't forget your pets and vulnerable livestock. Bring them indoors or ensure they have suitable shelter outdoors.
• Check on elderly or disabled family, friends, and neighbors who may need help preparing for the cold.
• Don't forget to dress in layers if spending time outdoors this weekend.
Temperatures are expected to remain below freezing throughout Christmas Eve Day on Saturday, with a high of only 29. The overnight low is expected to be 15, but thankfully without the strong winds. Christmas Day will remain extremely cold, with the temperature just getting above freezing in the mid-afternoon, with an expected high of 36 and a low of 17. The weather remains clear into next week, with a high in the upper-30s Monday, mid-40s Tuesday, upper-40s Wednesday, and lower 50s Thursday. Low temperatures will be in the lower-to-mid-20s throughout.