Winter Weather Update

Here is the latest winter weather update from Beaufort County Emergency Services.

There were very minor changes made with this morning’s update. Beaufort County is still forecasted to experience very cold temperatures throughout the day and receive less than 1/8 of an inch of accumulating ice from freezing rain (mostly west of Hwy 17) later tonight.

We are encouraging everyone to:

Ensure that pets and outside animals have adequate shelter to protect them from today’s cold temperatures and from the falling precipitation that is expected through the weekend.

Be prepared for any isolated power outages that may occur over night tonight (a means of staying warm, flashlights, charged electronic devices, etc.).

Avoid any unnecessary driving between 8pm tonight and sunrise tomorrow morning, as icy road conditions are possible, especially along bridges and other elevated surfaces. (Particularly on our county’s Hwy 17 bypass.)

Temperatures:

We are still expected to experience wind chills between 15 and 20 degrees throughout the day as we endure sustain North and Northeast winds between 10 and 15 mph, with frequent gust between 15 and 20 mph.

Precipitation (Snow / Sleet / Freezing Rain):

Saturday & Sunday

Precipitation is forecasted to move into our area around 7pm as sleet and freezing rain. This mixture is expected to continue through 3 am Sunday morning, before transition to rain. A cold rain is expected to continue through sunrise Monday morning, with most areas of our county receiving around 1 inch of rain.

Our heaviest precipitation is expected to occur between 3 am Sunday and sunrise Monday morning. (However, there is a possibility of a break in the rain between 1pm and 6pm tomorrow afternoon.)

Accumulations:

Beaufort County is currently forecasted to receive less than 1/8 of an inch of accumulating ice, with areas along and west of Hwy 17 being most vulnerable to these higher accumulations.

Expected Hazards to Prepare For:

While the most severe conditions are expected to staff west and north of our county, we will likely experience minor winter weather impacts, to include:

Broken Tree Limbs

Hazard:

Accumulating ice from Saturday night’s freezing rain will have the potential to break limbs from trees, potentially causing isolated power outages and damage to vehicles, structure, etc.

Mitigation / Preparations:

Avoid parking vehicles under trees, (especially pine trees) if possible.

Ensure that you have a way to stay warm in the event you loose power for several hours. Also make sure you have flashlights, charged electronic devices, etc.

Icy Road Conditions

Hazard:

Accumulating ice on our roadways late Saturday night and early Sunday morning will likely result in hazardous road conditions, especially along bridges and other elevated surfaces.

Mitigation / Preparations:

Please avoid unnecessary travel between 8pm Saturday and sunrise Sunday if possible. If travel is necessary, please drive with caution, and avoid elevated bridges like our Hwy 17 bypass if possible.

Cold Outside Temperatures

Hazard:

We will experience about 24 hrs of below freezing temperatures beginning around 3am Saturday morning, with windchills between 15 and 20 degrees.

Mitigation / Preparations:

Please ensure that outside pets and livestock have adequate shelter to protect them from these cold temperatures and falling precipitation.

Avoid being outside if possible and utilize warm layers of clothing to cover exposed skin if you must be outside for extended periods of time.