Strong to severe storms, travel conditions worsened today!

CHARLESTON, SC (WCSC) – The cold front responsible for today’s severe threat will move west of us this morning, bringing the risk of strong wind gusts, downpours and a few tornadoes throughout the morning and afternoon. Accordingly, today is one FIRST ALARM WEATHER DAY until the early evening hours. A TORNADO WATCH was issued for most of our area until 1:00 p.m. this afternoon.

Outside of ongoing activity to our west, southerly winds will increase starting this morning and peak just ahead of the front. Sustained winds of 10-20 mph are expected, but gusts of up to 30 mph are possible, especially near bodies of water. Berkeley, Orangeburg and Clarendon counties are under a Lake Wind Advisory that expires at 3 p.m.

Depending on the level of cloud cover early in the morning and precipitation, the risk of severe weather may change midday and afternoon. Our current forecast is that short, isolated showers may occur within a few hours of daybreak.

Our cold front will then approach the I-95 corridor between 9 and 11 a.m. West of I-95, the environment should become more conducive to strong to severe thunderstorms, including, but not limited to, a higher risk of a brief tornado. Elsewhere, conditions are favorable for at least isolated damaging wind gusts in the strongest storm segments between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Be careful on the roads and give yourself extra time in traffic jams and strong gusts of wind.

Behind the cold front, a few evening and early night showers are likely to give way to a drier week. A weaker disturbance will pass north of our region on Tuesday, but an isolated shower cannot be ruled out during the day. Temperatures are expected to remain seasonably warm (upper 60s and lower 70s) through New Year’s Eve before another shot of colder air arrives later in the week.

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TODAY: Cloudy and windy. Scattered showers and storms. High 70, low 52.

MONDAY: Decreasing clouds. High 68, low 50.

New Year’s Eve: sun and clouds. Low chance of rain. High 72, low 47.

New Year: Sunny and cooler. High 63, low 38.

WEDNESDAY: Sunny skies. High 63, low 38.

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