January 04, 2018 02:51 PM
The Grand Strand struggled Thursday in the aftermath of what Winter Storm Grayson dumped on the area Wednesday.
The storm packed a powerful punch when it hit the Grand Strand about mid morning Wednesday, smacking the region with snow and ice, while causing multiple car crashes in its wake, and weather authorities warned Thursday that a re-freeze was likely overnight.
Some areas saw more precipitation than originally anticipated, like Andrews where 6 to 7 inches of snow accumulated, but others fell under the mark for projected amounts. Many spots in Horry County got at least a light dusting of snow. Others saw totals up to 3 inches, while freezing rain was widespread.
Steve Pfaff, warning coordination meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Wilmington, North Carolina, said it can be a tough call when trying to determine how much a winter storm will bring.
“I think that’s just contributed to the complexities we have on the southern part of the nation’s snow belt,” said Pfaff.
He said while the wintry mix was done falling, the thawing process could be a long one that lasts all weekend. Temperatures Thursday will barely climb above freezing in most places and much will likely re-freeze overnight when temperatures dip into the teens across Horry County.
“Snow/black ice (are) likely to continue on many roadways across the area tonight into the Friday morning commute creating hazardous travel conditions,” Pfaff said in an afternoon weather briefing Thursday.
A wind chill advisory was issued by the weather service Thursday afternoon and will be in effect from 3 to 10 a.m. Friday as wind chill values fall into the single digits.
Sunday should see warmer weather with temperatures reaching into the lower 40s and up into the mid 50s to 60 degrees on Monday.
“Relief Sunday, Monday from the cold,” Pfaff said.
Horry and Georgetown County schools closed ahead of the storm, and were closed Wednesday and Thursday. By early Thursday afternoon, both districts announced they would also remain closed Friday, stretching out the students’ holiday break.
Hundreds of car wrecks happened across South Carolina and many in North Carolina Wednesday when the storm blew into the area, and on Thursday as people ventured out onto the still-frozen, icy roadways. As of about noon Thursday, at 30 crashes were reported in Horry County, and officials urged the public to stay off the road if possible.
Below is a breakdown of what the winter storm brought based on data from the weather service:
Pitch Landing area - 2.5 inches of snow; a few hundreds of an inch of freezing rain
Green Sea area - 3 quarters of an inch of snow; a tenth of an inch of freezing rain
Murrells Inlet - less than an inch of snow; one quarter of an inch of freezing rain
International Drive near S.C. 31 - dusting of snow; one quarter inch of freezing rain
North Myrtle Beach - light dusting of snow; a tenth of an inch of freezing rain
Socastee - light dusting of snow; quarter of an inch of freezing rain
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