Will it snow this winter?

Will it snow this winter? Now that's a TOUGH question in South Carolina!

Here's what I know. We're in the midst of a La Nina winter. La Nina happens when the waters in the eastern Pacific ocean are cooler than normal which tends to shift the dominant jet stream pattern further west than normal. This leaves the Southeastern US warmer and drier than average and the west coast much wetter and sometimes cooler than average. Based on that, you would think the odds are stacked against us.

But, even in an otherwise warm and dry winter, there are usually one or two times in SC where we have a close call with winter weather. Usually, that close call ends up being a miserable cold rain and the winter weather misses us just to the north or west. One of those near misses could be coming up this Thursday in the Pee Dee (sorry Grand Stranders...you didn't really move to the beach for snow did you?!?). Actually, snow at the beach does happen, but we'll save that for another blog. Anyone remember Christmas 1989?

But will it snow THIS winter? Well, Thursday (1/17), a storm system is expected to move across the Gulf Coast about the same time a shot of cold air comes down from Canada which will likely mean a close call with some wintry weather. Will the Pee Dee see snow? Probably not. We'll probably see a very cold, very soggy, miserable day with no white stuff on the ground to show for it--and probably a sniffly nose to boot. Yuck.

But you never know. I would say that, in an otherwise warm and dry winter, this could be the only chance we get this winter, so snow fans...CROSS YOUR FINGERS!!! A prayer might be helpful too because snow in a La Nina winter doesn't happen too often here in SC.

Our current forecast calls for just a cold rain with temperatures staying just above freezing. However, a track just a 100 miles or so further south than forecast and we could get a taste of winter weather. Timing is everything. I'll keep ya posted!

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