Snow, freezing temps possible for Myrtle Beach area soon. Here’s the SC winter storm forecast

As the Grand Strand braces for another cold blast, the Myrtle Beach area could see freezing rain, sleet or even snow in a winter storm next week.

“We’re concerned that there could be some wintry weather, if things shape up correctly, Wednesday,” Steven Pfaff, warning coordination meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Wilmington, said on Thursday.

On Thursday, Pfaff estimated there’s a 20% to 30% chance of a winter storm impacting the Grand Strand next week.

“This far south, we’re basically on the edge of the snow belt that’s to our north,” Pfaff said. “It’s just very atypical for us to get any sort of winter weather, but we do anticipate another cold, Arctic air mass to be moving into the area on Monday, it looks like, and that air mass will linger through mid week.”

Freezing temperatures and precipitation

While the NWS forecasts a 90% chance of rain on Saturday and a 40% chance of rain on Sunday for the Horry County coast, current predictions don’t anticipate the possibility of snow until temperatures drop below freezing early next week.

Current NWS predictions forecast low temperatures in the low 20s and highs in the mid 30s from Monday through Wednesday. Although the Myrtle Beach area will likely experience freezing temperatures, the possibility of snow is less certain.

“There’s a lot of disparity in the models at this point, which is no surprise, because it’s so far out in time,” Pfaff said. “I would say there’s a high likelihood of another round of very cold temperatures, but low confidence in the precipitation.”

If the Grand Strand does get a winter storm, it’s too early to know how much precipitation to expect and whether it will come as snow, sleet, freezing rain or a wintry mix, Pfaff said.

Staying safe and informed

With the looming possibility of extreme weather, Pfaff encouraged folks to check reliable sources, like the NWS, emergency management and local media outlets.

“If we do get some precipitation, there’s just a lot of unknowns at this point, and there’ll be a lot of misinformation on social media,” Pfaff said. “People are going to share the worst case scenarios, even though there’s a minuscule chance that they can occur, so just be ready for a lot of misinformation on social media.”

Before freezing temperatures and a potential storm hit the area, experts say to plan to protect people, pets, plants and pipes.

The NWS recommends:

• Regularly checking the forecast

• Avoiding being outside during the coldest parts of the day whenever possible

• Dressing for the cold

• Bringing animals inside or making sure they’re not overly-exposed to extreme cold

• Ensuring animals have access to plenty of food and water that isn’t frozen

• Taking precautions like insulating pipes

• Letting cold water drip from faucets with exposed pipes to prevent pipes from freezing

• Opening cabinets and closets with exposed pipes so your home heating circulates around the pipes

• Knowing the temperature thresholds of plants and crops

• Filling vehicles with at least half a tank of gas

• Creating or updating a car winter survival kit

This story was originally published January 17, 2025 at 5:30 AM.