LIVE UPDATES: Myrtle Beach gets record snowfall and wintry weather. Here’s what we know
Residents throughout northeast South Carolina and coastal North Carolina woke up to something unusual Wednesday morning: snow.
Overnight some areas in the region saw as much as five inches of snow, according to reports from local meteorologists in the Grand Strand. This is the most snow the region has seen in at least a decade.
The National Weather Service station in Wilmington, NC is still warning people about dangerous driving conditions that could persist through Thursday morning.
“If you must travel, slow down and allow for plenty of space between yourself and other vehicles,” their Wednesday morning special weather statement said. “Be especially mindful on bridges, overpasses, and secondary roads.”
Local law enforcement officers in Horry County also took to social media to urge people to stay home and keep off the roads.
“Stay inside during the coldest times of day and night if possible, the Horry County Police Department wrote. “Those who must go out, drive safely and use extra caution.”
A list of closings for the area can be found here.
City of Myrtle Beach urges residents to stay off roads
Updated 3:34 P.M.
All city facilities will remain closed tomorrow, according to an afternoon email from the city’s interim spokesperson Patrick Lloyd.
“We strongly encourage the public to stay off the roads unless absolutely necessary. If you do have to drive, please exercise extreme caution,” Lloyd said in his email. “We anticipate ice and black ice to be present overnight and tomorrow morning.”
Lloyd said there will be a change in trash collection this week with extra staff members going out on Friday to pick up trash. The only areas that could remain without service are those west of the Intracoastal Waterway, the email said. If they’re not serviced Friday, Lloyd said they’ll be serviced on Monday.
Jury duty for Myrtle Beach’s municipal court is canceled for the rest of the week as well, he said.
HGTC announces closure
Updated 3:22 P.M.
As a result of lingering hazardous road conditions, Horry-Georgetown Technical College will operate with online instruction and remote work tomorrow, Thursday, Jan. 23, an email from school spokesperson Nicole Hyman said.
“Faculty, staff, and students will not report to campus for in-person classes, clinicals, internships, any other type of in-person activities, nor federal work study positions on Thursday,” Hyman’s email said.
HGTC will assess plans for Friday tomorrow, according to Hyman.
Snow totals calculated for northeast SC & coastal NC
Updated 1:30 P.M.
The National Weather Service out of Wilmington, NC released a map with snowfall totals throughout the region.
Myrtle Beach received 5.5 inches of snow, and North Myrtle Beach received 3.8 inches of snow within the past 24 hours, the NWS reported.
Based on the map, this storm is looking like it will go down in the history books as one of the highest storms on record.
Other record-breaking storms include:
- Dec. 23, 1989: 14 inches of snow
- Feb. 9, 1973: 9 inches of snow
- March 24, 1983: 7 inches of snow
- January 15, 1988: 5 inches of snow
According to the NWS Myrtle Beach Snowfall Database, the region has seen 34 snowfalls since 1940.
Crews begin to tackle icy roads
Updated 1:13 P.M.
Horry County and the South Carolina Department of Transportation are tackling main routes this afternoon, according to a statement on Horry County Government’s social media page.
“As of 12:30 p.m., most roadways continue to be impacted by ice, slush, and otherwise slick conditions,” the statement said.
Conditions of specific cities and towns in Horry County can be found here.
Schools moved to eLearning due to freezing temps
Updated 11:50 A.M.
All Horry County Schools will have an eLearning day tomorrow, on Thursday, Jan. 23 due to the weather, an email from the district spokesperson Lisa Bourcier said.
Because the temperatures are expected to remain well below freezing, coupled with the likelihood of icy roadways causing unsafe travel conditions, Bourcier said the district has moved to an eLearning day and canceled all extracurricular activities, including sports.
“Students who are unable to participate due to power outages, lack of a personal learning device or internet service, or other barriers will have the opportunity to complete assignments at a later date. School staff will communicate directions to students regarding their eLearning day,” Bourcier’s email said.
She said they will provide another update on Thursday afternoon regarding any potential changes for Friday, Jan. 24, based on the weather forecasts and road conditions.
National Weather Service predicts dry conditions through weekend
Updated 10:53 A.M.
A brief from the National Weather Service station in Wilmington, NC is predicting dry conditions to remain throughout the week.
A Cold Weather Advisory is expected for Wednesday night as temperatures could drop into the five to 15 degree range with wind chill, the brief said.
For the ocean, the NWS has implemented a Small Craft Advisory that will remain in effect through Wednesday afternoon as waves continue to swell up to six feet tall.
Hazardous driving conditions are expected to persist through Thursday morning at the earliest, the NWS said.
Local municipalities remain closed today
Updated 10:16 A.M.
Local governments throughout Horry County, including the county itself, remain closed on Wednesday due to the winter storm that hit the area the night before.
Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach and Horry County officials took to Facebook this morning to remind people that facilities will remain closed today due to the weather. All three governments have also moved into an OPCON 2 because of the storm, meaning they are operating at a heightened state of awareness with emergency plans in place.
Ahead of the storm, Horry County also declared a local state of emergency on Tuesday night.
On social media, some folks in Conway, where the county seat is located, are reporting close to six inches of snow.
According to previous snowfalls in the area, Myrtle Beach hasn’t seen this much snow since 2000.
This story was originally published January 22, 2025 at 9:03 AM.
