Myrtle Beach criticized after last year’s snow. Is city ready for 2026 winter storm?

Although forecasts continue to evolve, extreme cold and hazardous conditions are predicted to strike Myrtle Beach and surrounding areas this weekend.

Myrtle Beach hasn’t experienced inclement winter weather since last January, when some residents took to social media to criticize the city’s readiness for the rare snow.

Ahead of this winter storm, the city says it’s taken steps to prepare.

“We had our parks crews out today that were looking for any possibly hazardous branches, should we get ice,” said city spokesperson Meredith Denari. “So they were cutting those, and they were going around the city looking out for those.”

The latest projections expect the Grand Strand will miss the worst of the winter storm, but Saturday and Sunday are forecasted to bring dangerously low temperatures and ice accumulation.

Icy conditions like those forecasted this weekend can down tree branches and fell power lines. In the event of an electrical outage or fallen power lines, the city encourages Myrtle Beach residents to report the incidents to Santee Cooper at 888-769-7688.

Residents can also report issues with water, sewage or debris on city roads to the Myrtle Beach Public Works Department at 843-918-2000.

Various Myrtle Beach city departments also have ice melt treatments to treat city parking lots, driveways and properties.

“Depending on the last forecast, we would plan on doing that Friday, because we would want it to be out as close as we can to the weather actually arriving, for the best results,” Denari said.

Although the city was still operating on a regular schedule Thursday, the Myrtle Beach 24 Hour Endurance Run has been postponed from Jan. 24 and 25 to Feb. 7 and 8.

Ahead of the weekend, Myrtle Beach is advising residents to bring pets inside, protect pipes and stay off roads whenever possible.

“It takes as little as one-tenth inch of ice to make black ice, which can make roads extremely dangerous,” said Denari. “So we’re really urging residents to go ahead and prepare, get necessary medications filled, go to the grocery store and plan to just have a nice weekend at home.”