Winter storm live updates: Myrtle Beach area digs out from snow. Waffle House open
Waffle House is open for business
Amid ice and snow Myrtle Beach Waffle House employees served up piping hot diner food.
Hailed as an unofficial indicator of southern weather crises, Waffle House opened its doors to visitors, and plenty of customers came. The Waffle House at 711 Frontage Road E. in Myrtle Beach was packed on Sunday afternoon.
“I came in at 9:00, and it’s been busy since then,” said employee Uly Doe.
Broadway at the Beach shuts down
Even for the tourist off-season, Broadway at the Beach was a wintry ghost town Sunday. Shops and restaurants – some of which closed early on Saturday – were shuttered.
Snow and ice covered walkways, fountains were shut off and only birds and cats ventured around the tourist draw. Although the parking lots were cleared and a snow plow made the rounds, few cars dotted the parking lot.
Drivers brave icy roads
(Updated 11:35 a.m. Feb. 1, 2026)
A few drivers were out on the icy Highway 17 and Highway 17 Business in the Myrtle Beach area. Some took it slow, crunching over the thick ice, while others revved their engines, leaving their tires spinning in some instances.
Road signs throughout the Grande Dunes area of Myrtle Beach could be seen smashed to the ground or dinged at the edges by vehicles that spun off the roadways.
South Carolina Highway Patrol has been posting updates on roadway conditions, showing slide offs and crashes around Horry County.
Officers are starting to see more traffic on roads later in the day, and “more collisions are coming out,” according to a post from Master Trooper Joseph Rowell on X.
“The roads are passable but keep in mind there is still ice,” Rowell said. “Just because the speed limit is posted doesn’t mean you do that speed in these conditions.”
Residents begin to dig out
(Updated 10:38 a.m. Feb. 1, 2026)
Residents were out and about Sunday digging out or enjoying the snow, a rare occurrence for the Myrtle Beach area.
Jose Dugarte was attempting to thaw out the pipes at his Conway area home Sunday morning, using a hair dryer. Dugarte said his wife was becoming upset because the household didn’t have any hot water.
Michael Lindsay was shoveling the driveway at his Conway area home.
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Others were taking advantage of the snowfall. Blair Mullen, 4, was out in her yard with her parents, making snow angels. So was Mason Godbout, who was on a walk with Hayley Parrish.
The National Weather Service’s latest briefing says that Sunday’s temperatures will be in the upper 20s with overnight lows in single digits because of wind chills. Temperatures will remain extremely cold through Monday morning.
The NWS warned of hazardous road conditions Sunday night as snow will melt and then refreeze.
Jury duty cancelled
(Updated 10:54 a.m. Feb. 1, 2026)
The Horry County Sheriff’s Office will be closed Monday due to the weather.
Jury duty is also cancelled next week, the sheriff’s office said.
Snowfall amounts in Myrtle Beach area
(Updated 6:17 a.m. Feb. 1, 2026)
Horry County residents woke up Sunday to its second snowfall in two years, as a winter storm dumped up to 7 inches on some areas.
The Myrtle Beach area received between 3 to 5 inches of snow overnight Saturday, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Jordan Baker.
The highest total snow amount for the county was in Loris, which measured 7 inches, Baker said.
See what cities received in this updated report.
The area will continue to see very light snowfall until about 9 a.m. Sunday, Baker said.
Roadways hazardous, police say
(Updated 6:17 Feb. 1, 2026)
Emergency crews responded to a number of vehicle accidents and slide offs attributed to the cold and snowy weather that hit the Grand Strand Saturday.
Horry County police agencies took to social media to encourage drivers to stay off the roads, which are predicted to be hazardous for travel Sunday through Monday morning.
The area saw at least 4 inches overnight in Myrtle Beach and 7 inches in the Loris area, according to the National Weather Channel.
Snow expected to fall for hours
(Updated 6:21 p.m. Jan. 31, 2026)
Horry County is already seeing snow Saturday evening.
By 5:30 p.m. snow had begun to accumulate on roadways and rooftops in the Conway and Myrtle Beach areas.
Myrtle Beach appears to be an area being watched as heavy snow is expected later Saturday night, according to NWS warning coordinator meteorologist Brandon Locklear. Locklear said that residents can expect heavy snowfall to begin about 10 p.m.
After that, the area can expect “a good 5 to 7 hour period of decent snow,” Locklear said.
Horry County is expected to receive between 4 to 8 inches of snow with the possibility of higher amounts in some areas.
Myrtle Beach mayor talks weather
(Updated 5:30 p.m. Jan. 31, 2026)
Mayor Mark Kruea was interviewed by The Weather Channel ahead of the storm Saturday that is expected to bring between 4 to 8 inches of snow in the coastal city.
The mayor and TV crews were near Pier 14 and the Myrtle Beach SkyWheel. The Weather Channel is among several national TV stations that are reporting on the potential snowfall along the coastal Carolinas.
NWS reporters were on the boardwalk Saturday evening reporting the snow that had already covered the pathway.
The area will drop down to temperatures of single digits due to wind chills from Saturday into Monday.
Snow, sleet mixture falling
(Updated 4:48 p.m. Jan. 31, 2026)
Conway and several inland areas are seeing a snowy, sleet mixture.
The National Weather Service reported that the Myrtle Beach area is still expected to receive between 4 to 8 inches Saturday night into Sunday morning.
A Winter Storm Warning is in effect through Sunday afternoon and an extreme cold warning has been extended through Monday.
Airport seeing flight cancellations
(Updated 8:52 a.m. Jan. 31, 2026)
With temperatures forecasted to plunge this weekend, Myrtle Beach International Airport is continuing normal operations, but passengers should be prepared for potential airline delays and cancellations, the airport posted on its Facebook page.
As of Saturday morning, at least 29 flights both departures and arrivals, at MYR had been cancelled. Passengers can check their specific arrival or departure flight status online here.
Snow begins earlier
(Updated 8:42 a.m. Jan. 31, 2026)
Horry County is already seeing a dusting of snow Saturday morning.
There have been reports of snow and sleet across the county, including Aynor, Green Sea, Myrtle Beach and the Conway area, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Victoria Oliva.
There have been no accumulation so far. However, neighboring Marion has seen about a quarter of an inch of snow, Oliva said.
“The main event is this afternoon,” Oliva said. “We just got an early taste of it.”
The Myrtle Beach area is expected to be blanketed in snow and swept by freezing temperatures and winds beginning Saturday, according the National Weather Service’s briefing.
Horry County and surrounding areas were placed under an extreme cold warning for Saturday night and Sunday on Friday afternoon, and expected snow onset began trending earlier, expected to start Saturday morning. Myrtle Beach is expected to get 4 inches of snow, but this snowfall could vary between 1 to 9 inches, according to the forecast.
Myrtle Beach facilities closed
(Updated 9:34 a.m. Jan. 31, 2026)
The City of Myrtle Beach has been preparing for the upcoming snowfall that the area will see this weekend.
The city announced that all city facilities will close at noon Saturday, except for the Convention Center which will continue to operate as normal with scheduled events.
North Myrtle Beach offices closed
(Updated 8:27 a.m. Jan. 31, 2026)
City of North Myrtle Beach announced that offices will be closed on Monday because of the pending storm.
In addition, Sanitation Collection will not operate on Monday. Pick-up will resume once road conditions are clear and City Hall reopens.
Polar Plunge cancelled because of cold temps
(Updated at 3 p.m. Friday, Jan. 30)
Saturday’s Myrtle Beach Polar Plunge has been cancelled as a looming winter storm could make the plunge too polar for volunteers.
The fundraiser was set to take place at 10 a.m., but the live events at the Sands Ocean Club were cancelled on Friday ahead of a winter storm that is expected to bring up to a foot of snow and extreme cold temperatures Saturday and Sunday.
The annual event raises money for Special Olympics programs in South Carolina.
This story was originally published January 31, 2026 at 8:04 AM.
