Storm Still Caused Problems, Though Not as Much as Forecast

Skylar Laird and Paul Hyde/S.C. Daily Gazette

COLUMBIA — A winter storm that blasted the country with freezing temperatures and snow brought power outages, travel delays and some snow to South Carolina over the weekend.

One person died in South Carolina from Winter Storm Fern’s freezing temperatures and snow. A 96-year-old woman in Greenwood County died of hypothermia, according to the state health department, which did not release her name.

A state of emergency remained in effect Monday afternoon, and the state had the potential to see freezing temperatures again overnight.

By declaring a state of emergency, Gov. Henry McMaster activated the state’s Emergency Operations Plan and allowed the National Guard to respond as needed. The state’s law against price gouging also went into effect with the emergency declaration.

The storm caused power outages, especially throughout the Upstate, as ice accumulated on power lines or brought down tree limbs. Around 30,000 people and businesses across the state were without power as of Monday afternoon.

That included nearly 15,000 outages in Pickens County, 10,000 in Oconee County and 5,000 in Greenville by 3 p.m. Monday, according to Power Outage, a site that tracks outages across states and utilities.

Anyone using generators to heat their homes during the cold snap should be sure to place them outside and not in the house or a garage. Never use an open oven or gas stove to heat a home, since that comes with high risk of carbon monoxide poisoning and fires, state and federal agencies cautioned.

Other ways of staying warm include bundling up and keeping all members of a household in the same room, with doors to other rooms closed. If temperatures are falling too low, seek shelter elsewhere.

In the Upstate on Monday, which got the brunt of the storm, few trucks and cars could be seen on normally busy streets. Upstate officials said the area had not been hit by an ice storm of this magnitude since 2005.

Small cities were like ghost towns as most businesses remained closed, though some stalwarts like QT stations and Waffle House were open, enjoying a moderate business. Arts events at Greenville’s theaters and the Peace Center were canceled over the weekend.

School districts across the Upstate were closed with plans to remain closed through Tuesday. Monday and Tuesday were classified as “e-learning” days for students at Greenville County Schools, the state’s largest district.

Clemson University and Tri-County Technical College canceled classes Monday. University of South Carolina students had a late start at 11 a.m.

Neither the House nor Senate will return to their chambers until Wednesday, though some House committee meetings are still scheduled for Tuesday.

Law enforcement throughout the Upstate and Midlands urged residents to stay home over the weekend, with some warnings continuing into Monday. Even if rain or snow is not actively falling, roads can remain slick with ice, officials warned.

On Sunday, with a break in the icy rain, some Upstate residents took the opportunity to enjoy some sledding in ice-covered parks and on school grounds. The area got 1 1/2 inches of snow, according to the National Weather Service — more than a typical January day but less than the record for that day in 1923, which is 2.3 inches.

The highest two-day snowfall ever recorded in South Carolina occurred in February 1969, when nearly 29 inches fell in Caesars Head State Park in Greenville County, according to the state climatology office. Several years later, in 1973, Rimini in Clarendon County saw 2 feet of snow. More recently, Winthrop University recorded snowbanks of just over 17 inches in February 2004.

In the Midlands on Saturday night and into Sunday, Icy rain left a sheet of frost, making roads slick. Temperatures climbed Sunday night and into Monday, melting ice into puddles by Monday afternoon.

Any stray snowflakes in the Midlands air did not accumulate enough to calculate a snowfall amount, according to the National Weather Service.

Temperatures along the coast hovered around freezing throughout the weekend. Charleston stayed above a comparatively balmy low of 32 degrees Sunday, while the Grand Strand’s temperatures fell as low as 28 degrees.

The state Department of Transportation urged drivers to remain cautious Monday. Crews are working to clear interstates and busy thoroughfares from snow and ice, as well as downed tree limbs. Highways, ramps and bridges get top priority because they ice over more quickly than other roads, according to the agency.

Travelers felt the lingering effects of the storm Monday, as airports across the state canceled or delayed both arriving and departing flights, especially to states that got hit with heavier snow and ice.

At Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport, all departures were canceled on
Sunday. Many arriving or departing flights were canceled Monday as well.

Every flight out of Charleston International Airport on Monday morning was canceled or delayed, though some afternoon flights started to take off on time. The same was the case at Columbia Metropolitan Airport.

Much of the state will be under a cold weather advisory Monday night into Tuesday morning, according to the National Weather Service.

Those in the Upstate should expect temperatures as low as 11 degrees overnight, with an advisory running from 6 p.m. Monday to noon Tuesday. Columbia could get down to 14 degrees, and coastal residents could experience temperatures in the 20s, according to weather service forecasts.

Warming stations for those without power or a place to stay opened throughout the Upstate and Midlands. More information about Emergency Management Division shelters is available by visiting the agency’s website.

Shelters for those who rely on medical equipment requiring power are available upon request by calling (833) 351-9990.