debor046

For almost a week there has been a persistent rumor that another snowstorm is on the way.   I traced this back to radio spreading the rumor that Farmers’ Almanac had predicted the past two snowstorms and was predicting a third.   I was frequently asked if there was another snowstorm on the way, for which I answered no.   The response was almost always “Well, Farmers’ Almanac is predicting another snowstorm and it predicted the last two.” What? So I investigated this claim.   First let me point out that there is a Farmers’ Almanac (dating back to 1818) and an Old Farmer’s Almanac (dating back to 1792).   It was Old Farmer’s Almanac that was predicting snow.   Second the forecasts are so vague as to be of little value.   Neither ever forecasted sleet or freezing rain and thus the ice that was so devastating. Yet there were a few that were adamant that Old Farmer’s Almanac got it right.   If that is the case, then why ever watch the media.   Le...

Little did we know that the winter storm at the end of January would be the prelude to a bigger storm two weeks later (February 11-13).   A complex storm system came through South Carolina in two waves.   The first occurred on Tuesday with snow over the northern Midlands and rain/sleet elsewhere.   This was followed by the main batch of precipitation on Wednesday ending Thursday morning. Most of the snow occurred over the northern half of the Midlands.   It was mainly sleet with some snow in Columbia, but the precipitation became more snow farther north.   The northern most counties of the Midlands saw a considerable snowfall. Total snowfall as of 7 a.m. Thursday, February 13, 2014.  This is based on observations from the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Columbia, SC.  Image Credit: WLTX-TV. South of Columbia it will a sleet/freezing rain mix.   The farther south you went the more freezing rain occurred.   The southern Midlands sa...

There is finally some relief after a week of snow and ice followed by an earthquake.   It was quite cold this past week following the 12 th coldest January on record for Columbia.   It was the 11 th coldest for South Carolina as a whole in January.   The weather warmed after the first winter storm at the end of January.   Little did we know that it was a warm-up act for the next winter storm. Most of the snow and ice melted as the sun returned on Friday and a warming trend began.   A cold shot of air on Saturday only slowed the melt, but the warming trend continued on Sunday.   This week will be noticeably warmer this week.   In fact, temperatures will be in the mid to upper 70s by Thursday. The 7-day forecast for Columbia, SC, for February 18-24, 2014.  Click on the image for a larger view.  Image Credit: WLTX-TV. Enjoy this brief interlude from the cold weather.   A cold front will pass through the Midlands on Friday with scattered ...