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Another Round Of Frost and Freezing Temperatures Saturday Morning

Frost and freeze alerts in effect Saturday morning
Frost and freeze alerts in effect Saturday morning

A second night of near or below freezing temperatures is expected across South Carolina.

On Friday morning, the National Weather Service had already issued a Freeze Warning for the majority of the Palmetto State, effective early through mid morning Saturday. Low temperatures from the interior Pee Dee and Low Country westward will likely drop into the low 30s by sunrise Saturday morning. At higher elevations, like near the Greenville-Spartanburg metro, lows could drop into the upper 20s. Temperatures along the most of immediate coast will likely not be as cold, but they should fall to near freezing: A Frost Advisory will go into effect Saturday morning from coastal Georgetown County southward.

Surface and upper level winds from the NNW are directing cold air into the Mid Atlantic
Surface and upper level winds from the NNW are directing cold air into the Mid Atlantic

This early spring freeze is the result of reinforcing wind patterns throughout the column of the atmosphere. Surface and upper level features have aligned to create a deep layer of north-northwesterly flow over the Mid Atlantic. These winds are funneling cold and dry air from the Upper Plains down to the Mid Atlantic, resulting in well below average temperatures.

By late Saturday, these winds should begin to shift, cutting off the influx of cold air. By Easter Sunday, afternoon high temperatures should return to the upper 60s and lower 70s across the majority of the state.