Snow and sleet blanketed the South Carolina Lowcountry and Southeastern Georgia from January 21-22, 2025
NWS Charleston, SC
Overview
visible satellite image showing clouds off the southeast coastline and snowfall across the southeastern states
Visible satellite imagery from January 22, 2025.
A complicated set up evolved on January 21, 2025 as a low pressure center was positioned over the Gulf, leading to record snowfall along several Gulf Coast locations. As the low traversed eastward, precipitation overspread the South Carolina Lowcountry and southeast Georgia. Prior to the precipitation's arrival, an Arctic airmass was in place, with temperatures 15-20 degrees below normal. This yielded frozen precipitation across the region. Additionally, a layer of warm air aloft allowed for upwards of 0.5 inches of sleet to fall across the Charleston Metro Area. Generally 2-5 inches of snow/sleet were observed across the region, with the lower amounts occurring where there was sleet mixed in. The visible satellite image to the right shows the extent of snowfall as skies cleared on Wednesday, January 22. Below is a graphic showing the total snowfall across the South Carolina Lowcountry and southeastern Georgia.
map of southeastern South Carolina and southeastern Georgia with shades of blue denoting total snowfall amounts
Total snowfall from January 21-22, 2025. This includes both snow and sleet accumulation.
Record snowfall was observed at numerous locations along the Gulf and Southeast Coasts, including at the Charleston International Airport climate site.
Record snowfall was recorded at both the Charleston International Airport, SC and the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport, GA on January 22, 2025.
This winter storm impacted more than just the South Carolina Lowcountry and southeast Georgia, with winter weather warnings/advisories extending from Texas into Virginia. Portions of southeastern Texas and southwestern Louisiana even had a Blizzard Warning in effect, the first ever Blizzard Warning the National Weather Service Lake Charles, LA has ever issued.
map of the southeastern states with different colors denoting different winter weather headlines
Winter weather headlines were in effect from southern Texas extending eastward through all of the southeastern states and into southeastern Virginia on January 21.
Event Setup
briefing slide with text and two different graphics of the continental U.S.
Briefing slide issued by the Climate Prediction Center on January 13, 2025 highlighting the potential for hazardous cold as well as the possibility of precipitation coinciding with the cold temperatures.
The Climate Prediction Center issued a temperature outlook on January 13, 2025 which depicted a large portion of the continental United States as having below normal temperatures between January 19 and January 23, 2025. Additionally, as shown to the right, the Climate Prediction Center was also highlighting the possibility of precipitation coinciding with the cold temperatures. High temperatures on January 21 and 22 did not reach 40°F at any of the climate sites in the Charleston, SC County Warning Area. See the images below for the high and low temperatures from January 19 through January 25.
sample calendar of low and high temperatures at the Charleston International Airport
sample calendar of low and high temperatures at Downtown Charleston
sample calendar of low and high temperatures at the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport
High and low temperatures at the three official climate sites in the Charleston, SC County Warning Area.
Precipitation Types
One of the main challenges with this winter storm was the forecasting of the different winter precipitation types. Ahead of the event it was forecasted that there would likely be an area of freezing rain along the Georgia coastline and an area which could observe a significant amount of sleet along the South Carolina coastline. WFO Charleston, SC was able to release two extra balloons in addition to the standard release at 7 PM EST in order to get a better understanding of the upper atmosphere. The additional balloons were released at 4 PM and 10 PM EST. A timeline of the precipitation types is shown below.
Freezing Rain
The first special balloon was released at 4 PM EST and showed a pronounced warm layer around 850 hPa. In the graphic on the right the 0°C line is marked with a dashed black line and the temperature curve is the red solid line. The black arrow denotes where the temperature curve goes above freezing around 850 hPa. This sounding is indicative of freezing rain, with snowfall aloft falling into the above-freezing layer and melting into liquid rain, then falling into the sub-freezing layer near the surface and cooling again before refreezing on the ground where temperatures were near-to-below freezing.
skew-t sounding for KCHS
Sleet
The normal upper air release was done at 7 PM EST. The 0°C line is denoted by the black dashed line with the temperature curve in solid red. This sounding is indicative of sleet, as there is a strong melting layer aloft followed by below freezing temperatures near the surface.
skew-t sounding for KCHS
Snow
With the special release at 11 PM EST the temperature curve (red line) is completely below freezing (0°C dashed black line), with snowfall as the main precipitation type.
skew-t sounding for KCHS
Impacts
Roads across the South Carolina Lowcountry and southeastern Georgia were very hazardous to travelers for several days following the snowfall as chilly temperatures did not allow for much melting. Several bridges across the region were closed, as well as portions of secondary roads. Additionally, both the Charleston International Airport and the Savannah Hilton Head Airport were closed for several days due to icy conditions.
Charleston P.D. on X.
Charleston International Airport on X.
Savannah Hilton Head Airport on X.
Photo Gallery
snowman with a vest and a hat
snow covered beach
snow covered road
snow on the beach
pineapple fountain with ice
snow on the beach
snow along a park lined with palm trees
snow along a roadway lined with palm trees
snow with palm trees
Snowy scenes from across the South Carolina Lowcountry and southeastern Georgia. Clicking each image will show the image's location.
Total snowfall from January 21-22, 2025. This includes both snow and sleet accumulation.
Winter weather headlines were in effect from southern Texas extending eastward through all of the southeastern states and into southeastern Virginia on January 21.
Briefing slide issued by the Climate Prediction Center on January 13, 2025 highlighting the potential for hazardous cold as well as the possibility of precipitation coinciding with the cold temperatures.
