Yahoo Movies SC’s Upstate was blanketed in inches of snow this weekend. How the region is responding
Upstate South Carolina residents were snowed in Sunday after between 4 and 8 inches of snow fell in and around the Greenville area.
Up to 10 inches fell further north, at the North Carolina border, and the Anderson and Rock Hill areas reported 1 to 2 inches, respectively.
GREENville looking spectacular in white.️ As flurries continue tonight public works crews will pull another all nighter to clear roadways. pic.twitter.com/uG2Wqxe19f
— City of Greenville (@CityGreenville) January 16, 2022
HAPPENING NOW: This is what the I-85/385 Gateway in Greenville looks like now. Please stay off the roadways. (The noise is snow/ice pellets beating the camera.) #Winter pic.twitter.com/FQPfKcIRrn
— SCDOT (@SCDOTPress) January 16, 2022
The Midlands avoided fresh powder but Columbia reported more than an inch of rain, freezing rain and sleet Saturday night into Sunday. That precipitation combined with wind gusts of up to 29 miles per hour and cold temperatures made travel difficult in the central part of the state Sunday.
Fallen tree limbs and power outages also plagued the Midlands and the Upstate Sunday.
By midday Sunday, nearly 100,000 power outages had been reported statewide, according to the South Carolina Emergency Management Department. Roughly 33,000 outages were ongoing as of 5:30 a.m. Monday, that agency reported.
The remaining outages were concentrated in the Greenville-Spartanburg area. The Upstate was still digging out of the snow Monday.
State troopers urged residents in and around Greenville to avoid travel if possible Monday morning, as roads remained slick.
It’s a beautiful morning after the storm but All This Ice will get incredibly slick when the sun melts the surface. Please only travel if necessary! Thanks! pic.twitter.com/jkjT18773M
— Trooper Gary SCHP (@SCHP_Troop4) January 17, 2022
The South Carolina Department of Transportation cleared miles of highway throughout Sunday and Monday, including a 13-mile stretch of Interstate 26 toward Columbia which closed Sunday due to icy conditions. That stretch has since reopened.
The South Carolina National Guard was also out Sunday and Monday, helping to dislodge a range of travelers from snowy conditions. About 120 Guard members were deployed as part of “vehicle recovery teams,” according to the organization.
U.S. Army National Guard Soldiers with Headquarters & Headquarters Battery, 2-263rd Air Defense Artillery Battalion, SC #NationalGuard, assist another stuck vehicle, Jan. 16, as part of a vehicle recovery team activated in support of winter weather #SCGuard pic.twitter.com/hoZvffFYae
— SC National Guard (@SCNationalGuard) January 16, 2022
Their saves included passenger vehicles, a coach bus and a semi-truck, among others, according to social media posts.
Ahead of the storm, Gov. Henry McMaster declared a state of emergency to make it easier for the state to mobilize resources.
Another winter storm could be headed for the region this weekend.
Columbia could see snow and more rain as early as Friday, according to current forecasts. There is a 40% chance for some precipitation.
