558
FXUS62 KCAE 010629
AFDCAE
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA SC
129 AM EST SUN FEB 1 2026
WHAT HAS CHANGED
KEY MESSAGES AND AVIATION DISCUSSION UPDATED.
KEY MESSAGES
- 1) SNOW SHOWERS CONTINUE THIS EVENING, COMING TO AN END
TONIGHT, WITH MODERATE IMPACTS EXPECTED TO PERSIST THROUGH THE
OVERNIGHT PERIOD.
- 2) VERY COLD TEMPERATURES/WIND CHILLS WILL ACCOMPANY THIS SNOWSTORM
AND BRING SEVERAL BITTERLY COLD NIGHTS.
DISCUSSION
KEY MESSAGE #1: SNOW SHOWERS CONTINUE THIS EVENING, COMING TO AN
END TONIGHT, WITH MODERATE IMPACTS EXPECTED TO PERSIST THROUGH
THE OVERNIGHT PERIOD.
RADAR IMAGERY THIS EVENING CONTINUES TO DEPICT SNOW SHOWERS
ACROSS THE ENTIRE FORECAST AREA, WITH THE HEAVIEST RETURNS
FOCUSED ACROSS CHESTERFIELD COUNTY. SNOW SHOWERS WILL PERSIST
THIS EVENING WITH THE BEST CHANCE FOR SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL
ACCUMULATIONS, ON THE ORDER OF 2-4 INCHES, ACROSS THE EASTERN
MIDLANDS. EXPECT SNOW TO TAPER OFF AND END FROM WEST TO EAST
TONIGHT WITH PRECIPITATION LIKELY ENDING FOR THE ENTIRE CWA BY
DAYBREAK. IN TERMS OF IMPACTS, THE FALLING SNOW AND GUSTY WINDS
WILL CONTINUE TO REDUCE VISIBILITY, COMPOUNDING ALREADY POOR
ROAD CONDITIONS. AREA TRAFFIC CAMERAS SHOW NUMEROUS ACCIDENTS
DUE TO THE SNOW CREATING ICY CONDITIONS. TRAVEL IS NOT
RECOMMENDED TONIGHT INTO EARLY SUNDAY MORNING.
KEY MESSAGE #2: VERY COLD TEMPERATURES/WIND CHILLS WILL BRING
SEVERAL BITTERLY COLD NIGHTS.
TONIGHT: TEMPERATURES WILL CONTINUE TO FALL TONIGHT AS A FRIGID
AIRMASS MOVES INTO THE REGION. NORTHERLY WINDS WILL STRENGTHEN
OVERNIGHT CAUSING WIND CHILLS TO FALL INTO THE SINGLE DIGITS TO
NEAR ZERO DEGREES. AN EXTREME COLD WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT
THROUGH 10 AM TOMORROW MORNING.
SUNDAY AND BEYOND: TEMPERATURES DO NOT RECOVER SIGNIFICANTLY ON
SUNDAY FOLLOWING THE SNOWSTORM, MEANING SNOW MELT WILL BE
LIMITED, ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE MIDLANDS. ANY SNOW THAT DOES MELT
WILL REFREEZE SUNDAY NIGHT. MEANWHILE, THE EXISTING SNOW PACK
WILL CAUSE TEMPERATURES TO DROP QUICKLY SUNDAY NIGHT. A COLD
WEATHER ADVISORY MAY BE NEEDED, BUT LIKE THE PREVIOUS SHIFT,
WILL HOLD OFF ISSUING AN ADDITIONAL PRODUCT TO AVOID ANY
CONFUSION. A WARMING TREND IS THEN EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON MONDAY,
PUTTING AN END TO THE COLD WEATHER THREAT FOR THE FORECAST
PERIOD.
AVIATION /06Z SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/
IMPROVEMENT EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS WITH VFR CONDITIONS
RETURNING AFTER SUNRISE THIS MORNING.
RESTRICTIONS WILL RUN THE SPECTRUM TONIGHT AS A WINTER STORM SYSTEM
CONTINUES TO MOVE THROUGH THE REGION AND EVENTUALLY OFF TO THE
NORTHEAST OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS. CIG/VSBY RESTRICTIONS, DOWN
TO LIFR AT TIMES, WILL REMAIN POSSIBLE THROUGH ABOUT 08Z. AS -SN
SHOWERS GRADUALLY WIND DOWN AND END, VSBYS ARE GENERALLY EXPECTED TO
IMPROVE. CIGS WILL ALSO IMPROVE AS PRECIP ENDS, WITH VFR THEN
EXPECTED THROUGH THE DAY SUNDAY. HOWEVER, WINDS WILL BE A BIT GUSTY
TONIGHT FROM THE NORTH OR NORTHWEST AT 8-12 KTS. SOME GUSTS MAY
APPROACH 20 KTS, WHICH COULD CAUSE PERIODS OF BLOWING SNOW AND BRIEF
INTERMITTENT VSBY REDUCTIONS. GUSTS SHOULD DIMINISH FOR SUNDAY AND
SKIES RETURN TO SKC.
DEPENDING UPON AIRPORT SNOW REMOVAL PROCEDURES, RUNWAYS COULD REMAIN
HAZARDOUS THROUGH 18Z SUNDAY.
EXTENDED AVIATION OUTLOOK...VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH AT
LEAST THE FIRST HALF OF THE WORK WEEK. ANOTHER SYSTEM MOVING
THROUGH THE REGION COULD BRING RESTRICTIONS ONCE AGAIN, ALTHOUGH AT
THIS TIME IS APPEARS AS THIS ONE WOULD BE IN THE FORM OF
RAINFALL.
CAE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
SC...WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 10 AM EST THIS MORNING FOR SCZ016-
018-020>022-025>031-035-037-038-041-115-116-135>137.
EXTREME COLD WARNING UNTIL 10 AM EST THIS MORNING FOR SCZ016-
018-020>022-025>031-035-037-038-041-115-116-135>137.
GA...WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 10 AM EST THIS MORNING FOR GAZ040-
063>065-077.
EXTREME COLD WARNING UNTIL 10 AM EST THIS MORNING FOR GAZ040-
063>065-077.
DISCUSSION...
AVIATION...10
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