(Columbia) Jan. 28, 2004 - Icy, cold conditions and power outages Tuesday prompted South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford to call the storm serious and declare a state of emergency. The South Carolina National Guard has been placed on standby status.

Icy roads continued to cause dangerous driving conditions as overnight temperatures dropped into the low 20s, and at one point around 300,000 customers were without power. That number was reduced to around 160,000 Wednesday morning. Crews continued to work to restore it.

The National Weather Service says this ice storm is likely the worst the state has seen since December 2002, when roughly 300,000 customers in the Upstate were left without power. Governor Sanford compared this storm's damage to that of Hurricane Hugo.

The nasty weather began in the Upstate Sunday morning and stretched across the Midlands Sunday evening. Some freezing rain reached inland parts of the coast Monday afternoon. The ice forced heavy tree limbs onto frozen power lines, sending residents across the state in search of warmth at hotels or makeshift shelters.

The governor's order directs the South Carolina Emergency Operations Plan be placed into effect. The plan, among other things, waives size and weight regulations for out-of-state utility vehicles coming in-state to assist in restoring power to South Carolina residents. He also placed the South Carolina National Guard on standby status.

Storm Team Chief Meteorologist Ken Aucoin says the state is in for a warm-up on Wednesday. While temperatures dipped to the low 20s overnight, they are expected to hit 40 by noon and reach highs of around 46. He predicts another hard freeze overnight Wednesday with a low of around 22 before Thursday breaks sunny and reaches a high of about 55.

Reporting by Catherine Reynolds
updated 6:44am by BrettWitt