Posted on Thu, Feb. 01, 2007

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Brace for a messy morning

By JOEY HOLLEMAN

jholleman@thestate.com

Things to contemplate during South Carolina’s second blast of winter weather in 2007:

QUESTION:

Is getting to work on time worth dealing with icy roads?

ANSWER:

That’s your call, but keep in mind the forecast calls for up to one-quarter inch of ice in counties just north of Columbia. The major roads, especially bridges, coming into Columbia could be messy. In Richland and Lexington counties, little ice is expected, and whatever falls should be melted off roads as the precipitation turns into rain later in the day. Sounds like a good day to call in late if you can.

QUESTION:

Will the trip home after work be bad, too?

ANSWER:

That’s unlikely, but you know how crazy South Carolina drivers get when it rains during rush hour. Cold rain is expected to linger in the area all day.

QUESTION:

Is there an easy way to check road conditions?

ANSWER:

Go to the Department of Transportation Web site at www.dot.state.sc.us/getting/winterweather.shtml. It lists conditions for major roads in each county.

QUESTION:

Is there anything positive in this yucky weather?

ANSWER:

This front is expected to dump up to six inches of snow in some portions of the North Carolina mountains. It’s been cold enough for the ski resorts to make snow for a couple of weeks, and this weekend they will have fresh snow on top of that base. Beat the crowds: Call in sick on Friday and head for the slopes.

QUESTION:

Are we done with this winter weather for awhile?

ANSWER:

The long-term forecast has Columbia on the edge of a ring of below-average temperatures through Feb. 9. The good news is that a moist front forming Sunday isn’t expected to get as far north as the Midlands. The chance of another dose of “wintry mix” is slim for the next 10 days.

ICE IS COMING

When: Mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain forecast to start around 7 a.m. today, turn to freezing rain around 11 a.m., then turn to rain around 3 p.m.

Where: Ice accumulations of one-quarter of an inch are expected north of a line from McCormick through Newberry, Winnsboro and Chesterfield. South of that line, little accumulation is expected

Possible fallout: A quarter-inch coating of ice can snap large tree limbs, prompting power outages and making roads treacherous. Even where ice on roads is thin and spotty on roads, driving can be dangerous.