State of Emergency Declared in South Carolina Ahead of Winter Storm

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by WILL FOLKS

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With ‘Wintermageddon‘ fast approaching, South Carolina officials are bracing for the worst from this looming Arctic system – which has been billed by forecasters as a “lengthy and disruptive winter storm.”

The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a broad warning on Wednesday afternoon indicating “nearly everyone east of the Rockies will see impacts from snow, ice and/or extreme cold beginning by Friday and lasting through early next week.”

S.C. governor Henry McMaster declared a state of emergency in South Carolina on Wednesday afternoon (January 21, 2026), citing forecasts which have called for “a mix of sleet, ice, and snow, along with freezing temperatures, which is expected to create hazardous travel conditions and impact utilities across portions of the state.”

“South Carolinians should remain aware of local forecasts and take appropriate precautions ahead of this weekend’s storm, as winter weather can change quickly and create hazardous conditions with little notice,” McMaster said. “Preparations are already underway by state agencies, and this State of Emergency ensures Team South Carolina is ready to respond and support communities as conditions develop.” 

According to McMaster, the S.C. Emergency Management Division (SCEMD) was “working closely with state and local partners, including the National Weather Service, to monitor conditions.”

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In the meantime, McMaster urged Palmetto State residents to:

• Monitor forecasts
• Keep emergency supply kits for home/vehicle well-stocked (including water, food, medications, flashlights and batteries)
• Check on neighbors (especially older adults)
• Bring pets indoors
• Stay off the roads
• Use extreme caution if travel is absolutely necessary

The governor also urged citizens to download SCEMD’s Winter Weather Guide.

S.C. attorney general Alan Wilson – who is running to replace McMaster in this spring’s partisan primary election – issued a release invoking the Palmetto State’s price gouging laws.

“We’re not seeing any impacts yet, but we have to be prepared,” Wilson said in a statement. “If this storm does cause problems, we could see normal price increases for goods and services, and those are not considered price gouging under our law. But, we may see businesses and individuals try to unfairly take advantage of the situation through price gouging of food, gasoline, lodging, other commodities, and services like tree removal, as defined by the statute. By our law, that’s a criminal violation and an unfair trade practice.”

Officials with the much-maligned S.C. Department of Transportation (SCDOT) also indicated they were prepared for the incoming storm system.

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“SCDOT is ready for whatever winter weather brings to our state,” the agency posted on X. “Our 4,000 SCDOT employees across the state are trained and ready to respond during winter weather emergencies.”

As state officials brace for the impact of this polar vortex, forecast models continue to show widespread variation on where the frozen precipitation is going to fall – and what sort of wintry mix our state will be dealing with.

“The axis of heavy snow and significant ice has shifted north,” local weather analyst Mitch West wrote on X, although he quickly added “we do expect more changes.”

Meanwhile, meteorologist Eric Webb indicated growing concern on Wednesday for a major ice event in the Carolinas beginning this weekend – citing the “sheer strength” of the cold air mass.

“I’m definitely getting worried about the growing threat for a major ice storm in the Carolinas this weekend,” Webb wrote on X. “The toughest part about forecasting these sorts of events is predicting how much of our precipitation will be sleet or freezing rain.”

NWS issued winter storm watches for broad swaths of the South Carolina Upstate on Wednesday, including all of the Greenville-Spartanburg region and Lancaster and Chesterfield counties.

Keep it tuned to FITSNews as we continue to monitor the latest forecasts…

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…

Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and eight children.

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