Columbia, SC – A sharp overnight temperature drop will put crops, outdoor plumbing, and early-morning travel at risk across central South Carolina and parts of east-central Georgia beginning at 2 a.m. Wednesday, with lows falling to 28°F.
According to the National Weather Service in Columbia, a Freeze Warning remains in effect from 2 a.m. to 10 a.m. Wednesday for the Midlands, including Columbia, Sumter, Orangeburg, and extending west into Augusta and surrounding Georgia counties. The agency warns that sub-freezing conditions will persist for up to eight hours, long enough to damage vegetation and exposed pipes.
In the Columbia metro, neighborhoods along the I-26 and I-20 corridors could see frost forming on bridges and overpasses before sunrise, especially near Lexington, Cayce, and West Columbia.
Residents in Aiken, Barnwell, and Bamberg counties should insulate outdoor faucets and bring pets indoors. Gardeners are urged to cover plants or move them inside before midnight.
The freeze threat ends by 10 a.m. Wednesday as temperatures rebound, but additional advisories could follow if another cold surge develops later this week.
