As millions of Americans gear up for the Memorial Day holiday weekend, those traveling through South Carolina and much of the Southeast are in store for a prolonged stretch of unsettled weather.
While no single day will be a complete washout, periods of showers and thunderstorms are likely through at least Monday as moisture streams into the region from the Gulf and Atlantic.
The greatest rainfall accumulations are expected west of Interstate 95, where totals could range from 1 to 3 inches, with locally higher amounts in areas where thunderstorms train over the same area.
Along the coast, rainfall totals are expected to generally remain below an inch through Memorial Day.
Due to the ongoing drought and significant rainfall deficits across the state, widespread flooding is not anticipated, but a few of the storms could become strong, producing gusty wind and cloud-to-ground lightning.
Forecast models indicate that coastal communities will likely experience the warmest temperatures during the holiday weekend because of the lack of precipitation compared to more inland locations.
Across the Upstate, high temperatures on Saturday may struggle to escape the 70s, while communities in the Midlands and Pee Dee are expected to reach the mid-80s.
Rain chances are expected to remain elevated throughout the Memorial Day holiday as moisture continues to stream over the Palmetto State.
The persistent onshore flow will also continue to produce an increased risk for rip currents along area beaches.
Rip currents are fast-moving channels of water that flow away from shore and can quickly pull swimmers away from the beach.
When surf conditions are rough, beachgoers are always urged to swim near a lifeguard and pay attention to beach warning flags.
According to NOAA, rip currents are the number one weather-related killer across the Carolinas, with at least eight deaths reported on average each year.
If caught in a rip current, lifeguards advise swimmers to remain calm and don’t try to fight the current, as that can quickly lead to exhaustion.
Instead of swimming into the stream, swim parallel to shore until there is no longer a force pushing against you. Once the pressure subsides, experts say it’ll be easier to swim towards the shore.
Although there will be occasional breaks of sunshine over the holiday weekend, the unsettled weather pattern is expected to persist beyond Memorial Day, with no significant pattern change on the immediate horizon.
