One of the coldest Christmas days ever? Experts urge people in Rock Hill region to brace.
It could be one of the coldest Christmas days ever for Rock Hill, forecasters say.
And they are advising residents of the Rock Hill region, and elsewhere in the Carolinas, to prepare for bitter cold that could burst water pipes and create life-threatening wind chill conditions this weekend.
A surge of arctic air is predicted to sweep across much of the continental United States over the next few days, bringing subfreezing weather all the way to the Gulf of Mexico. In addition, a powerful winter storm is forecast to move across the Midwest and into the Great Lakes on Thursday and Friday.
That storm is predicted to leave a foot or more of snow across much of the Great Lakes, with winds gusting to 60 mph at times.
Farther south, snow is not expected to be an issue.
Officials with major airlines across the country are preparing for large-scale flight delays and cancellations this weekend, when millions of people are planning holiday trips. The bad weather also is predicted to create dangerous driving conditions for those headed to areas affected by the storm.
A period of rain is forecast late Thursday and early Friday across the Rock Hill region, preceding the front.
Meteorologist Jeffrey Taylor, of the National Weather Service office in Greer, says the colder air is likely to arrive in the area after the front and the rain have moved away.
“It still looks like the cold air behind the front will be chasing the moisture...,” Taylor says.
But huge changes are forecast for the Rock Hill-region on Friday.
Temperatures are expected to be near 40 degrees at daybreak but quickly plummet duringf the morning. By afternoon, readings are expected to be in the 20s.
Gusty northwest winds will add to the problem, sending wind chill readings to life-threatening levels later Friday and early Saturday.
The Weather Service is predicting wind chills of 0 to 5 degrees at times Saturday morning.
Forecasters say the Rock Hill area might remain below freezing from midday Friday until sometime Christmas afternoon, when temperatures are expected to creep a bit above the 32-degree mark.
The lowest recorded high temperature in Rock Hill on Christmas Day is 32 degrees, set in 1943 and equaled in 1947. The record low is 3 degrees, set in 1983.
The record high in Rock Hill on Christmas Eve is 33, set in 1906. The record low for the date is 11, set in 1989.
Extended periods of subfreezing weather like that could cause water in pipes at homes and businesses to freeze, then burst when temperatures get above freezing.
Authorities are advising area residents to prepare for the arctic air by protecting water pipes and planning to avoid lengthy outdoor exposure Friday into Christmas Day.
Steve Lyttle on Twitter: @slyttle