Columbia, South Carolina 7 Day Weather Forecast

Wx Forecast - Wx Discussion - Wx Aviation

004
FXUS62 KCAE 131755
AFDCAE

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Columbia SC
1255 PM EST Tue Jan 13 2026

.WHAT HAS CHANGED...
Slight uptick in rain potential Wednesday and post frontal
winds Thursday continue to trend weaker.

&&

.KEY MESSAGES...
1) Rain chances increase Wednesday with a few snow showers
   possible early Thursday.

2) Dry, gusty winds expected Thursday with an enhanced
   fire danger risk.

3) Cold weather continues into the weekend. Temperatures
   near cold weather advisory Friday morning.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Key Message 1: Rain chances increase Wednesday with a few snow showers
possible early Thursday.

Ahead of a deep digging trough across the central US, a strong
cold front and associated surface low will track into the Ohio
Valley, and then up the east coast throughout Wednesday and
Thursday. Ahead of this front, broad but fairly weak moisture
advection will overspread the area with PWAT`s climbing to near
1.0". HREF members have trended a bit wetter with these
prefrontal showers but still keep rain chances generally less
50% and very light QPF totals; best time period for rain showers
is generally between 12-6pm Wednesday, focused along the I95
corridor. Overnight, the cold front will cross the area with
notable CAA developing behind it and the upper vort max and
enhanced lapse rates will pivot closer shortly after. Residual
moisture, frontogenetic forcing, and very steep lapse rates
below 700mb, cannot rule out some snow showers across the
Midlands early Thursday morning; while the HRRR remains a major
outlier, the positioning of the trough axis and frontal forcing
nearly always over-performs guidance, especially when guidance
shows non-zero CAPE in the near surface layer. Temps will be
borderline and any showers would be brief, so impacts are
expected to be minimal at this time.


Key Message 2: Dry, gusty winds expected Thursday with an
enhanced fire danger risk.

Overall, not much change in the thinking for the cold advection
regime on Thursday and potential fire danger. Behind the front,
a very dry air mass will move into the area with rapidly
decreasing dew points throughout the morning. Guidance often
struggles in not dropping dew points fast enough behind strong
fronts so will favor lower ends of the distribution. Therefore
relative humidity will likely drop to 20-25 percent Thursday
afternoon. However, the general trend continues among the blend
members in weaker wind gusts Thursday afternoon. Probability of
wind gusts greater than 30 mph remains around 30-40 percent.
While the threat has decreased slightly, there remains
potential for Red Flag Warning criteria.


Key Message 3: Cold weather continues into the weekend. Temperatures
near cold weather advisory Friday morning.

After 24-36 hours of strong cold advection behind the
aforementioned front, near cold weather criteria low temps are
expected early Friday. With high pressure settling nearby,
decent radiational cooling should enhance the advected cold
airmass and drop temps down into the upper 10`s in most spots
early Friday; NBM members now show a 50-80% chance of sub-20 F
temps in the morning, with wind chills a bit lower. It still
looks borderline if we will need a cold weather advisory product
for Friday but guidance should come into a clear in the next
cycle or two.

&&

.AVIATION /18Z TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/...
High confidence in VFR conditions.

A very dry air mass remains in place today, supporting VFR
conditions. Southwest winds should continue this afternoon at 6 to
10 kts with a few gusts to around 15 kts possible. Gusts diminish
after sunset with high clouds streaming across the area and CIGS
gradually lowering through the night as a frontal system approaches
from the west. By Wednesday morning, cloud decks of 8-10k ft MSL
should precede ISOLD-SCT -SHRA, potentially affecting the terminals
by late morning, but confidence remains low. Winds increasing out of
the southwest again at 8-12 kts with higher gusts developing
Wednesday afternoon. Confidence in fog development is low for
tonight and Wednesday morning.

EXTENDED AVIATION OUTLOOK...A mid-week system moving through could
bring brief restrictions late Wednesday into Thursday, although
confidence is low due to limited moisture. Strong gusty winds
expected on Thursday.

&&

.CAE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
SC...None.
GA...None.

&&

$$

DISCUSSION...42
AVIATION...10