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Big Freeze Hits Carolinas, Georgia

Icy Trees, Powerlines Leave Thousands In The Dark

POSTED: 8:01 a.m. EST December 3, 2002 UPDATED: 11:27 p.m. EST December 4, 2002

GREENVILLE, S.C. -- The region's first winter storm of the season moved in on northwestern parts of Georgia and the Carolinas Wednesday closing dozens of schools, daycare centers and businesses.

News 4's Chief Meteorologist John Cessarich said trees, power lines, cars and roads across the Upstate are already beginning to freeze as temperatures in Greenville hovered in the high 20's.

Images From Ice Storm In The Upstate

"What happens tonight could turn this into one of the worst storms we've seen in a few years," Cessarich said.

The combination of cold air at the surface and precipitation falling through warm air caused freezing rain over much of the area by afternoon, according to Cessarich.

News 4 Meteorologist Dale Gilbert said scattered reports of light snow in northern Greenville and Pickens Counties started coming in around 8 a.m.

By 10:30, the wintry mix predicted for the area began to fall.

Gilbert confirmed that morning snow has started to accumulate in the mountain areas with more than three inches on the ground in Avery County, North Carolina by mid-day.

"Tonight, overnight and through tomorrow morning is when we will see the storm will cause the most problems," Cessarich said. "Stay off the roads if you can. They'll be dangerous."

The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for much of the northern half of South Carolina, northeast Georgia and the North Carolina mountains for Wednesday and Wednesday night.

The warning includes Chesterfield and Kershaw counties in the east and extends west through the Georgia mountains.

The weather service also has issued a winter storm watch for the Midlands and is predicting freezing rain in the Pee Dee and along the coast.

The weather service also said that accumulation could total an inch in the Anderson, Greenville, Greenwood and Spartanburg areas.

Conditions will likely persist throughout the night and and into early Thursday morning, Cessarich said.

Significant icing of up to one inch is expected mainly from Columbia northward with icing amounts generally less than one-quarter of an inch for locations to the south from Augusta to Orangeburg to Manning, the weather service said.

News 4 reported more than 250 closings Wednesday of schools, daycares and businesses across Georgia and the Carolinas due to the storm.

Governor Jim Hodges ordered state offices in 22 counties to close at 1 p.m. Wednesday due to extreme weather conditions.

The counties affected stretch from the Midlands through the Upstate.

State agency directors were asked to stagger the release of employees in 15-minute intervals beginning at 1 p.m. to prevent any traffic problems.

A spokesperson at Gov. Jim Hodges' office said they will continue to monitor conditions to decide the status of state offices for tomorrow.

Officials at Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport said Wednesday that the airport is open.

Airport spokesperson, Rosilyn Weston told News 4 that the runway is operational and they do not expect to have any problems with it today.

Weston said airport officials have taken precautions to make sure that the runway doesn't ice over.

However, she said some airlines have canceled flights due to weather in other parts of the country.

Weston advises passengers to call the airline to find out the status of their flights.

Greenville County road crews have spent the better part of the last two days piling up the sand and making sure their trucks are ready to roll.

Workers were told to prepare for up to two inches of freezing rain that could form a half-inch of heavy ice on tree limbs and power lines.

A county spokesman told News 4's Brad Willis that whether it's once a year or five times a year, preparation is the key.

"We know that it is imperative when we do have them that we're ready," said assistant county engineer Les Mitchell. "So we work on it for months before winter starts to make sure our equipment and our men are ready and our procedures are ready."

County road workers said that if this storm hits as hard as predicted, they will be forced to be out onto roads all over the county.

They ask drivers to be careful and not drive unless they have to.

Anyone who must drive close to road workers, is asked to use extreme caution.

Slick, icy roads can send a car out of control and could be very dangerous to a person standing at the roadside, workers said.

In addition to road problems, sleet and freezing rain can mean power outages.

Wednesday's storm left many people stuck in their homes and in the dark.

Duke Power confirmed that 7500 people are without power in Anderson.

In Clemson, the number of outages reported at 4 p.m. was 3200, with more than 1700 in reported outages in Greenville and 450 in Greenwood,

If the power goes out at your house and you are a duke power customer, the number to call is 1-800-POWER-ON.

In Laurens County, the number to call to report a power outage for customers of Laurens Electric is 1-866-9-RESTORE.

Power company officials advise people to stay away from downed power lines or anything touching a power line.

They also remind people that if power goes out, to keep the doors of freezers and refrigerators closed as much as possible to make sure food inside doesn't spoil.

Some other things to consider with the potential of nasty winter weather.

# Make sure to have flashlights and a battery-powered radio as well as fresh batteries.

# Check supplies of non-perishable food, bottled water and medications.

# Prepare an alternative source of heat if possible and make sure to have extra blankets handy.

# In a power outage, cordless phones and electric garage door openers won't work, so have a cell phone or a phone with a cord and know how to open the garage door manually.

-- Anonymous, December 05, 2002

Answers

we have had a cold and snow snap here in northern Ohio, but a repreive tonight... it is only down to 20 and little wind!. we are to get another Artic blast this week end, it will probably blow the southern storm on up the east coast.

-- Anonymous, December 05, 2002

# In a power outage, cordless phones and electric garage door openers won't work, so have a cell phone or a phone with a cord and know how to open the garage door manually.

So many people die needlessly when they get trapped in the garage with a cordless phone and the power goes out.

Make sure everyone you know is aware of the above message. The life you save may be someones.

-- Anonymous, December 05, 2002