10 Things South Carolinians Do When It Snows Once Every Few Years

When snow finally falls in South Carolina, somebody’s making snow cream.

It only happens every few years, so South Carolinians make the most of it.

Here’s what South Carolinians do when it snows.

1. Canceling School

Many South Carolina school districts call off classes when snow arrives.

A Post and Courier editorial from 2021 called closing schools the norm in South Carolina when snow falls, even for a light snowfall.

The Charleston County School District dismissed students early on January 21, 2025, the day snow fell in Charleston.

When the announcement comes, you’re probably already working out who stays home with your kids.

2. Bread and Milk Runs

When snow is in the forecast, bread, eggs and milk can be gone from the grocery store by the time you get there.

A writer in Furman’s student newspaper wrote in January 2016, after a Friday snow day, that bread, eggs and milk were already gone from the store.

A Southern Living piece republished online lists the rush on grocery stores for milk and bread among the South’s snow-day customs.

Shopping a day ahead gives you better odds at a full shelf.

3. Snow Cream

The Spartanburg television station WSPA posted a snow cream recipe on January 7, 2017, that calls for snow, sugar, vanilla and milk.

The recipe’s only steps are to mix everything in a bowl and eat, so you can make it with ingredients already in your kitchen.

Snow cream is a beloved Southern tradition, and the basic recipe takes snow, milk or condensed milk, and vanilla extract.

Wait a few hours into the snowfall before you scoop, since the first flakes carry more pollutants.

Even then, the levels are low.

4. Sledding on Anything

On January 21, 2025, about 75 college students gathered in the snow at the top of University Hill in Columbia.

They sledded down Barnwell Street on couches, folding tables and other household items.

One couch tipped over about a third of the way down, and the students gave up on hauling it back to the top.

Your sled can be anything you can carry to the top of the hill.

In North Charleston, a group sledded down a berm by the Interstate 526 airport off-ramp on a coffee table.

In Bluffton, a 3-year-old sledded at Oyster Factory Park.

5. Beach Snow Walks

Snow fell on Myrtle Beach on January 21, 2025, and residents walked down to the boardwalk to see the flakes.

Families also walked on the snowy sand.

The shoreline went from gray sand to white snow.

If you live near the coast, you may get only a few chances to see it.

6. Moving Classes Online

Many districts switch to e-learning days when snow is on the way.

Greenville County Schools announced an e-learning day for Friday, January 10, 2025, ahead of snow forecast to be the Upstate’s first in three years.

Anderson County and Spartanburg County districts did the same.

After snow fell in Charleston on January 21, 2025, the Charleston County School District held an e-learning day on January 22 and another on January 23.

For you, that can mean a laptop at your kitchen table instead of a bus at the curb.

7. Closing Colleges

Furman University gave students a snow day on Friday, January 22, 2016, and a campus newspaper writer called it an unexpected three-day weekend.

At the time, Furman typically didn't announce canceled classes until the morning of.

Students got the notice the night before that Friday instead.

If you're a student, check your email and your school's alert system the night before.

Clemson University closed its main campus at noon on Friday, January 10, 2025, ahead of forecast snow.

Furman closed at 2 p.m. that day, while Converse and Limestone held e-learning days.

8. Building Snowmen

College of Charleston students built snowmen in the Cistern Yard after the January 2025 snow.

Locals in Charleston built snowmen too, Live 5 News reported.

In Clemson, neighbors built snowmen with carrot noses, button eyes, hats and scarves after the Upstate's first snow in three years.

You probably have a carrot, some buttons and a scarf in your kitchen.

9. Snowball Fights

Snowball fights broke out at the College of Charleston after the January 2025 snow.

A mother and her children had one on Morrison Drive, across from an elementary school.

On Main Street in Greenville in January 2022, snowball fighters and sledders followed the dog walkers and coffee drinkers.

Your gloves from the drawer are the only gear you need.

10. Taking Snow Photos

College of Charleston students photographed the snowy campus and the icicles on the Pineapple Fountain at Waterfront Park.

At Marion Square, people took photos while a dog rolled in the snow.

In Clemson, people shared photos and videos of snowy landmarks, families and pets on social media.

Your phone camera is enough, but you'll want it out before the snow melts.

Advice From SCDOT and SCEMD

The South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) says the safest solution is for drivers to stay off the roads if at all possible.

Bridges and overpasses collect ice first, so winter weather means approaching them with extreme caution.

SCDOT crews spread brine ahead of winter weather to slow ice from forming on pavement, and the agency asks you to slow down when you meet a brine truck.

Freezing temperatures that come with snow can burst water pipes in homes that lack heat or proper insulation.

The South Carolina Emergency Management Division (SCEMD) says to wrap exposed pipes and to consider letting your faucets drip or slightly stream overnight.

Avoid travel if possible, especially in freezing conditions or overnight.

When snow or ice is in the forecast, make sure your emergency kit can sustain your household for at least three days.

That kit starts with non-perishable food, water, medications, flashlights and batteries.

Snowfall Odds by Station

Snow falls far more often in some corners of the state than in others.

The State Climatology Office's snowfall table shows Columbia with snow in 17 of 53 years on record.

That's a 32% chance in any given year.

Beaufort recorded snow in 5 of 53 years, or 9%, while Clemson University's station recorded it in 33 of 53, or 62%.

If you live in Columbia, snow turns up in close to one year in three, which fits once every few years.

If you live near Beaufort, it's closer to one in ten.

Coastal Snow Records

If you're looking for coastal snow records, the table points to two storms, one in 1973 and one in 1989.

If you live along the coast, Myrtle Beach's biggest snow event is 14 inches, on December 23 and 24, 1989.