South-Carolina
Is Greenville ready for weekend winter storm? How county is preparing
What to do during a power outage
Here are some items you will need during a power outage.
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Confidence is increasing that the Upstate will experience a major winter storm over the weekend.
A winter storm watch issued by the National Weather Service at Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport remains in effect. According to the latest watch, travel on the roads during the storm will be dangerous due to the possibility of heavy mixed precipitation.
Power outages caused by significant ice accumulation on power lines and trees limbs are also likely, according to the weather service. In some areas, outages could last for days.
Meteorologists with the Weather Channel said the weather event could affect over 180 million people in the U.S. ― over half of the nation’s estimated population. Residents who experienced Tropical Storm Helene in 2024 may be wondering if the Palmetto State is winter ready.
Here’s what the Greenville County Emergency Management team shared, and why residents should prepare.
How much snow will impact the Upstate?
The National Weather Service’s urgent winter weather message, posted Jan. 22 at 1:30 a.m., stated a winter storm watch remains in effect from Jan. 24 through Jan. 26. In the message, the service said heavy mixed precipitation was possible, with total snow and sleet accumulations between one and three inches and ice accumulations between one half and one inch.
In addition to the Upstate, portions of Piedmont, northeast Georgia, and western North Carolina are anticipated to experience the effects.
“Significant ice accumulations on power lines and tree limbs may cause widespread and long-lasting power outages. Ice and snow covered roadways will become treacherous and impassable,” the National Weather Service predicted.
Weight from ice and snow on tree limbs and power lines may cause widespread power outages, which may last for several days depending on the area. Residents who commute on Jan. 26 should know that travel may be impacted by hazardous conditions. Highest snow and sleet accumulations are possible north of Interstate 40. Highest ice accumulations are possible across the mountains of South Carolina, northeast Georgia and southern mountains of North Carolina.
Those traveling are advised to consider delaying all trips. If traveling, the National Weather Service recommends carrying a winter storm kit that includes items such as tire chains, booster cables, a flashlight, shovel, blankets, and extra clothing.
“Also take water, a first aid kit, and anything else that would help you survive in case you become stranded,” the National Weather Service advised.
Emergency Operations Center preparing for ‘potential activation’ over the weekend
Pierce Womack, director at Greenville County Emergency Management, said that he and his staff are preparing the Emergency Operations Center for potential activation over the weekend. The facility serves as the coordination hub for Greenville County and includes all of the county department’s municipalities, or partner agencies (nonprofits like United Way and Red Cross, and the South Carolina Department of Public Health).
“All the different agencies would coordinate here in the Emergency Operations Center, similar to what we’ve done in the past for Hurricane Helene, the Table Rock Fire. It just serves as a hub for folks to work face to face.” said Womack.
If roads are impassable, overnight facilities will be available at the center for community members who need a place to shower, eat, and sleep. The center will be powered by a generator, and backup internet will also be available for use.
The Greenville County Emergency Management team will also be working with the South Carolina Department of Public Health, Prisma Health, and St. Francis to ensure that there are facilities in place across the county that can house general evacuees and individuals with special needs, like those who are on oxygen.
Roads to be pre-treated by South Carolina Department of Transportation
The majority of Greenville County’s main roads will be pre-treated and maintained by the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT), said Womack. Greenville County will be treating county roads, which mainly include secondary and subdivision roads. Most of the main roads will be handled by the state.
“The county will have salt and sand and different types of equipment to try to treat those roads,” Womack said. “The county really kind of comes in after the storm and starts scraping roads and putting sand and salt down as well.”
From past experience, Womack said main roads like Interstate 85 will receive clearance first. Treatment of secondary roads will follow.
Elizabeth Childs with SCDOT confirmed the state agency has 60,000 tons of salt staged at storage facilities across South Carolina. Brine and calcium chloride will also be used to treat roadways. Treatment will be prioritized on interstates, primary routes, bridges overpasses, and ramps, which tend to freeze first. Coverage will be adjusted according to weather conditions and severity.
“More than 4,000 SCDOT employees statewide are ready to respond during a winter weather emergency with 34-hour operations, deploying crews as conditions warrant to treat and maintain roadways.” said Childs.
Does the Greenville County Emergency Management team coordinate with utility companies for weather events?
During past disasters, Womack said he and his fire department were able to partner with a representative from a power company to clear troubled areas with many fallen trees and downed power lines. The team was able to get these types of areas opened first, and power restored.
“The power companies are very good about knowing which critical infrastructure, such as hospitals or merged operation center, things like that ― they know what are on each circuit. So they have some internal processes put together along with avenues that we have to kind of help speed up some of that in, in the trouble areas.” said Womack.
Essential supplies, tips residents should know about before winter storm hits
Womack provided the following weather preparedness tips in the event of a snowstorm:
- Make sure you have a full tank of gas and warm weather gear when traveling in case you get stranded or stuck in traffic (jacket, gloves, blanket, car charger).
- Prepare the home for a winter storm by leaving one of your water faucets dripping to keep the flow of water going. Be mindful of any busted water pipes.
- Purchase at least 72 hours of water and non-perishable food on hand like canned goods.
- Keep a cell phone charger nearby.
- Pick up any prescription medications your family may need in advance of the storm. The same goes for pet necessities and pet food.
- You will need batteries, a flashlight, and weather radios in case the power goes out.
- Residents who own generators are urged to use them in a safe manner under the guidance of the manufacturer’s recommendations. Generators should run outside to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.
- Portable heaters that use kerosene should be kept far away to prevent materials nearby from combusting, which may result in a home fire. Make sure the heater is cleared out. Do not tip the heater over.
- Be on the safe side by spending a few nights with a friend or family member who does have power.
How to stay updated on alerts from Greenville County Emergency Management, SCDOT?
Once the Emergency Operations Center is activated, information from sheltering to warming center locations will be posted on the Greenville County Emergency Management team’s website and social media pages.
For real-time road and travel updates, the public should follow SCDOT’s website and social media channels. Information on shelters and power outages will be provided by local governments, emergency management agencies, and utility companies.
“SCDOT coordinates with utility providers to ensure road access for repair crews during and after winter weather, and any road closures are evaluated based on safety and communicated through official channels in coordination with law enforcement and emergency partners.” said Childs.
Nina Tran is the public safety and education reporter for The Greenville News, part of the USA TODAY Network. She has also covered trending topics for the newsroom. Reach her via email at ntran@usatodayco.com.
COLUMBIA — Coach Dawn Staley gave fans an early look at what’s to come with South Carolina women’s basketball and Nike.
The university officially switched to the brand as its uniform supplier on July 1 after 19 years with Under Armour. This move brings the chance to support A’ja Wilson, a former Gamecocks star who has had her own signature shoe with Nike since May 2025.
In the contract of the Nike agreement, it specifically stated Staley’s team would get Wilson’s shoes, including custom team colors. On July 2, Staley posted photos of the shoes.
While it’s unconfirmed as of now if they are the exact shoes the team will get and wear, the ones Staley posted are garnet, black and white “A’Twos” with Gamecocks logos. One shoe has a black top, the other with white, with matching logos and garnet detail around the base of the shoe.
The bottom of each shoe has Wilson’s logo from her Nike line, in addition to the signature Nike swoosh.
Staley captioned the post, “Why are my feet on fire? Here’s why?!! @GamecockWBB 1 of 1s but are @_ajawilson22 A’Twos!”
Wilson started with her shoes called the “A’One” and then released a second version in May called the A’Twos. South Carolina players can now wear any Nike shoes they want, but the contract specifically mentions the latest version of the A’Twos.
Staley had her own Nike signature shoe released in 1999 called the “Nike Zoom S5.”
“Having been a Nike athlete most of my life, I’m well-versed in what partnership with them means to an organization and its athletes,” Staley said in the July 1 news release. “I am excited that all of our teams at South Carolina will get to feel that, too. For our women’s basketball team, only good things have happened when we’ve partnered with A’ja Wilson, so I look forward to what’s coming next in that legacy.”
Five South Carolina athletes signed signed NIL deals as part of Nike’s new Blue Ribbon Elite NIL program, including women’s basketball stars Joyce Edwards and Chloe Kitts. Quarterback LaNorris Sellers, wide receiver Nyck Harbor and edge rusher Dylan Stewart round out the group of five Gamecocks who are part of the inaugural Blue Ribbon class for South Carolina.
Lulu Kesin covers South Carolina athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email her at LKesin@usatodayco.com. Follow her on X@Lulukesin and Bluesky@bylulukesin.bsky.social
LANCASTER COUNTY, S.C. (WPDE) — Police said two people were hurt in a plane crash on Thursday morning, according to reporting from WSOC.
They said it happened near a scrap yard near West Brooklyn Avenue and Springdale Road.
Online flight records show a Beechcraft airplane owned by Pressley Aviation LLC was last seen flying near the crash site at 1 a.m.
Furthermore, the records show the plane had been flying from Laredo, Texas before heading towards the Carolinas.
WSOC reported seeing wreckage of the plane among trees near the scrap yard.
The two involved both reportedly survived the crash but were sent to hospital for burns, according to WSOC’s reporting.
Powerball, Mega Millions jackpots: What to know in case you win
Here’s what to know in case you win the Powerball or Mega Millions jackpot.
Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
The South Carolina Education Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at July 1, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from July 1 drawing
02-06-26-39-68, Powerball: 06, Power Play: 2
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 Plus FIREBALL numbers from July 1 drawing
Midday: 1-0-6, FB: 4
Evening: 9-9-6, FB: 5
Check Pick 3 Plus FIREBALL payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 Plus FIREBALL numbers from July 1 drawing
Midday: 2-3-7-6, FB: 4
Evening: 0-9-2-6, FB: 5
Check Pick 4 Plus FIREBALL payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash Pop numbers from July 1 drawing
Midday: 04
Evening: 11
Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Palmetto Cash 5 numbers from July 1 drawing
02-22-31-37-42
Check Palmetto Cash 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from July 1 drawing
10-20-30-60-64, Powerball: 07
Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
The South Carolina Education Lottery provides multiple ways to claim prizes, depending on the amount won:
For prizes up to $500, you can redeem your winnings directly at any authorized South Carolina Education Lottery retailer. Simply present your signed winning ticket at the retailer for an immediate payout.
Winnings $501 to $100,000, may be redeemed by mailing your signed winning ticket along with a completed claim form and a copy of a government-issued photo ID to the South Carolina Education Lottery Claims Center. For security, keep copies of your documents and use registered mail to ensure the safe arrival of your ticket.
SC Education Lottery
P.O. Box 11039
Columbia, SC 29211-1039
For large winnings above $100,000, claims must be made in person at the South Carolina Education Lottery Headquarters in Columbia. To claim, bring your signed winning ticket, a completed claim form, a government-issued photo ID, and your Social Security card for identity verification. Winners of large prizes may also set up an Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) for convenient direct deposit of winnings.
Columbia Claims Center
1303 Assembly Street
Columbia, SC 29201
Claim Deadline: All prizes must be claimed within 180 days of the draw date for draw games.
For more details and to access the claim form, visit the South Carolina Lottery claim page.
When are the South Carolina Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 10:59 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 11 p.m. ET on Tuesday and Friday.
- Pick 3: Daily at 12:59 p.m. (Midday) and 6:59 p.m. (Evening).
- Pick 4: Daily at 12:59 p.m. (Midday) and 6:59 p.m. (Evening).
- Cash Pop: Daily at 12:59 p.m. (Midday) and 6:59 p.m. (Evening).
- Palmetto Cash 5: 6:59 p.m. ET daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a South Carolina editor. You can send feedback using this form.
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