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Winter storms and ice: a plumbing checklist for the Midlands

Snow and ice are uncommon in Newberry County. When a storm does come, it is usually the cold behind it, falling trees and power outages that break pipes.

Last reviewed October 30, 2026 against the sources listed below. General information, not insurance or legal advice.

Tree branches coated in thick ice after an ice storm
Ice coats branches after the December 2013 ice storm in Michigan. Freezing rain brings down limbs and power lines. Photo: LadyDragonflyCC, CC BY 2.0.

Pipe-freeze risk for Newberry right now

Pipe-freeze risk, the week ahead: Low

  • Coldest hour: 50°F, Fri, Oct 30 at 8:00 AM ET
  • Hours at or below 32°F: 0; at or below 28°F: 0; at or below 20°F: 0

No freezing temperatures in the hourly forecast. A good week to find your main shutoff, buy faucet covers and check pipe insulation before the first hard freeze.

Computed from the National Weather Service hourly forecast for Newberry, updated Fri, Oct 30 at 8:12 AM ET. Low spots, river bottoms and rural yards often run colder than the forecast point. Thresholds: 32°F freezing; 28°F the NWS hard-freeze level; 20°F the freeze-alert threshold for homes in southern states from University of Illinois research.

No active weather alerts for the area right now. Water and weather center

Open the freeze center · Newberry freeze history

Two or three days before

  • Check the freeze center for winter storm watches and the hourly temperature forecast.
  • Disconnect hoses, cover spigots, and shut down and drain the irrigation system. Irrigation.
  • Insulate exposed pipes, close crawl space vents and check manufactured home skirting.
  • Store drinking water, especially if you are on a well. Ready.gov recommends at least a gallon per person per day for several days in any emergency kit.
  • Find your main shutoff and a flashlight.

During the storm

  • Keep the heat steady, drip faucets on outside walls and open sink cabinets.
  • Stay off icy roads. If a pipe breaks, close the main shutoff; a plumber may not be able to reach you until roads clear.
  • If the power goes out, see power outages.

After the storm

  • The clear nights after a storm are often the coldest. Keep protecting pipes until temperatures recover.
  • As it warms, check the crawl space, the water heater, the pump house and under sinks for leaks. Pipes that split while frozen start leaking as they thaw.
  • Look for trees or limbs on outdoor plumbing, the meter box or the well house.
  • Watch for boil-water notices if mains broke. Boil-water notices.

Recent storms

On January 10, 2025, freezing rain and snow moved through the Midlands, and a damaged line at a Duke Energy substation in Prosperity left nearly 600 Newberry County customers without power overnight. Two weeks later, Newberry's NOAA station recorded a 24-hour period with a high of only 30°F and a low of 19°F. More Newberry cold events.

Official sources

Winter storm watches and warnings for Newberry County come from the National Weather Service in Columbia. Newberry County Emergency Management (540 Wilson Road, 803-321-2135) and the South Carolina Emergency Management Division post road, shelter and warming center information.

Frequently asked questions

Does Newberry get ice storms?

Occasionally. On January 10, 2025, freezing rain and snow damaged a line near Prosperity and left nearly 600 Newberry County customers without power overnight.

When do pipes burst after a winter storm?

Often as temperatures rise after the coldest night, when the ice in a split pipe melts. Check for leaks as it warms.

Policies vary. Check your own policy and ask your insurer or agent about anything that affects your claim. Rules can change; this page reflects the sources below as of October 30, 2026. NewberrySCPlumbing.com is not a plumber, insurer, adjuster or law firm.

Find local help

Plumbers and well contractors serving Newberry County · Ask for help with a frozen or burst pipe · Who to call · Counties and towns

Related guides

Sources

  1. Ready.gov: Winter weather
  2. Ready.gov: Build a kit (water: one gallon per person per day)
  3. National Weather Service, Columbia, SC forecast office
  4. National Weather Service: Cold weather safety
  5. South Carolina Emergency Management Division
  6. Newberry County Emergency Management
  7. WIS: Duke Energy reports power outages in Newberry County (Jan. 11, 2025)
  8. NOAA Regional Climate Centers, Applied Climate Information System (ACIS): NEWBERRY, SC cooperative station USC00386209