Plus, Riverbanks Zoo introduced a new resident.
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60º | 20% chance of precipitation

Sunrise 7:25 a.m. | Sunset 5:18 p.m.

Full Weather Report | Traffic Report


❄️ Where’s the winter weather?

Winter weather forecast colatoday
Does anyone remember the snow day on January 21, 2022? | Photo by COLAtoday team
Did you know? 2024 was the hottest year on record so far — and the first year to have an average global temperature of more than 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit above preindustrial levels. See what the rest of the year (and the beginning of 2025) has in store.

Thanks to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center, we know what temperatures and precipitation trends to expect in our city for the rest of December, January, and February. While exact weather conditions typically can’t be predicted more than a week in advance, here’s a seasonal outlook to help you prepare for what winter will bring.

Reminder: The first day of winter is on Saturday, Dec. 21.

Winter Weather Outlook

It looks like the next three month’s temperatures will be “likely above” normal. | Photo from the National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center.

🌡️ Temperature

Think warm. This winter, Cola has a 50-60% chance of temperatures being likely above normal — and for Cola that means 34 to 36 degrees for the lows, and 55 to 59.5 degrees for the highs.
Precipitation outlooks + more

Events

Friday, Dec. 20

Watch Freely: Polar Express and Pajamas | 2-5:30 p.m. | Richland Library North Main | Free | Enjoy hot cocoa, cookies, and holiday crafts from around the globe.

Toys 4 Tots with Patrick Davis | 7:30 p.m. | The Senate | $42 | Sing along to Patrick Davis’ music and bring a toy so children have something to open on Christmas Day.

Be The Light: A Celebration of Community for the Holidays | Ernest A. Finney Cultural Arts Center | Free | Enjoy a free outdoor holiday celebration with the community featuring giveaways, holiday treats, and children’s books.

Saturday, Dec. 21

Santa Saturdays | Saturday, Dec. 21 | 11 a.m.-3 p.m. | South Carolina State Museum | $10 | Meet Santa at the museum and enjoy holiday fun with friends and family during Santa Saturdays.

Fireflies Holiday Lights | Sunday, Dec. 22-Saturday, Jan. 4 | 6-9 p.m. | Segra Park | $12 | Enjoy falling snow, visits with Santa, a scavenger hunt, arts + crafts, and over 1.5 million dazzling holiday lights.*

Monday, Dec. 23

The Nick presents “It’s a Wonderful Life” | 11 a.m.-8:30 p.m. | The Nick | $10 | Don’t miss a holiday favorite for generations at Cola’s local theater.

Tuesday, Dec. 31

New Years Eve Noir and Neon Extravaganza | 5 p.m. | Savage Craft Ale Works, West Columbia | Free | Celebrate New Year’s Eve with live jazz, karaoke, three different DJs, a 360-degree photo booth, champagne toasts, and sparkler fountains.*

NYE Dinner at Motor Supply Co. Bistro | 5 p.m. | Motor Supply Co. Bistro | $150 | Attendees will dine on a 10-course tasting dinner featuring locally sourced and uniquely prepared dishes that highlight seasonal ingredients.
More seasonal events
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Columbia Fireflies

News Notes

Jobs

The long-awaited southern brunch restaurant, Tupelo Honey, is hosting a three-week hiring event January 2-19 prior to a February opening in the BullStreet district. Open interviews for 100+ positions will be hosted daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Hilton Garden Inn Columbia Downtown. Candidates are encouraged to apply online here in advance of the event.

Number

$143,000 — that’s the amount the City of Columbia council approved to extend its contract with Toms Creek Family Farms which hosts mobile markets, bringing groceries to locations around Columbia not close to a store. The mobile market launched in March and serves about 25 customers a day. (WLTX)

Health

Lexington Medical Center is the only hospital in the Midlands to be named on U.S. News and World Report’s 2025 Best Hospitals for Maternity Care list. Hospitals named on this list demonstrate significantly lower C-section rates + severe unexpected newborn complications compared to hospitals not recognized.

Soda Citizen

Meet Raiden — a seven-year-old new male sea lion from Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo. Raiden has been behind the scene slowly meeting members of the Riverbanks Zoo’s family and has officially joined the habitat.

Real Estate

Looking to buy a house? As of last Monday, those looking to buy a home in SC can now receive extra assistance via SC’s housing finance agency. If you qualify, you can receive assistance with your down payment. See five different SC Housing programs you can utilize. (The Post and Courier)

Try This

Through Richland Library’s Library of Things, you can visit the Columbia Museum of Art for free via a guest pass — up to two adults and dependent children. Each kit (including your passes and books) can be checked out for two weeks + you can go as many times as you want during open hours.
Can Taco Bell beat Tumble 22 in a chicken taste test? We doubt it, but you can decide for yourself now that Taco Bell has released its crispy chicken nuggets nationwide. If that doesn’t hit the spot, dive into more food news.

Sports

Hear an exclusive interview with Kyle Kennard. Go beyond the scoreboard and behind the scenes of the South Carolina Gamecocks with Locked On’s daily, team-focused podcasts.

Job

Calling all creatives: Bring your writing passion + ad agency experience to 6AM City as a Branded Copywriter. Work remotely, craft impactful campaigns for clients, and collaborate with a passionate team shaping new local media. Flexible work-life balance and creative opportunities await. Apply now.

Shop

The holidays are here — and with them come extra expenses. Regain control of seasonal credit card debt with a 0% intro APR credit card. Experts scoped out this top option that offers a long interest-free period and earns up to 20,000 miles after spending $500 in the first three months.*

Tech

If new phones are on your family’s Christmas list, you can switch to the Total 5G+ Unlimited plan and receive up to four free Samsung Galaxy A35 5G phones. Enjoy unlimited talk, text, data, and hotspot with 12x faster speeds, all backed by “America’s Favorite Network. Make the switch.*

Wellness

End the year on a strong note with these helpful lifestyle tips. From preventive care to wellness tips, discover how small steps today can lead to a healthier tomorrow. Empower yourself to finish the year feeling your best. Learn more.*

Fun Fact

COLAtoday does not have paywalls because we believe access to essential local news is priceless. You can support our free, daily newsletter with a donation. Think of it like buying us coffee — or tea, if that’s more your style. Thank you for your support.
The Blood Connection

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🎁 Don’t miss these last-minute gift picks

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Including a cute necklace and a Kindle remote page turner. | Graphic by 6AM City
Need a last-minute holiday gift that will ship quickly? Shop five great gifts available with Prime two-day shipping.

Layering initial necklace | $15.99 | Ship it fast, but make it feel personal with this 14K gold necklace displaying their first name initial.

Magnetic portable power bank charger | $37.99 | Perfect for the friend whose phone is always dying, this portable charger offers on-the-go power.

Candle warmer lamp + Thymes Fraiser Fir Candle | $39.99 + $36.00 | Make a candle extra special by pairing it with a warmer lamp that will make it last longer with flame-free heat.

Men’s casual henley tee | $19.99 | Snag a soft and comfortable slim-fit shirt.

Kindle remote control page turner | $19.99 | Upgrade their Kindle reading experience with a universal remote control page turner.

Planning one last in-person shopping spree? Check out our local recs.
More gifts that ship fast

The Buy

A new year is just around the corner. Ring in 2025 in style with these celebratory must-haves:

🎉 These party drink pouches are giving adult Capri Sun vibes.
🎉 Get (temporarily) tatted with these NYE-themed iridescent tattoos.
🎉 A New Year’s Eve party isn’t complete without some sparkly decor.
🎉 This 2025 charcuterie board box is the cutest festive addition.
🎉 Say “cheers” at midnight with these glowing cups.
More NYE party essentials this way

The Wrap

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Well, according to our winter forecast, it looks like we may not see too much snow this year — but there’s always a chance. I vividly remember having friends spend the night at my house in 2014 on Halloween night — the last time Halloween was on a Friday — and everyone waking up on November 1 to large snowflakes falling from the sky. All of my best girlfriends, who were supposed to leave the next morning, stayed the whole day. We bundled up in whatever acceptable snow clothes we found in the house to clothe four girls (which wasn’t much because we live in SC), made short snowmen, drank hot chocolate, and couldn’t get over how random a November 1 snow day was. See what our readers predicted about having snow this year below.

Answered

Play meteorologist with us + predict how much snow (overall) you think our city will see this year.

Earlier this week, we wrote an article about the history of snow in the Soda City and asked our readers to predict the amount of snow we would have this year. Over 215 folks weighed in, and here’s what you said:
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If you missed our history of snow article, where we reminisce on several of Cola’s snowtable winter days, read it at the button below.
❄️ Some Cola snow stats

Send us a scoop, question, or feedback

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