North Myrtle Beach Times Serving our Community and the Grand Strand for over 50 years
This was the view down Main Street in Loris Saturday night.
By Kaye Collins
Although Loris does not have a permanent “Winter Wonderland” attraction, the city transformed into a natural winter wonderland on Feb. 1, 2026, when an unusual winter storm deposited 7 inches of snow in the region which was the highest accumulation recorded in Horry County during this week’s storm.
Residents of Loris, Green Sea and Longs areas delighted in the snowfall that began late afternoon on Saturday, Jan. 31, with the heaviest accumulation occurring overnight into Sunday, Feb. 1.
As soon as the first snowflake appeared, excitement drew residents to their windows to witness the falling snowflakes. Some individuals stepped outside to capture images of the soft, fluffy snow cascading down, quickly settling on the grass. With the winds, snowdrifts began to form, and some people adorned these drifts by creating snowmen. The snow was too dry to make snowballs or snowmen until Sunday, when the temperatures started to rise and melting commenced.
A number of residents made their way to the Highway 9 overpass on Highway 701 North, bringing sleds and cardboard to create makeshift sleds. Children of all ages raced down the hill, filled with laughter as they relished the fast descent. Meanwhile, parents exercised caution at the bottom of the hill, ensuring that the sleds did not reach the highway.
From infants to old geezers, everyone had their photos captured in the snow. The infants who couldn’t walk or stand were placed in their winter attire in the snow. Facebook is brimming with images and videos of people enjoying the snow. I asked for pictures of children frolicking in the snow and was overwhelmed with an abundance of adorable photos, making it challenging to select which ones to include in my article.
On Tuesday afternoon, the snow had melted, and the ice on the roads had turned into puddles of water. Meteorologists have cautioned residents that nighttime temperatures this week will range from 19 to 29 degrees, with some overnight lows reaching the mid-40s. By the end of the week, there should be no traces of the snow.
On Monday, Feb. 2, Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow. According to folklore, a cloudy morning indicates that the groundhog did not see his shadow and will stay above ground, which signifies the end of winter. Conversely, if the groundhog sees his shadow on a sunny day, it predicts several more weeks of cold weather.
