Much of Charleston and coastal South Carolina saw more than five inches of snow on Wednesday, January 3, as a severe winter storm affected the eastern United States.

Schools in several counties were shut and thousands of residents living near the coast lost power, local paper The State reported. Interstate 526, a heavily traveled highway in Charleston, was partially shut down.

The National Weather Service said Wednesday marked Charleston’s third snowiest day in history. The city recording its heaviest snowfall in December 1989, when six inches accumulated.

Counties across Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and Virginia also experienced frigid temperatures. The storm was forecast to move up the East Coast as residents in the tri-state area and beyond braced for blizzard conditions. Credit: Instagram/sheasinclair via Storyful