Ice dam risk in Clemson, SC
Will your roof get ice dams in Clemson, SC?
0.1 dam days a winter
Almost never. An ordinary house in Clemson sees 0.1 days a winter when an ice dam can form, because snow rarely stays on a roof long enough below freezing.
Clemson averages 2 inches of snow a year and about 1 day with snow on the ground. Too little lies on the roof for long. The conditions that make a dam need all three at once: snow, cold at the eave and heat above it.
Do you need to do anything in Clemson?
- Nothing for ice dams. If you are buying here and an inspector mentions water at the eaves, ask what they saw: it is far more likely a gutter, flashing or drip-edge problem than ice.
Snowy places are not always the worst: why snowfall misleads.
Clemson winter, month by month
| Month | Snow (in) | Days on ground | Dam days |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.0 |
| February | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.0 |
| March | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| December | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.0 |
Clemson next to nearby towns
Clemson ranks 13 of 42 South Carolina cities here for ice-dam days, behind Greenville at 0.3 days.
- Anderson, SC 15 mi, 0.0 days
- Easley, SC 16 mi, 0.1 days
- Greenville, SC 28 mi, 0.3 days
- Mauldin, SC 29 mi, 0.3 days
- Simpsonville, SC 32 mi, 0.3 days
Where these numbers come from
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals from Clemson Univ, 1.8 miles from Clemson. A dam day is a day with snow on the roof and freezing at the eave while heat or sun melts the snow above it. This describes a normal winter, not this one.