Winter arrived early for South Carolina this weekend, as parts of the state received their earliest snowfalls on record. The state's Midlands region and the capital, Columbia, saw the earliest snowfall of the season going back to at least 1880, reported WIS News 10.

Thousands were left without power west of Columbia in Lexington County due to high winds. Temperatures were warmer on Saturday, but a cold, rainy day was expected across many inland areas of the Carolinas.

Parts of eastern Tennessee also recorded snow late on Friday. "It is somewhat unusual that we're seeing measurable snow," National Weather Service meteorologist Terry Getz told news station WBIR. Up to a foot of snow was forecasted for areas of the Great Smoky Mountains at elevations above 2,500 feet.

Chicago and parts of the Upper Midwest also received snow on Friday, with 10 inches recorded in northern Wisconsin.