After tearing through the southwest coast of Florida, Hurricane Ian is set to make landfall over South Carolina later today, now a Category 1 storm with 85 mph winds. The potential for a life-threatening storm surge looms as South and North Carolinians prepare for impact.
South Carolina is seeing heavy rain this morning and experiencing some flash flooding as the hurricane approaches, especially in the Charleston region where the hurricane is expected to make landfall. The city of Charleston could see a storm surge up to 7 feet high when the storm hits, which is predicted to happen sometime this afternoon.
7 am. Already kicking pretty good in #Charleston. Radar says this is a vigorous inner rainband. Chasing #Hurricane #IAN in #SouthCarolina pic.twitter.com/nihl0efW3x
— Josh Morgerman (@iCyclone) September 30, 2022
This is the first hurricane to hit South Carolina since Hurricane Matthew in 2016.
So far, no evacuations have been ordered by South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster. However, he stressed that although no evacuations are ordered, the storm is still dangerous.
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper echoed this to his state, saying, “I want to be clear. This storm can still be dangerous and even deadly.”
Weather alerts extend from Florida to North Carolina, with a hurricane watch in effect for the coast from northern Florida to the Georgia-South Carolina border.
Meanwhile, rescue operations in Florida are underway and officials have confirmed at least 14 deaths caused by the hurricane. This hurricane may prove to be the deadliest in Florida’s history.
