Charleston, SC – Residents across the South Carolina coast are being urged to prepare as a tropical system could impact the region beginning early next week.
According to the National Weather Service in Charleston, Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine is forecast to strengthen into a tropical storm and possibly a hurricane as it moves northward. The system is expected to approach the Southeast coast between Monday and Thursday.
Forecasters warn the primary threat will be widespread heavy rainfall, with totals of 5 to 10 inches likely across the Lowcountry. Locally higher amounts are possible, leading to flash flooding in urban areas and river flooding across inland counties. Rainfall is expected to persist into Thursday morning.
Additional hazards include strong tropical-storm-force winds, dangerous rip currents, high surf, and the potential for coastal storm surge. The most likely arrival of tropical-storm-force winds in South Carolina is late Monday into Tuesday, with conditions deteriorating quickly once the system nears the coast.
Forecast maps from the National Hurricane Center show the potential track moving toward the Carolinas, with South Carolina in the cone of uncertainty. Officials stress that hazardous conditions can occur outside the forecast cone, and residents should closely monitor updates.
Emergency managers recommend preparing for possible power outages, securing outdoor items, and reviewing flood safety plans. “It’s important not to focus solely on the exact track,” forecasters emphasized. “Impacts from rain, flooding, and wind could extend well beyond the center of the storm.”
The National Weather Service is expected to provide updated forecasts through the weekend as the system develops.
