A hurricane warning has been issued for the entire Atlantic coast of South Carolina, with tropical storm warnings issued for Florida’s central and north Atlantic coast and the entire Atlantic coasts of North Carolina and Georgia.
The National Hurricane Center cautions “a danger of life-threatening storm surge through Friday along the coasts of northeast Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina.”
“Residents in these areas should follow any advice given by local officials,” the NWC wrote in an 11 a.m. update Thursday.
Hurricane-force winds are expected across the South Carolina coast beginning early Friday, the NWC notes. Hurricane conditions are possible as early as Thursday night in northeast Florida and Georgia. Tropical-storm-force winds will begin well before the center of the storm approaches and weather officials encourage residents to rush preparation efforts.
Meanwhile, ongoing major-to-record river flooding will continue in portions of central Florida and considerable flooding is expected in northern Florida, according to the NWC.
Likewise, flash and urban flooding is expected in portions of northeast Florida through Friday, with local significant flooding in southeastern Georgia and eastern South Carolina through the end of the week.
Tropical storm Ian is currently located off the east coast of Florida south of Daytona Beach and is now in the Atlantic Ocean where it will likely gain strength before again making landfall on the Atlantic coast somewhere in Georgia, South Carolina or North Carolina, though tracks indicate likely landfall in South Carolina.
Hurricane Ian made landfall in Southwest Florida on Wednesday at Cayo Costa near Fort Myers and Cape Coral.
