Tropical Storm Watch issued for the Lowcountry as TS Hermine advances

CHARLESTON, SC (WCSC) - A Tropical Storm Watch has been issued for the Lowcountry as Tropical Storm Hermine makes its way to South Carolina.

The watch affects Charleston, Coastal Colleton, Beaufort and tidal Berkeley counties.

The latest forecast model of Tropical Storm Hermine edged the projected path of the storm slightly east, still placing the eye of the storm towards the Midlands.

For residents in the Lowcountry, expect rain starting on and off Thursday overnight through Friday.

On Friday afternoon, the storm will be to the south of South Carolina and will pass along the state Friday evening and begin to pull away.

The impact for the Lowcountry will be possible heavy rain and wind.

Four to six inches of rain is possible especially along the I-95 corridor and some flash flooding with wind gusts of up to 40 to 45 mph. Power outages are expected.

The National Hurricane Center says Hermine is expected to be a hurricane when it makes landfall in Florida.

At 11 p.m. on Wednesday, the center of Tropical Storm Hermine was located near latitude 25.8 North, longitude 87.0 West.

Maximum sustained winds have increased to 60 mph with higher gusts. The Wednesday night report had the storm moving North-Northeast at 10 mph.

Additional strengthening of Hermine is forecast during the next day or two.

Forecasters have issued a hurricane warning for portions of northwestern Florida.
    
The National Hurricane Center on Wednesday night set the warning from the Suwanee River west to Mexico Beach as Tropical Storm Hermine was continuing to strengthen over the Gulf of Mexico.
    
Hermine was 315 miles (510 kilometers) west-southwest of Tampa with winds of 60 mph (95 kph). It was expected to continue to strengthen through Thursday and be near the coast by the night.
    
The center also expanded a tropical storm watch from Georgia into South Carolina.

The combination of a dangerous storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline. There is a possibility of life-threatening inundation within the next 48 hours along the Gulf coast of Florida from Aripeka to Indian Pass.

Storm total rainfall amounts of five to 10 inches are possible over portions of central and northern Florida through Friday, with isolated maximum amounts of 15 inches possible.

Coastal areas of Georgia and the Carolinas are expected to receive storm total rainfall of four to eight inches, with local amounts of 10 inches possible through Saturday morning. These rains may cause flooding and flash flooding.

Isolated tornadoes are possible late tonight into Thursday morning mainly across central Florida. A few tornadoes are possible Thursday afternoon into Thursday night over north Florida and southeast Georgia.

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A Hurricane Watch means that hurricane conditions are possible within the watch area.  A watch is typically issued 48 hours before the anticipated first occurrence of tropical-storm-force winds, conditions that make outside preparations difficult or dangerous.

A Tropical Storm Watch means that tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area, generally within 48 hours.

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