RALEIGH, NC (WTVD) — Hurricane Ian approaches North Carolina as rain and wind intensify across the region.
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Hurricane Ian became a Category 1 hurricane near Georgetown, South Carolina.
The National Weather Service said the storm will now weaken rapidly as it pushes inland through South Carolina and North Carolina.
Rain from Ian will continue into North Carolina through Thursday.
Ian is expected to become a post-tropical cyclone overnight and dissipate on Saturday.
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The National Weather Service has issued a Tornado Watch for all of eastern North Carolina until 10 p.m.
A Tornado Watch indicates that conditions are favorable for tornado formation. That doesn’t mean any tornadoes are imminent.
The ABC11 First Alert Weather Team said the chance of a tornado during this particular storm is low, but possible.
Ian’s North Carolina forecast
Ian is expected to make landfall near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, on Friday afternoon.
However, almost all of the storm’s rainfall is located north of its center. That’s why rain bands arrived in North Carolina early Friday morning — and why most of the rain will be gone by the end of the day.
A Tropical Storm Warning remains in effect for most of central North Carolina. This means we will see a lot of rain and a lot of wind.
ABC11 meteorologist Kweilyn Murphy said most of us can expect between 2 and 6 inches of rain on Friday. Although isolated areas will experience heavier downpours of more than 6 inches. Isolated flooding will be possible in and around those areas.
The strongest winds from the storm in North Carolina will be near the South Carolina border. These areas around the Sandhills will certainly see sustained winds of 40 miles per hour. The storm will weaken as it moves north and west (and its winds).
storm threats
Wind and rain will be the biggest factors with this storm system for North Carolina.
The wind that started Thursday will continue into Friday with some gusts reaching 50 or 60 mph.
Combined with saturated soil, these strong winds can cause trees to fall and power lines to be compromised. Power crews across the state are on high alert and ready to respond as soon as possible, but it’s still likely that some people will be without power for at least a while.
If you lose power, you should contact the power company. Here is the list numbers to call and other power outage tips.
Widespread flooding and river flooding are not a major threat. However, flooding is a major concern. Because there will be heavy rains in some areas.
As with most storms, tornadoes are possible. But in this case they are unlikely.
Big Weather’s hurricane emergency kit
North Carolina prepares for Ian
Thursday afternoon, Gov. Roy Cooper gave an update on state preparations.
Cooper urged North Carolinians to pay close attention to weather conditions and take necessary precautions as the remnants of Hurricane Ian approach the state.
“Hurricane Ian reminds us how unpredictable these storms can be, and North Carolinians need to be prepared when they hit our state,” Cooper said Thursday. “Up to seven inches of rain in some areas could lead to some flooding. There is a risk of landslides in our mountains and a statewide tornado is possible. Coastal flooding and strong winds are possible as the storm moves through. This storm is still dangerous.”
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