Lowcountry braces for impacts of Hurricane Idalia Wednesday

MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCBD) – A tropical storm warning has been issued for the South Carolina coast as Hurricane Idalia creeps closer to Florida Wednesday morning.

Idalia is expected to make landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region as a Category 4 hurricane. 

After landfall, forecasters say the storm will make a northeastern turn and then east – moving near the coast of Georgia and South Carolina. 

In Charleston, impacts from Idalia will gradually increase Wednesday morning and continue through Thursday morning.

According to the National Weather Service, Idalia will subside to a tropical storm as it moves along the South Carolina coast. 

A tropical storm warning is active for Charleston, inland Colleton, Berkeley, Georgetown, Dorchester, and Williamsburg counties. A storm surge watch is in place for Charleston and coastal Colleton counties. 

A hurricane watch is in effect for the mouth of St. Mary’s River northward to Edisto Beach and Coastal Colleton County.

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) said Idalia is southwest of Tampa with maximum sustained winds of 125 mph. “This increase in intensity is going to continue all the way to landfall,” Storm Team 2 Meteorologist Josh Marthers said. NHC expects Idalia to hit Florida as a Category 4 hurricane.

The Lowcountry is bracing for heavy rain bands and wind gusts Wednesday morning.

Rainfall totals are expected to range between 4 and 8 inches in inland South Carolina, and 1 to 3 inches closer to the coast. 

Marthers forecasts 40 to 60 mph winds in the area, with the highest winds over the coastal water.