Hurricane Ian has made its second landfall in the United States, as it crossed into Gerogetown, South Carolina, just after 2 p.m. Friday, with a path heading straight for North Carolina.
Tropical storm force wind gusts are already impacting Fayetteville and the surrounding areas, and rain has been falling steadily since the early morning hours.
Power outages have started to increase across the region (more info below), and will likely increase as winds get stronger this afternoon.
A reminder that you should stay off the roads unless absolutely necessary. And if you are out driving, and power is out at a traffic light, DO NOT GO THROUGH THE INTERSECTION. Treat the intersection as a 4-way stop, just like if there was a stop sign.
“Stay indoors and off the roads if you can. If you have to go out, don’t drive through water,” Gov. Cooper said in his afternoon update. “It only takes a few inches to sweep a car away. Over the past 24 hours, we’ve seen Hurricane Ian plow through the Southeast, leaving destruction & death behind. We mourn for the lives lost.”
The entire region remains in a Tropical Storm Warning, and is now additionally in a Tornado Watch, with a Level 2 risk of severe impacts.
“At 200 PM EDT (1800 UTC), the center of Hurricane Ian was located near latitude 33.2 North, longitude 79.1 West,” the latest report from the National Hurricane Center said. “Ian is moving toward the north near 15 mph (24 km/h). Ian is forecast to turn toward the north-northwest by tonight and will move inland across eastern South Carolina and central North Carolina tonight and Saturday.”
10. Flood Probability
