Possible tropical storm and hurricane may bring heavy rain to parts of SC. Here’s when and where

Potential Tropical Cyclone 9 is strengthening as it heads toward Florida and could be a hurricane before bringing heavy rain to parts of South Carolina later this week, weather forecasts show.

The storm was about 150 miles west of Grand Cayman with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph as of 8 a.m. Tuesday, according to a National Hurricane Center advisory. The system is moving northwest at about 9 mph, but is expected to speed up and head northward to north-northeastward on Wednesday and Thursday, the hurricane center states.

“The system is expected to intensify into a major hurricane before it approaches the northeastern Gulf Coast on Thursday, and the potential for life-threatening storm surge and damaging hurricane-force winds along the coast of the Florida Panhandle and the Florida west gulf coast is increasing,” NHS states.

Hurricane and Storm Surge Watches have been issued.

When and where will the storm impact SC?

The storm is expected to move into the Southeast and South Carolina late Thursday evening and early Friday morning.

Much of the Upstate and the Midlands are expected to have a 15% chance of excessive rainfall that will lead to rapid flooding on Thursday. A portion of the Upstate that includes Greenville and Anderson may experience a higher 40% chance of heavy rainfall that will lead to flooding, the forecast shows.

The rest of South Carolina only faces a small 5% of excessive rainfall and flooding from the storm.