Here’s when SC may start feeling impacts from Hurricane Milton, latest forecast shows

Hurricane Milton is not expected to hit South Carolina directly, but it will still be close enough to impact the state, the latest forecast shows.

According to the National Weather Service , parts of South Carolina may start noticing impacts from Hurricane Milton starting Wednesday. The storm could generate gusty winds south and east of I-20 and rain along the South Carolina coast. Milton, which is expected to continue passing by South Carolina on Thursday, could also produce significant coastal flooding.

The hurricane is currently expected to stay south of the Midlands, but could still generate wind gusts between 20 and 25 mph in the eastern portions of the Midlands between Wednesday and Thursday, according to NWS Columbia.

Hurricane Milton rapidly strengthened to a Category 5 storm on Monday in the Gulf in its steady approach to to the west coast of Florida. The hurricane is predicted to hit the coast of Florida Wednesday evening, then continue moving across the state and into the Atlantic.

Category 5 is the highest level for a hurricane and means the storm can generate sustained wind speeds of 157 mph or more.