Milton not forecast to track in SC, but hurricane may cause damage to Midlands. Here’s why

Hurricane Milton is getting closer to making landfall in Florida , where it could cause tremendous damage. Although the powerful storm is not forecast to track into South Carolina , parts of the Columbia area could still be impacted by Milton’s effects as the Midlands continues to recover from the devastation of Hurricane Helene .

The lashing caused by Helene’s powerful winds and heavy amounts of rain has left the Columbia area more susceptible to Hurricane Milton’s effects, even as it veers away from South Carolina and toward the Atlantic Ocean.

Even though Hurricane Milton is forecast to track well south of the Palmetto State, the storm could cause gusty winds across the Midlands, some as powerful as 35 mph, National Weather Service meteorologists said in a Wednesday morning briefing.

Those winds could create impacts in the Columbia area because of trees that have been damaged and left weakened or leaning in Helene’s wake, according to the briefing.

Damage to trees and branches creates the possibility of downed power lines and outages. More than 1 million power customers in South Carolina were left in the dark , some for several days or weeks, because of Helene.

A wind advisory was issued Wednesday afternoon and will go into effect at 4 a.m. Thursday, according to the National Weather Service. The advisory runs through 8 p.m. Thursday and includes Richland and Lexington counties as well as most of the Midlands.

No other watches or warnings have been issued, but that could change as the storm moves closer to landfall .

Hurricane Milton’s winds could begin to be felt in the Midlands on Thursday, according to the briefing. The winds, which could be sustained at about 15 mph, with even more powerful gusts, could hit in the morning and continue through the afternoon and last to evening, the National Weather Service said.

“Winds this strong can make driving difficult, especially for high profile vehicles,” the National Weather Service said. “Use extra caution.”

The National Weather Service also encouraged resident to secure outdoor objects.

The parts of the Midlands most likely to feel the strong winds are in the areas along and south of Interstate 20, according to the briefing. Helene stormed through much of the I-20 area as it hit Georgia and then South Carolina in late September.

More than 40 people died in South Carolina as a result of Helene, which caused widespread flooding, damaged roads and homes.

No rain is forecast for the Columbia area , and any caused by Hurricane Milton will be to the southeast of the Midlands, according to the National Weather Service. Clear and sunny conditions expected and temperatures in the 70s through Saturday. Overnight temperatures could dip into the 40s this week, according to the forecast.

As of 2 p.m. Wednesday, Milton was a category 4 hurricane that was about 150 miles away from Tampa, Florida, and was moving north at 16 mph with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph, as well as hurricane-force winds that extend out 35 miles from the center, according to the National Hurricane Center.

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