Hurricane Ian was downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone Friday afternoon after making its second landfall this week as a Category 1 storm in South Carolina, the National Hurricane Center said in an update.
Ian had maximum sustained winds of 70 mph Friday afternoon, the hurricane center said, but the storm surge warning is still in effect. The National Weather Service issued a hurricane warning for all of South Carolina’s coastal region and portions of North Carolina on Friday afternoon.
WHITE HOUSE: NO PLANS YET FOR BIDEN TO VISIT STORM-RAVAGED FLORIDA AND PUERTO RICO
Govs. Henry McMaster (R-SC) and Roy Cooper (D-NC) declared states of emergency in anticipation of the storm, which is expected to affect both states Friday and Saturday. Over 180,000 South Carolinians were already without power as of Friday afternoon, according to PowerOutage.us.
President Joe Biden approved an emergency declaration for South Carolina, paving the way for the dispatch of federal aid to the state. The Federal Emergency Management Agency is authorized to assist in all 46 counties in the Palmetto State.
In addition to hurricane concerns, parts of the state are also bracing for tornadoes, according to the weather service’s Eastern Region.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) also declared a state of emergency for Virginia, as heavy rain is expected over the weekend.
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Ian made its first landfall in Florida on Wednesday as a Category 4 hurricane with 150 mph winds. The storm is responsible for at least 21 deaths, though officials fear the actual death toll count is considerably higher. Ian mostly roared through Florida as a Category 4 storm before briefly turning into a tropical storm and then regaining power.
