Hurricane Ian, with maximum sustained winds of 85 miles per hour (140 km/h), moves from the Atlantic towards the coast of South Carolinawhere it will make landfall this Friday, reported the US National Hurricane Center (NHC).
Since forming in the central Caribbean last weekend, Ian, the fourth hurricane of 2022, has left a trail of destruction, especially in western Cuba and Florida.
This Friday, after crossing the Florida peninsula from west to east to reach the Atlantic, Ian is located about 105 miles (175 km) south-southeast of Charleston, South Carolina, and 185 miles (295 km) south-southwest Cape Fears, North Carolina.
The hurricane moves at 9 miles per hour (15 km/h) heading north and can cause storm surge along the Carolinas coast with sea level rise of up to a maximum of seven feet (11.2 meters), according to the NHC.
The watches and warnings issued by the NHC They range from northeast Florida to North Carolina.
An increase in forward speed is expected this morning, followed by a turn to the north-northwest by tonight.
On the track chart the center of Ian will approach and reach the coast of South Carolina today and then move inland across eastern South Carolina and central North Carolina tonight and Saturday.
After making landfall, it will experience a rapid weakening and Ian is predicted to become an extratropical low pressure system over North Carolina tonight or Saturday.
Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 70 miles (110 km) and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 485 miles (780 km).
In addition to storm surge, Ian is going to dump heavy rains, with the risk of flooding and overflowing of rivers, and waves and currents in the sea.
There is also a risk of tornadoes in the areas where it will pass.