Ian's anticipated westward trek still means a wet weekend and week beginning for Petersburg

Bill Atkinson, The Progress-Index
·2 min read

PETERSBURG — The remnants of Tropical Storm Ian are expected to pass well west of the Tri-City area, but that does not mean their effects will not be felt here.

As much as 5 inches of rain could fall across the area beginning Friday morning and lasting through next Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service office in Wakefield. Rainfall will begin sometime after 5 a.m. Friday, and while it will mostly come in pockets, the weekend is looking to be pretty much of a washout.

The hurricane formerly known as Ian roared ashore Wednesday afternoon near Fort Myers, Florida and quickly began moving northward up the state. It is expected to pass into the Atlantic Ocean for a short time before re-landing along the South Carolina coast and marching northwestward. Florida officials are predicting "hundreds" of deaths as a result of the storm, which came in as a Category 4 event with 150 mph winds and sheets of rain.

At least five deaths have been linked to the storm, USA TODAY reported, with one Florida official saying there could be "hundreds" more.

More:Rescues underway; 2.6M without power as Tropical Storm Ian continues to wallop Florida: Live updates

Ian is expected to march northwest through most of South Carolina and western North Carolina Friday once it makes its second landfall. That path will steer it clear of the Tri-City area, but that will be the only "clear" associated with our weather for the next several days.

Most of the rain will fall Friday into Friday night, NWS predicted, with the possibility of 2-4 inches into the evening. Another inch could fall Saturday.

Cloudy skies will blanket the area Sunday through Tuesday, but the rain chances will steadily drop off, from 70% on Sunday to 30% by Tuesday. Wednesday is the next scheduled sunny day, NWS predicted.

Temperatures will stay in the 60s to around 70 degrees all throughout that period, NWS said.

Stay up to date with the National Weather Service forecast by clicking here.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin declared a state of emergency for Virginia Wednesday in advance of Ian's arrival. “We want to ensure that our communities have the resources needed to respond to and recover from any potential effects from the storm," Youngkin said in his announcement.

The declaration ahead of the storm sort of expedites the process for citizens to file for and receive federal aid in the event of major damage.

Bill Atkinson (he/him/his) is an award-winning journalist who covers breaking news, government and politics. Reach him at batkinson@progress-index.com or on Twitter at @BAtkinson_PI.

This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: Petersburg area still expecting a wet weekend due to Ian