Tropical Storm Danny strengthens off Lowcountry coast; landfall expected this evening

Sofia Sanchez, Lisa Wilson, Lana Ferguson
·2 min read

A weather system off the South Carolina coast strengthened into Tropical Storm Danny just after 3 p.m. Monday.

As of a 3:05 p.m. update from the National Hurricane Center, the system was located about 60 miles east-southeast of Beaufort and moving west-northwest at 16 mph with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph.

Portions of South Carolina’s coast had been under a tropical storm warning for most of the afternoon. That includes areas from Edisto Beach to the South Santee River. Tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere in the warning area within the next 12 hours.

A weather station at Folly Beach reported a wind gust of 41 mph.

On the forecast track, the center of the storm likely will make landfall along coast of South Carolina in the warning area Monday evening.

The outer bands of the storm brought some rain and wind gusts to the Beaufort County area well before landfall, Ron Morales, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Charleston, said around 2:15 p.m.

He said the system was moving swiftly but isn’t expected to impact the southern coastal part of the state as much as the Charleston area. Still, there will be noticeable wind and possible signs of flooding.

“It’s hard to envision widespread flooding at this point, but there will be some ponding of water in places that get repeatedly hit by these showers that have come through over the last couple weeks,” Morales said.

Some slight strengthening of the system was expected, and the depression was forecast to become a tropical storm before it makes landfall, according to the latest Hurricane Center bulletin. Rapid weakening was forecast after the system makes landfall.

Several inches of rain were expected along the coasts of southern South Carolina and Georgia through Tuesday. Because the region has been dry, the chance of widespread flooding was less, the bulletin said, but local flooding cannot be ruled out.

The main risks with the storm, according to a briefing from the National Weather Service in Charleston, include:

  • Heavy rainfall

  • Enhanced risk of rip currents

  • Minor coastal flooding with the late evening high tide

  • Gusty winds, especially within showers

  • Low risk for isolated tornadoes

The next update is expected from the Hurricane Center at 5 p.m.

This story will be updated through the afternoon.