The forecast is uncertain, but over the next 4 to 5 days, meteorologists are closely watching Tropical Storm Isaac for impacts in Coastal South Carolina and south Georgia.
If the storm follows its current path — which is still uncertain — it will hit Florida's Gulf Coast as a strong Category 1 Hurricane. From there, the weakened storm will drop large amounts of rain across a 270-mile swath of the South.
The "most likely scenario is potential for heavy rain, isolated tornadoes and gusty winds in rain bands mainly Tuesday and Wednesday, possibly starting as early as late Monday," the National Weather Service office in Charleston said in a Friday advisory.
The most severe impacts would come from tornadoes and falling trees, the Weather Service reported. Though the winds overall are not expected to be strong, once the ground is saturated with water, trees can easily topple even in moderate winds.
For now, the impacts don't seem more severe than a strong storm, but that could change as Isaac's path shifts, the Weather Service reports.
"Based on the current forecast, the possibility of tropical storm watches and warnings look quite low for the area," the agency said in its statement. "However, if Isaac tracks closer to us than currently expected, tropical storm watches could be issued as early as late Saturday or Sunday."
Isaac is the ninth named storm of the 2012 Atlantic Hurricane Season. The 10th storm, Joyce, fizzled in the Atlantic this week, and has just a 10 percent chance of regenerating. A third storm, yet unnamed, has a 30 percent chance of forming. If it's named, the system will be Tropical Storm Kirk.
mariah carrie erickson
2:00 pm on Saturday, August 25, 2012
Will columbia sc be inpacted by this storm
Adam Crisp
4:28 pm on Saturday, August 25, 2012
Looks like you could get some of the rain, but I wouldn't change plans. The coast absorbs most of the impact usually
mariah carrie erickson
8:36 pm on Saturday, August 25, 2012
Does that mean alot of bad storms , wind speed , && power outages ?
Carolyn Farr Smith
9:09 pm on Saturday, August 25, 2012
The storm is already starting to wreak havoc on the Republican National Convention in Tampa. They are working to adjust travel and speaking schedules. The convention will convene Monday but suspend all activities until a time to be determined on Tuesday, according to published reports.
mariah carrie erickson
10:28 pm on Saturday, August 25, 2012
Could sc have alot of damage to this storm