RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — Hurricane Ian has weakened to a tropical storm as it moved over Florida after battering the west coast as a major category 4 storm on Wednesday and Thursday.
Hurricane Ian becomes the strongest hurricane to hit the west coast of Florida since Hurricane Charley in 2004.
Ian has emerged over the Atlantic and with the warm waters, Ian is forecast to become a hurricane with 75 mph maximum winds before coming ashore near Charleston, SC on Friday.
The latest track has Ian becoming a tropical storm over South Carolina, and then it will weaken to a remnant low over the mountains of North Carolina on Saturday. With the possibility of tropical force winds moving into central North Carolina, a Tropical Storm Warning will be in effect for Friday and Friday night.
Central North Carolina could have winds over 40 mph Friday into Friday night.
Ian will be a big rainmaker for North Carolina from the mountains to the coast and could cause flooding issues. In the Triangle, 2 to 5 inches of rain will be possible. Most of the rain will fall Friday and Friday night. Even the weekend is looking better, scattered showers will be around on Saturday and Sunday.
Friday will also have a very small chance of severe weather southeast of the Triangle. A Marginal Risk (less than 10%) will be around for a storm to produce damaging downburst wind or even an isolated tornado. The timing will be Friday afternoon and night.
We will continue to track this storm and keep you updated.
