Hurricane Earl: How will it affect S.C.?

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 23:51 EDT

Don’t panic. Be ready.

Emergency management officials in South Carolina preached that mantra Tuesday as they awaited the expected turn that could steer Hurricane Earl’s powerful winds and heavy rains away from the state.

All the forecasts call for the turn, but with a Category 4 hurricane aimed in the general direction of the South Carolina coast, emergency managers face a balancing act.

“We try to calm people down but at the same time let them know not to let their guard down,” said Cathy Haynes, Charleston County’s emergency preparedness director. “We don’t want to be caught short, but we don’t want to overdo it. It doesn’t make our decision-making process easy.”

People are feeling the same way from South Carolina through Maine. If Earl turns as expected, land masses that jut out into the Atlantic -- Cape Hatteras, the Massachusetts capes and eastern Maine -- could see blustery days Thursday and Friday. If Earl moves a little to the west of projections, those areas could feel the force of a major hurricane.

TheState.com: Tropical weather

Hurricane Earl: How will it affect S.C.?