Emergency declared by SC Gov. McMaster ahead of Hurricane Helene’s arrival

South Carolina is officially in a state of emergency as a hurricane threatens to sweep over the Southeast in the coming days.

Gov. Henry McMaster issued the official declaration on Wednesday, the day before Hurricane Helene is expected to make landfall in the Florida panhandle and push its way north. Helene is expected to bring tropical storm force winds and rain to South Carolina on Thursday into Friday, with the potential for flooding and storm damage in some parts of the state.

“Although South Carolina will likely avoid the brunt of Hurricane Helene’s impacts, the storm is still expected to bring dangerous flooding, high winds, and isolated tornadoes to many parts of the state,” McMaster said in a statement announcing the state of emergency. “This State of Emergency ensures that Team South Carolina has the necessary resources in place to respond to these potential impacts.

“South Carolinians in potentially affected areas should start to take precautions now and monitor local weather forecasts over the next several days,” the governor said.

The governor’s executive order puts South Carolina’s emergency operations plan into place, and directs the S.C. Emergency Management Division to coordinate preparations for incoming requests for assistance from local governments around the state.

A Tropical Storm Watch has been in effect for Lexington and Richland counties since 11 a.m. Wednesday. The National Weather Service projects that up to 3 inches of rain could fall across the Midlands in the next 48 hours, with higher rainfalls possible in western parts of the region. Wind gusts overnight Thursday into Friday could reach up to 50 mph, creating the potential for tornadoes and power outages. River flooding could last into next week as all that extra water makes its way out of the area, the weather service warns.

Helene is expected to weaken into a tropical depression by Friday afternoon as it passes over Georgia and Tennessee. The Palmetto State should avoid a direct hit, but will still experience the effects of the storm.

This story was originally published September 25, 2024 at 4:07 PM.

Bristow Marchant

The State

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Bristow Marchant covers local government, schools and community in Lexington County for The State. He graduated from the College of Charleston in 2007. He has almost 20 years of experience covering South Carolina at the Clinton Chronicle, Sumter Item and Rock Hill Herald. He joined The State in 2016. Bristow has won numerous awards, most recently the S.C. Press Association’s 2024 education reporting award.  Support my work with a digital subscription