SC emergency officials: Start preparing for Hurricane Matthew

As Hurricane Matthew threatens to unleash Category 4-level winds on Haiti, the Carolina coast is bracing for a wide range of effects from the powerful storm system smashing through the Atlantic this week.

As of Monday evening, latest National Hurricane Center models project the storm will make it to the Lowcountry area by 2 p.m. Saturday. Forecasters changed projections Monday evening and now expect the storm to track closer to the shore, increasing the level of danger in South Carolina.

South Carolina has partially activated their emergency management center. North Carolina and Florida have declared a state of emergency.

“Matthew’s track and timing is still very uncertain at this time,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Emily Timpte on Monday. “Regardless, the (South Carolina) coast will see effects from this storm, even if it stays out to sea.”

Timpte said the storm could hit the Charleston area anywhere between Thursday and Saturday, depending on the speed.

“It’s also possible that the storm pushes closer to the coast,” Timpte said. “It’s just too early to determine at this point.”

The hurricane force winds could remain off the coast, probably coming closest to the Myrtle Beach area on Saturday afternoon. The latest National Hurricane Center has placed a large portion of the Midlands in the westernmost part of the five-day forecast cone.

Several long-term tracking models including one by the National Weather Service shows Matthew striking the southern tip of the North Carolina coast before bouncing back to sea. Best-case scenario, federal forecasters say, high-pressure systems could steer the storm back out to sea.

“We have to be very vigilant in watching this storm,” said Reid Hawkins, science officer with the National Weather Service.

The National Hurricane Center projects that the storm will still be a hurricane by the time it hits the South Carolina area.

The S.C. Emergency Management Division has begun initial preparations for Hurricane Matthew.

“If the storm says out to sea, we could see windy conditions, showers, possible coastal flooding and rough surf,” Timpte said.

As of this morning, Matthew was 220 miles southeast of Kingston, Jamaica. The Category 4 hurricane was expected to hit Haiti Monday night.

After Matthew soars through the Bahamas midweek, the U.S. East Coast will need to be on alert.

“What is clear is that Matthew should remain a powerful system all the way up until and even beyond transitioning to an extra tropical cyclone,” AccuWeather meteorologist Evan Duffey said.

The good news is that Matthew shouldn’t stay in the area long.

“From the models I’m looking at. it should be out of North Carolina by Sunday,” Timpte said.

This story was originally published October 3, 2016 at 10:55 PM with the headline "SC emergency officials: Start preparing for Hurricane Matthew."