After making landfall on Florida’s west coast on Wednesday as a Category 4 hurricane, Ian gradually weakened to a tropical storm while crossing the Florida peninsula before regaining strength over the Atlantic Ocean as a Category 1 hurricane on Thursday afternoon as it heads toward South Carolina.
Ian is expected to cross the coast of South Carolina on Friday as a Category 1 hurricane. Hurricane warnings have been issued for the entire coast of the state. According to the National Hurricane Center, life-threatening flooding, storm surge, and strong winds are possible.
“Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 75 mph (120 km/h) with higher gusts. Ian could slightly strengthen before landfall tomorrow, and is forecast to rapidly weaken over the southeastern United States late Friday into Saturday,” the center said in a hurricane advisory on Thursday at 5 p.m. local time….