Meteorologists have increased the likelihood that the Atlantic will see its first named storm of the 2020 season over the next few days, according to the latest forecast from the National Hurricane Center (NHC).
In its Thursday afternoon update, the NHC said the disturbance has a 70 percent chance of formation within the next 48 hours and an 80 percent chance of formation within the next five days.
The storm, to be named Arthur, would be forming about two weeks before the Atlantic hurricane season officially begins June 1.
Arthur is expected to bring “heavy rainfall to portions of the Florida Keys, southeast
Florida, and the Bahamas through Saturday,” forecasters track the storm well off the coast of Florida and heading further out to sea when it heads north.
Mark Malsick of the SC State Climate Office (SCO) called the upcoming weather event “easy stuff” for the Palmetto State.
“That track puts the subtropical/tropical whatever 270 miles southeast of Beaufort Sunday night,” Malsick said in his Thursday press release. “After a Monday offshore fly-by, subtropical/tropical whatever mostly takes a jog towards Hatteras then out over the central Atlantic, alone and unafraid.”
Malsick said closer to home in South Carolina, he predicts “sunny and warm. Easy stuff.”
According to the Weather Channel, the storm system is “expected to bring at least elevated surf and rip currents” to the South Carolina coast from this weekend to next week.
While South Carolina might be in the clear, forecasters are calling for an active hurricane season, FITSNews Founding Editor Will Folks reported earlier this month.
“We anticipate that the 2020 Atlantic basin hurricane season will have above-normal activity,” Colorado State University (CSU) forecasters projected in their latest report (.pdf). “We anticipate an above-average probability for major hurricanes making landfall along the continental United States coastline and in the Caribbean.”
CSU forecasters are calling for 16 named storms, eight hurricanes and four major hurricanes during the upcoming season – which runs from June 1 through November 30. The Earth System Science Center at Penn State University is calling for twenty storms this season – while The Weather Channel is projecting 18 named storms, nine hurricanes and four major hurricanes.
Across South Carolina, the weather is supposed to be dry and warm this weekend. Abnormally high temps could impact this weekend’s NASCAR debut event in Darlington, South Carolina, AccuWeather reports.
“Temperatures are forecast to climb toward 90 F on Sunday afternoon with even higher AccuWeather RealFeel Temperatures,” Accuweather reported. “While these temperatures are common for NASCAR events in the summer, it may be a shock to the system for some following a long break in the season. This is especially true for drivers, who will experience extreme heat throughout the race.”
Here’s a look at your weekend forecasts in Columbia, Charleston and Greenville (by the National Weather Service):
Columbia,SC
- Tonight:Partly cloudy, with a low around 59. South wind 5 to 8 mph.
- Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 85.
- Calm wind becoming south around 6 mph in the afternoon.
- Friday Night:Partly cloudy, with a low around 63. South wind 3 to 7 mph.
- Saturday:Mostly sunny, with a high near 89. Light and variable wind.
- Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 64. East wind around 5 mph becoming calm after midnight.SundayMostly sunny, with a high near 92.
- Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 66.
Charleston, SC
- Tonight:Partly cloudy, with a low around 66. Southeast wind 7 to 13 mph.
- Friday:Mostly sunny, with a high near 80. Southeast wind 6 to 11 mph.
- Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 66. East wind 3 to 8 mph.
- Saturday:Mostly sunny, with a high near 81. Northeast wind 6 to 13 mph.
- Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 66. Northeast wind 5 to 8 mph.
- Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 84.
- Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 68.
Greenville, SC:
- Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 58. South wind 5 to 9 mph.
- FridayPartly sunny, with a high near 81. South southwest wind 3 to 8 mph.
- Friday NightMostly clear, with a low around 59. South wind around 6 mph becoming calm in the evening.
- SaturdayMostly sunny, with a high near 87. Calm wind.
- Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 62. Calm wind.
- SundayA 20 percent chance of showers after 3pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 87.
- Sunday NightPartly cloudy, with a low around 64.
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