Hurricane Erin is a massive storm with a diameter of over 700 miles, and its center is over 300 miles from the South Carolina coast. The size of this storm provides some coastal impacts that will persist through much of Thursday and then ease off by the end of the week and more throughout the weekend. A cold front will push through the state, and we forecast a refreshing change to the weather pattern for next week, which includes cooler temperatures and much drier air, lowering the humidity.
With the impressive swell from Hurricane Erin, this evening’s high tide is expected to be up to 1 ft higher than normal. This will cause minor to moderate coastal flooding and lead to some roads becoming impassable, minor flooding of coastal properties as well as beach erosion. pic.twitter.com/hiy4j7yvlp
— NWS Charleston, SC (@NWSCharlestonSC) August 20, 2025
Let's talk about Erin.
The United States is very fortunate this storm didn't make landfall. The hurricane has gone thorugh several rounds of intensification and has reached every category in the scale, fluctuating between categories. On Wednesday night, Erin is forecast to continue as a category two hurricane, picking up speed ot the north and then turning northeast, still staying a couple of hundred miles away from the East Coast. It will remain as a hurricane through the end of the week and turn extra-tropical as it moves over cooler water and loses its tropical characteristics.
Seas, surf, and rip currents will continue to be dangerous, if not life-threatening, to swimmers, surfers, and boaters. Please do not venture out into the water.
Rips were observed again during Tue, including this strong rip observed by Wrightsville Beach Ocean Rescue's drone. Dangerous rips & rough surf will continue Wed through Fri as swells from Hurricane Erin impact the area beaches. pic.twitter.com/ORd5i3ZnUU
— NWS Wilmington, NC (@NWSWilmingtonNC) August 20, 2025
What's after the storm?
Thursday will be the last day with temperatures above normal for this time of year. Rain and storm chances increase on Friday across much of the state, with most of the storm activity focused across the southern Midlands and the Lowcountry, but rain could impact other areas of the state during the day on Friday. Showers and thunderstorms are likely to persist on Saturday across the southern region of the Midlands and Lowcountry.
This early weekend rain and storms will be due to a low-pressure system moving through, pushing a cold front. But there is another front, a much stronger one that will go through the Palmetto State on Monday. This front brings much cooler temperatures and refreshing dewpoints, which will lower the humidity values across the entire state and make the weather feel crisp!
Tuesday will start with temperatures in the mid to upper 50s across the Upstate, mid-60s across the Midlands, and low 70s over the Pee Dee and Lowcountry. The afternoon will remain with highs around 7 degrees below average, in the low to mid-80s. Cooler temperatures will sink in for the middle of next week, and the sunshine will reign.