The center of Ian is making landfall with life-threatening storm surge, damaging winds, and flash flooding lashing the Carolinas.

The latest speed/position:

LOCATION...33.2N 79.1W

ABOUT 55 MI...90 KM ENE OF CHARLESTON SOUTH CAROLINA

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...85 MPH...140 KM/H

PRESENT MOVEMENT...N OR 0 DEGREES AT 15 MPH...24 KM/H

MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...977 MB...28.85 INCHES

WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT:

A Storm Surge Warning is in effect for...

* Savannah River to Cape Fear North Carolina

* Neuse River North Carolina

* St. Johns River Florida

A Hurricane Warning is in effect for...

* Savannah River to Cape Fear North Carolina

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for...

* Altamaha Sound Georgia to Savannah River

* Cape Fear to Duck North Carolina

* Pamlico Sound

A Storm Surge Watch is in effect for...

* North of Cape Fear to Duck North Carolina

* Pamlico River

* Cape Fear River

A Hurricane Watch is in effect for...

* East of Cape Fear to Surf City North Carolina

At 200 PM EDT (1800 UTC), the center of Hurricane Ian was located near latitude 33.2 North, longitude 79.1 West. Ian is moving toward the north near 15 mph (24 km/h). Ian is forecast to turn toward the north-northwest by tonight and will move inland across eastern South Carolina and central North Carolina tonight and Saturday. Maximum sustained winds remain near 85 mph (140 km/h) with higher gusts. Ian should weaken rapidly after landfall soon and transition into a post-tropical cyclone overnight. Ian should dissipate over western North Carolina or Virginia late Saturday. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 70 miles (110 km) from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 275 miles (445 km). A WeatherFlow station at Morris Island Lighthouse recently reported sustained winds of 75 mph (120 km/h) with a gust to 82 mph (131 km/h).

The estimated minimum central pressure is 977 mb (28.85 inches)

STORM SURGE: The combination of storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline. The water could reach the following heights above ground somewhere in the indicated areas if the peak surge occurs at the time of high tide.

* Isle of the Palms to Little River Inlet...4-7 ft

* Little River Inlet to Cape Fear...3-5 ft

* Savannah River to Isle of the Palms...2-4 ft

* Cape Fear River...2-4 ft

* East of Cape Fear to Duck, including Pamlico and Neuse

Rivers...2-4 ft

* Flagler/Volusia County Line to Savannah River...1-2 ft

* Albemarle Sound...1-2 ft

WIND: Hurricane conditions are occuring within the Hurricane Warning area in South Carolina and southeastern North Carolina soon. Tropical storm conditions are occurring in parts of the warning areas on the coasts of Georgia and the Carolinas, and hurricane conditions are possible within the Hurricane Watch area in North Carolina by this afternoon.

RAINFALL: Ian is expected to produce the following storm total rainfall:

* Northeast South Carolina: 4 to 8 inches, with local maxima of 12

inches.

* Central South Carolina, North Carolina, and southern Virginia:

3 to 6 inches with local maxima of 8 inches

Major-to-record river flooding will continue across central Florida through next week. Considerable flash and urban flooding, and minor river flooding is possible across coastal and northeast South Carolina, coastal North Carolina and southeast Virginia today. Locally considerable flash, urban, and small stream flooding is possible today into early Saturday across portions of northwest North Carolina and southwest Virginia. Limited flooding is possible across portions of the southern Mid-Atlantic this weekend.

Mel Taylor