FIRST ALERT: Potential Tropical Cyclone 9 forms and is forecast to impact the Carolinas

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - Potential Tropical Cyclone 9 forms near Cuba and will likely become ‘Imelda’ over the next couple of days. We expect it to gradually gain strength over this weekend into early next week. The current forecast track has it potentially becoming a hurricane as it nears the South Carolina coastline early next week.

The tropical spaghetti plot also show the system moving into the Carolinas next week.

Local tropical impacts continue to look more likely for the Midlands, but the extent and magnitude of them is uncertain. Strong winds, heavy rain, and isolated tornadoes cannot be ruled out if a tropical system moves into the region.

Forecast models also show Potential Tropical Cyclone 9 being a slow-moving storm near the Carolinas. This would likely pose a higher flood ris