Hurricane Ian is downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone upon reaching South Carolina

O hurricane Ian weakened rapidly and was downgraded to a post-tropical system this Friday, the 30th, shortly after touching down in South Carolina, in the United States, with category 1 – out of a maximum of 5 on the Saffir-Simpson scale – and maximum sustained winds of 140 km/h. According to the latest report from the US National Hurricane Center (NHC), Ian continues to deliver “a dangerous wave of storms, flash floods and high winds.” At 5 pm (local time; 6 pm GMT), Ian’s center was located 35 km northwest of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and his sustained winds had dropped to 110 km/h. The post-tropical cyclone is moving north at a speed of about 24 km/h and is expected to move inland tonight, east of South Carolina. It will then pass through central North Carolina in the morning and enter West Virginia. The system is expected to dissipate over western North Carolina or Virginia by Saturday night, according to the NHC. The system can cause storms along the coast of South Carolina and North Carolina with a sea level rise of up to 2.1 meters. The clocks and notices issued by the NHC vary between northeast Florida and North Carolina. The tropical storm’s strong winds are felt 335 km away. In addition to the storm surge, Ian will bring heavy rains, with risk of flooding and overflowing rivers, and storms and currents at sea. There is also a risk of tornadoes in the areas where Ian will pass. According to recent data, Ian went from a tropical storm to a Category 4 hurricane in 36 hours, something scientists attribute to climate change. Since forming in the Caribbean last weekend, Ian, the fourth hurricane of 2022, has left a trail of destruction, especially in Cuba and Florida, where it crossed the peninsula from west to east to reach the Atlantic.

*With information from EFE