Travel & RV Weather Forecast Friday 30 September (includes Hurricane Ian 5 a.m. ET update)

Hurricane Ian will make landfall on the central SC coast this afternoon. Move away from the immediate coast and seek higher ground to avoid storm surge and fresh-water flooding. Winds will approach destructive strength for RV’s along the southern SC Coast, while flooding rains will cover much of NC and southern VA.
Expect accumulating snow over the higher elevation of the MT and WY mountains to the east of Yellowstone.

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Pacific:

— No significant weather impacts to RV travel today or Saturday.

Mountain:

— South-central MT and adjacent WY, Absaroka and Beartooth Mountains: Winter Weather Advisory for the Beartooth Highway this evening through midday Sunday. 2-5 inches snow expected.

— Southern, central and northeast UT; northwest and west-central CO, centered along the I-70 corridor: Strong to marginally severe thunderstorms may produce a few damaging wind gusts this afternoon. I-15, I-70 impacted.

Central:

— No significant weather impacts to RV travel today or Saturday.

Eastern:

— Southern NJ; most of MD and DE; southern PA; northern VA; northern WV: Strong wind gusts Saturday associated with the remnants of Hurricane Ian. Winds could gust 30-45 mph. Major highways impacted include I-66, I-70, I-76, I-79, I-81, I-83, I-95, PA and NJ Turnpikes.

— Southwest VA; western NC; northwest SC; northeast and east-central GA: Wind Advisories through Saturday morning. Gusts 40-50 mph associated with Hurricane Ian. I-16, I-20, I-26, I-40, I-77, I-81, I-85 impacted.

— Southeast VA including the Tidewater region and the southern DELMARVA Peninsula; adjacent northeast NC: Wind Advisories through early Saturday morning associated with Hurricane Ian. Wind gusts to 55 mph. I-64, US-13 impacted.

— Southeast VA and the southern DELMARVA Peninsula; eastern NC and adjacent northeast SC: A few tornadoes are possible today, associated with Hurricane Ian making landfall. I-40, I-64, I-95 potentially impacted.

— Southeast VA Tidewater Region: Coastal Flood Warnings through Saturday morning. 1-2 feet of inundation above ground level expected.

— Southern VA; most of NC; eastern SC; southeast GA to include Savannah: Flood Watches associated with Hurricane Ian through Saturday morning. 2-4 inches of rain will be widespread, with some locations receiving up to 6 inches. Do not camp overnight tonight along creeks, streams, small rivers or other bodies of water that may rise rapidly. Follow guidance from local emergency management officials.

— (based on 5 a.m. ET NHC Advisory) Ian is a Category 1 hurricane, with sustained winds of 85 mph. The storm is 225 miles south-southwest of Cape Fear NC, moving to the north-northeast. Ian will turn back to the north-northwest and make landfall along the central South Carolina coast this afternoon, likely remaining a Category 1 Hurricane. Ian is becoming a hybrid storm with characteristics of both a tropical cyclone and a strong mid-latitude storm. What that means in practice is that ‘hurricane-like’ impacts (wind, surge, flooding) may occur hundreds of miles from the storm’s center.

Hurricane warnings are in effect for the South Carolina coast and northward to Cape Fear NC. Tropical storm warnings extend northward from Cape Fear to the NC/VA state line, and southward along the GA coast. Storm Surge Warnings are in effect from the northeast Florida coast (including the St. Johns River) northwards to Cape Fear NC. Hurricane force winds will reach the South Carolina coast by this afternoon.  Much of coastal northeast Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina can expect 3-7 feet of surge. The St. Johns river and coastal North Carolina north of Cape Fear will have 2-4 feet of surge. The fresh water flooding threat will be greatest over northeast SC, much of NC and southwest VA. If you are RVing in these areas, even a long distance from the coast, make sure you are away from creeks, streams and small rivers that can rise rapidly, and seek higher ground. Please follow the directions of your county emergency management officials.