Tropical Storm Imelda is expected to veer away from the coast Monday, Sept. 29, 2025, lessening its impact on South Carolina. (Photo courtesy of the National Weather Service)
COLUMBIA — Warnings to brace for the worst have subsided after incoming Tropical Storm Imelda’s predicted path turned out to sea, according to the National Weather Service.
Coastal residents should prepare for about 1 inch of rain from scattered storms Tuesday, followed by drier weather with temperatures in the 70s and 80s over the following days. Flooding is still possible in some areas, but not more than during a typical storm, the National Weather Service said in briefings Monday.
With the risks diminished, the state Emergency Management Division returned to normal operations Monday, according to a news release. But a state of emergency, which allows officials to more easily mobilize response teams and apply for federal disaster aid, remained in effect as of noon Monday.
Tropical Storm Imelda, which formed from an unnamed tropical disturbance over the weekend, could have made landfall in the Carolinas or parked just off the coast. Either option could have caused major flooding, and high winds could have knocked down trees and powerlines, the National Weather Service said previously.
Instead, meteorologists expect the storm to take a sharp right turn early Tuesday, away from the Carolinas and further east in the Atlantic Ocean, largely following the path of the much larger Hurricane Humberto, according to the weather service.
Swimmers and boaters should stay wary this week, and those with little experience should stay out of the water altogether. The combined force of Imelda and Humberto is expected to churn up the surf along the South Carolina coast, creating dangerous rip currents and waves as tall as 12 feet through the weekend, according to the latest weather briefings.
Hurricane season lasts through November.