Andrea to bring mainly rain, Flood Watch in effect

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) — Tropical Storm Andrea will be heading toward the north and east during the next couple of days, and the forecast is for South Carolina to get a decent amount of rain. The stationary front that has given the Midlands unstable weather during the past couple of days will keep the area cloudy and wet for most of the day, so expect widely scattered showers during the morning and afternoon hours. A Flood Watch is in effect from 8 a.m. Thursday until Friday evening. By the evening hours, Tropical Storm Andrea should slide over the eastern half of South Carolina according to the official National Hurricane Center track. Rain totals are ranging from 1 to 4 inches, so there is a possibility of flooding around area rivers. Some of the downpours will be heavy. The heaviest and the strongest of any severe weather will be toward the coast, though there is also the possibility that those in the Midlands will some strong weather if the system shifts westward. However, a trough will be pushing toward South Carolina from the west, limiting the potential of Andrea moving further westward. The rain should begin to depart late Friday, followed by partly cloudy to mostly sunny skies by Saturday. You can learn more about Andrea by visiting the ABC Columbia Weather page or by going to Jonathan Oh’s Facebook page.