Florence was downgraded to a tropical depression Sunday, but the slow-moving system will continue to produce significant rainfall across the Southeast as it moves inland.
Keep up with all of the latest updates on the storm here.
Monday, September 17
6:14 p.m. To see current conditions of state-maintained roads due to flooding from #HurricaneFlorence in South Carolina, click on this direct link to SCDOT's interactive map. Zoom in on your area of interest for specific road closure information. Click here.
4:30 p.m. All sections of the West Columbia Riverwalk Park and Amphitheater will be open to the public beginning Tuesday, September 18, 2018 at 7 AM. The Riverwalk and Amphitheater were closed due to Hurricane Florence.
4:18 p.m Officials with the S.C. Department of Natural Resources announced on Monday, September 17, 2018, that the following SCDNR-managed properties in the Pee Dee region of the state will be closed to all vehicle traffic until further notice due to flooding connected to Hurricane Florence. The following Heritage Preserves in SCDNR’s Region 4 and region 2 are closed until further notice effective at 1PM on 9/17/2018. Flooding is currently occurring on these properties and many roads are already impassable.
Lewis Ocean Bay Heritage Preserve/WMA
Waccamaw River Heritage Preserve/WMA
Little Pee Dee River Heritage Preserve/WMA
Great Pee Dee Heritage Preserve/WMA
Segars-McKinnon Heritage Preserve
4:15 p.m. FROM SCDOT--Three mobile fuel supply tankers have been dispatched to the Pee Dee to assist in maintaining fuel inventories at SCDOT facilities. Debris contractors are standing by to assist with potential flood related debris removal operations.
4:06 p.m. Dominion Energy delivered 3,000 CASES of donated water to Harvest Hope Food Bank’s Columbia, SC location this morning. Harvest Hope serves as the lead food bank agency in South Carolina during times of disaster and supports additional agencies such as the American Red Cross and Salvation Army.
2:33 p.m. - Nineteen C-17 Globemaster III aircraft assigned to the 437th Airlift Wing are scheduled to return to Joint Base Charleston throughout the day tomorrow, Sept. 18, beginning at 10 a.m. from safe haven evacuation locations. A total of 23 C-17s relocated from JB Charleston to Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, MidAmerica St. Louis Airport in Mascoutah, Illinois, and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, Sept. 11 in anticipation of Hurricane Florence making landfall and to sustain the wing's global airlift capability.
1:00 p.m. - Trooper Sonny with SCHP tweeted a video of water flowing right at the base of a bridge on US 501 near the 501 bypass in Marion County. He said the bridge needs to be deemed safe before vehicles can cross it.
12:20 p.m. - A bridge on New Hopewell Road that went over Little Seed Branch Creek was out in Darlington county.
11:11 a.m. - Here is where you can drop off hurricane relief donations Monday through Wednesday in South Carolina:
11:00 a.m. - The National Weather Service in Columbia issued a flood warning from 9:12 p.m. Monday until Friday at 8 p.m. as heavy rainfall from Florence continues to flow south along the Catabwa and Wateree Rivers. The Wateree River at Wateree Dam will rise above flood stage—which is 100 feet— and continue to rise to 101.9 feet early Tuesday afternoon.
The river will fall below flood stage by Thursday, Sept. 20, according to NWS.
10:40 a.m. - Search crews in North Carolina's Union County have recovered the body of a 1-year-old boy who was pulled from his mother's arms by floodwaters.
10:15 a.m. - President Donald Trump has declared a disaster for South Carolina and has approved federal reimbursements to help local governments, state agencies and nonprofits recover from Florence's effects. The eight counties included in the declaration were Berkeley, Charleston, Dorchester, Georgetown, Horry, Marion, Orangeburg and Williamsburg.
10:04 a.m. - Southbound I-95 reopened in Dillon County a day after flooding from Florence shut down the interstate in the area. The northbound lanes from mile marker 181 to 190 remain closed.
9:30 a.m. - SC Highway 903 reopened near John Munn Road after the water level lowered, according to Lugoff Fire Rescue. John Munn Road remains closed at Munn Road.
9:24 a.m. - In North Carolina, a 1-year-old boy was swept away by rushing floodwaters after a mother drove through barricades on NC 218 and got out of the car with her infant in a car seat. Crews are looking for the boy.
5:02 a.m. - The Lynches River spilled over its banks at the Kershaw/Chesterfield County line, flooding SC Highway 903 near John Munn Road with one and a half feet of water.
Sunday, September 16
11:30 p.m. - Heavy rain caused a local dam to break in Chesterfield,South Carolina. As a result, members of the National Guard were called in to facilitate a water rescue and evacuation.
9:00 p.m. - The American Red Cross has opened a shelter for Black Creek community residents. The shelter is located at 400 South Greer Road in Florence County.
8:45 p.m. - The following roads are closed in Georgetown County:
- IP Canal at Carvers Bay
- Hwy 17 at Gt/Charleston county line
- Old Pee Dee Rd at multiple spots
- Hesterville Rd at Center Rd
- Hwy. 17 at Wagon Wheel Lp
- Hwy 17 at Hammock Shops
- Hwy 17 Business at Blaine
- Hwy. 17 in front of Chick-fil-a
- Hwy. 17 at Willbrook
7:40 p.m. - A flash flood warning has been issued for Cheraw, Chesterfield, and Patrick South Carolina until 1:30 a.m.
5:03 p.m. - SCDPS is reporting the sixth death in South Carolina related to Florence. A pickup truck drove through standing water on Pond Branch Road near Gilbert and lost control, crashing into a tree. The driver died at the scene.
4:45 p.m. - The Gills Creek Watershed Association released water levels at rivers and streams in the area. Officials said the flooding risk is mainly in the Pee Dee region.
3:00 p.m. - The first person to die in the Midlands from Florence has been identified as Jeffery B. Youngren, 42, of Elgin.
2:45 p.m. - Hundreds of power vehicles were seen filling up the parking lot at Columbiana Centre mall.
1:29 p.m. - A pickup truck crash in Kershaw County killed the driver, SCDPS reports. This is the fifth Florence-related death in South Carolina.
1:22 p.m. - Most schools in South Carolina closed by Florence will reopen on Monday. Here is what we know: LIST: South Carolina school districts reopening Monday
1:05 p.m. - All tornado warnings have expired.
12:30 p.m. - The National Weather Service issued a tornado warning that included Myrtle Beach after a confirmed waterspout was located offshore at 12:17 p.m.
11:27 a.m. - A person died and two others were taken to Conway Medical Center after a pickup truck lost control on a flooded road in Georgetown County. SCDPS said this brings the total number of Florence-related deaths in the state to four.
11:23 a.m. - Lee County School District said it will be closed Monday, Sept. 17, and all extracurricular activities are canceled.
9:14 a.m. Sumter School District announced that its schools and offices will reopen Monday, Sept. 17.
9:03 a.m. - The SC National Guard filled and delivered sandbags to multiple counties in the state to help protect communities before flooding.
8:31 a.m. - A flash flood warning has been issued for the northern portions of Kershaw County until 2:15 p.m. NWS in Columbia said two to four inches of rain may fall in the warned area, and that heavy rain will likely lead to flash flooding.
8:15 a.m. - SCEMD is ready to help! The agency tweeted a photo of its Sunday morning shift change as staff prepare to support local agencies amid the continuing flooding from Florence.
8:02 a.m. - The SCDOT has released a photo of the flooding on I-95 that's shut down a stretch of the road. I-95 is closed in both directions from Exit 181 (SC 38) to Exit 190 (SC 34) due to flooding.
7:40 a.m. - Some parts of South Carolina just can't catch a break. A tornado watch has been issued for parts of the Pee Dee until 5 p.m. Sunday. To be clear, this DOES NOT include the Midlands.
6:12 a.m. - I-95 has been closed in both directions near mile marker 187 due to flooding.
A detour is being installed between Exit 198 (SC 34) and Exit 181 (SC 38).
Motorists are urged to drive with extreme caution and obey the speed limits.
5 a.m. Florence has been downgraded to a tropical depression. Slow moving Florence will continue to produce significant rainfall amounts across the Southeast as the system moves inland. At 5 a.m. Sunday, Florence was about 20 miles southwest of Columbia. It has top sustained winds of 25 mph and is moving west at 8 mph.
The National Hurricane Center said this is the last advisory it will issue on Tropical Depression Florence. Future advisories will be issued by NWS's Weather Prediction Center.
