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Live blog: The status of the evacuation order, flooding and outages

Dorian is on track to impact South Carolina. Keep up with all of the latest updates right here.

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Hurricane Dorian continues move just off the South Carolina coast impact the Palmetto State through late Thursday. 

The coast is under a mandatory evacuation order. 

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RELATED: Hurricane Dorian track, forecast discussion

RELATED: School closings in the Midlands for Hurricane Dorian

RELATED: Information on shelters in South Carolina for Dorian

Here are the latest update on the storm. Bookmark this page for the latest updates as we go through the storm. 

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5

5:26 pm: Sumter Schools Open Friday

5:05 pm: Lee County Schools Open Friday

5:01 pm: Lexington-Richland District Five Schools Open Friday

4:32 pm: Charleston County Damage

4:21 pm: Damage in McClellanville

4:17 pm: Orangeburg Schools on Delay Friday
Orangeburg County School District will operate on a one hour delay Friday, September 6, 2019.

RELATED: School closings in the Midlands for Hurricane Dorian

4:07 pm: SCEMD Update
As of 4 p.m., 225,076 customers are without power and 2,116 people are in shelters. Most of those power outages are in Charleston, Georgetown and Dorchester Counties. 

3:58 pm: Richland One Schools Open Friday

RELATED: School closings in the Midlands for Hurricane Dorian

3:50 pm: Lexington District Three Schools Open Friday

Lexington County School District Three's highest priority every sing... le day is the safety of our students and staff. Therefore, out of an abundance of caution due to the forecasted likelihood of wind gusts over 30 miles per hour from Hurricane Dorian, Lexington Three is cancelling school on Thursday, September 5th.

RELATED: School closings in the Midlands for Hurricane Dorian

3:22 pm: Lexington District One Schools Open Friday

RELATED: School closings in the Midlands for Hurricane Dorian

2:45 p.m. Orangeburg county has 538 power outages at this time. 

2:43 pm: Richland School District Two Open Friday

RELATED: School closings in the Midlands for Hurricane Dorian

2:30 p.m. Dominion Energy says that outages in South Carolina due to the storm are at 161,000. Main cause due to high winds, tree limbs on lines. If you see a downed power line you can report it at 888-333-4465.

2:25 p.m. Evacuation order lifted for some counties

Governor Henry McMaster lifted his evacuation order for some Lowcountry counties. As of 3 p.m., the order will be lifted for Beaufort, Colleton, and Jasper counties.

The evacuation order will remain in effect for all zones on Berkeley, Charleston, Dorchester, Georgetown, and Horry counties.

As of 2:24 p.m., there were 244,807 reported power outages throughout South Carolina.

RELATED: South Carolina governor updates state's response to Hurricane Dorian

2 pm: Fairfield County Schools Open Friday

RELATED: School closings in the Midlands for Hurricane Dorian

1:40 p.m. The Eye of Dorian

The National Weather Service in Charleston released an image from the Edisto buoy, located about 40 miles southeast of Charleston. On the image, if you look closely at the last two frames, you can see birds flying around that have gotten trapped in the eye of the storm.

Credit: NWS Charleston
Birds trapped in the eye of Hurricane Dorian

Although now a Category 2 storm, Hurricane Dorian has cities further north worried about possible impact. The Boston Globe and Canadian Red Cross have stories and tips on preparing for possible high winds and rain.

In Charleston, residents walked through knee-high floodwaters as Dorian pounded the coast. While on Pawleys Island, the Pawleys Island Police Department tweeted out photos of flooding and damage from Dorian.

Two tornadoes were confirmed Thursday morning: one in North Myrtle Beach and one in Little River.

As of 1:30 p.m., there were 250,573 reported power outages in the state.

1 p.m. Car in surf

A Jeep was driven onto the beach at near Broadway at the Beach at Myrtle Beach. It got stuck, and now the tide is rising. Watch the stream on Facebook.

12:45 p.m. Rain bands dump precipitation 

One of the characteristics of a hurricane are that rain bands that dump precipitation before and after the storm.

As of 10 a.m., the 24-hour rainfall totals included 7" at Mt. Pleasant Waterfront Park, 5.57" in McClellanville, and 5" on Isle of Palms. Rain continues to fall as Dorian moves through the state.

As of noon, the City of Charleston reported 148 trees and 36 power lines and cables were reported down, with 108 total road closures in effect, 26 of which were due to flooding.

The National Weather Service in Columbia reported Dorian to be about 45 miles east-southeast of Charleston with sustained winds of 110 mph, travelling north-northeast at 8 mph. Reported gusts include 78 mph at Shutes Folly in Charleston Harbor and at Winyah Bay. A NOAA buoy reported a minimum pressure of 959 mb very near the eye of Dorian, at noon.

11:55 a.m. More damage

Trees and power lines are down in Summerville and Charleston; live wires spark on Market Street in Charleston; and a tornado touched down in Carolina Shore, NC, damaging houses in The Farm neighborhood.

The SCDOT Call Center is open around the clock to take calls about road conditions in South Carolina. Call 1-855-GO-SCDOT (1-855-46-72368).

As of 11:50 a.m., there were 226,352 reported power outages throughout the state.

According to the National Weather Service, after Dorian passes, the East Coast can expect high surf and rip currents to make beaches dangerous through the weekend.

11:15 a.m. Emergency responses, Dorian downgraded

A little after 10 a.m., representatives from Dominion told the media that they have over 2,000 people working to restore power throughout the state. The biggest challenge with Hurricane Dorian is that it is a slow moving storm and high winds generated from by the storm hamper power restoration. Dominion will not send repair personnel up in bucket trucks to repair power lines if winds are 35 mph or greater.

As of 11:05 a.m., there were 220,618 reported outages throughout the state by all electric providers. Dominion reported 148,722 of the outages.

The latest weather update at 11 a.m. had Dorian downgraded to a Category 2 hurricane with the highest wind gust of 92 mph recorded on Fripp Island. Much of the Lowcountry has seen wind gusts in the 60 to 80 mph range.

A Storm Surge Warning is in effect from Edisto Beach to Poquoson, VA, where water levels could rise well in advance of the arrival of strong winds.

10:00 a.m. Services interrupted

Charleston County EMS suspended service around 9:50 a.m. after sustained winds of 40 mph were recorded. EMS is evaluating conditions for the safety of the crews and patients before sending units out to respond to emergency calls. The areas effected include downtown Charleston, West Ashley, James Island, Johns Island, Edisto Island, Ravenel, Kiawah, Seabrook, Hollywood, and Meggett. Calls to 911 are still being answered but crews will only be sent as soon as it is deemed safe to do so.

SC National Guard soldiers with the 1-118th Infantry Battalion and 237th Support Battalion reported with Light Medium Tactical Vehicles to a fire department in Charleston in order to help support first responders in the area during Hurricane Dorian.

9:23 a.m. It's getting windy

WLTX Meteorologist Alex Calamia reports of wind gusts of 70 mph were recorded near Charleston, otherwise most gusts range from 40 to 60 mph across the Lowcountry and 20 to 40 in the Midlands.

The National Hurricane Center says rain bands from Dorian are producing tornadoes across northeastern South Carolina and southeastern North Carolina. As of 9 a.m., Dorian is approxinately 70 miles southeast of Charleston with sustained winds of 115 mph and is moving north-northeast at 8 mph.

SCEMD reports more than 220,000 power outages statewide, 33 emergency shelters are open statewide.

Credit: SCEMD

8:53 a.m. Wind, water will be a problem

The National Weather Service in Columbia recorded a wind gust of 44 mph at Santee Cooper Regional Airport near Manning at 8:42 a.m. Tropical-storm-force wind speed starts at 39 mph.

Charleston and Isle of Palms report flooding, and in Beaufort County, there are reports of trees hanging in power lines and debris covering roads.

Part of a large tree is blocking lanes on Calhoun Street between Meeting and King streets in downtown Charleston.

Officers from the SC Department of Natural Resources are out in Georgetown and Horry counties conducting river sweeps to help identify boaters who could be caught between bridge closures and unable to seek safe harbor.

8:22 a.m. Hurricane Dorian passing through Lowcountry

Hilton Head Island Fire Rescue resumed emergency response after 7 a.m. HHIFR had ceased operations shortly before 2 a.m. due to weather conditions. Crews are out now on the island assessing damage.

A sailboat became unmoored on Isle of Palms and drifted up to and is stuck against the IOP Connector.

There are 200,024 reported power outages in South Carolina; around 500 outages in Sumter and Clarendon counties.

8:10 a.m. Damage reports start coming in from along the coast

Streets on the Charleston peninsula are flooding, and downed trees and power lines are becoming a problem.

There are 180,300 reported power outages throughout the state, mostly along the coast but some are reported in Orangeburg and Clarendon counties.

In Conway, the Horry County Cooperative is working along the intersection of Hwy 57 (Wampee Rd) and SC-111.

7:41 a.m.  Tornado in North Myrtle Beach

We saw tornado warnings in the Grand Strand area this morning. This viewer video appears to show that a twister did form.

Wayne White tweeted this video of an apparent tornado on 2nd Avenue North. 

7:15 a.m. Rain begins in the Midlands

As of 7:15 a.m.. there are over 194,113 reported power outages across South Carolina, the majority of which are along the coast.

Rain is beginning to fall in Columbia, and flooding has closed East Bay Street at the Ravenel Bridge in Charleston.

Hurricane Dorian is still a Category 3 storm and is currently located about 80 miles south-southeast of Charleston with maximum sustained winds of 115 mph, and is moving north at 7 mph.

6:30 a.m. Power outages becoming an issue

As of 6:25 a.m., there have been 160,881 reported power outages in the state due to Hurricane Dorian. Most of the outages are along the coast, particularly in Charleston, Berkeley, and Beaufort counties.

Trees are being blown over roadways and houses, downing power lines.

6 a.m. "Shelter in place"

The South Carolina Emergency Management Division reports that there are currently 2,200 people in shelters and plenty of room remaining in open shelters. However, if you have NOT evacuated, SCEMD urges you to shelter in place.

Power outages are a main focus at SCEMD. 

Reports of downed lines and trees, blocked roads, and flooding are coming in from the coast.

5:30 a.m. Update from the coast

Dorian is bringing heavy wind and rain.

Charleston County Government says there is a Condition Yellow on high span bridges. High profile vehicles are advised not to travel on these bridges as winds have reached a sustained speed of 30 mph.

Credit: WLTX

4:45 a.m. Reports of damage begin coming from along the coast

The South Carolina Emergency Management Division tweets that there are 81,446 current power outages, most along the coast.

The City of Beaufort/Town of Port Royal Fire Department reports continued heavy rains with strong wind gusts. With trees and branches down and power outages reported throughout the area, people are asked to stay indoors and respect the curfew in effect until 6 a.m.

Joint Base Charleston closed its gates at 4:30 a.m. due to sustained winds of 35 knots and will remain closed until wind speeds have reduced.

4 a.m. National Hurricane Center Update

Rainbands continue to affect the coast from Georgia to southern North Carolina. A sustained wind of 42 mph with a gust of 56 mph was recorded at Murrells Inlet. 

A tornado watch has been issued for Georgetown, Marion, and Horry counties until 4 p.m. Thursday. Tornadoes are possible as well as isolated hail and wind gusts up to 60 mph.

3:15 a.m.: The effects of Hurricane Dorian are beginning to be felt along the South Carolina coast.

The National Hurricane Center's 3 a.m. update says that water levels are gradually rising along portions of South Carolina. Sustained winds of 50 mph and a gut of 61 mph was recorded at Winyah Bay, and a gust of 52 mph was recorded at Georgetown Airport.

Dorian was about 100 miles south-southeast of Charleston with maximum sustained winds of 115 mph, moving north at 7mph. Minimum central pressure was 957 mb.

Hilton Head Island Fire Rescue ceased emergency response as of 1:55 a.m. due to wind conditions.

In Charleston, the City of Charleston Police Department has asked those residents who stayed behind to being to shelter in place as conditions are beginning to deteriorate. The northbound portion of the Crosstown is currently shutdown due to flooding and if conditions continue to deteriorate, rescue operations may be temporarily suspended for the safety of first responders.

Charleston EOC has placed all bridges are Code Yellow due to sustained 35 mph winds.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4

11:05 pm: Hurricane Dorian Update
Hurricane Dorian has been upgraded to a major Catregory 3 storm and is tracking closer to the South Carolina coast as it approaches the Palmetto State. As of 11 p.m., Dorian is 105 miles straight south of Charleston. The current track still has the storm impacting the state Wednesday evening and all day Thursday. 

RELATED: Now a Category 3 storm, Hurricane Dorian tracking closer to South Carolina coast

10:02 am: Hilton Head Island Reports Downed Trees
Hilton Head Island reports wind speeds are beginning to increase on the island, and downed trees are beginning to be reported.

Earlier tonight (Wednesday), tropical storm force wind gusts between... 40 and 45 miles per hour were reported near the beaches/coastline of Beaufort County. With the strength of those gusts, bridges and causeways are no longer safe to drive onto and over.

8:30 pm: MUSC Offer FREE Virtual Care During Dorian and Aftermath
MUSC Health is offering virtual care (online visits) at no charge to all South Carolina residents as we prepare for Hurricane Dorian, as well as during and after the storm.

MUSC Health clinics and ambulatory ORs will be closed Thursday, Sept... 5. A determination about Friday clinic schedules, ambulatory procedures and possible weekend clinics will be made as we continue to monitor the storm's path. MUSC Health retail pharmacies at University Hospital and Ashley River Tower are open until 10 p.m.

8 pm: Shaw Air Force Base Moves to HURCON 1
With the possibility of seeing damaging winds in the area within the next 12 hours, Shaw Air Force base has officially declared HURCON 1.  

7:57 pm: Emergency Shelter Update
More than 1,00 people are at the 28 Red Cross shelters around the state.

7:52 pm: Richland County office Remain Open Thursday

6:26 pm: Lexington School District Three Closed on Thursday
Lexington Three is cancelling school on Thursday. This closing applies to all schools, students and staff in Lexington Three. All extracurricular programs, athletic practices, games, scheduled activities and events for Thursday are cancelled as well. District officials made the decision not to deploy the eLearning plan for Thursday, September 5th to give students and staff additional time to prepare for the use of technology devices at home. Therefore, an eLearning Day will be used at a later date. 

See the full list of school closures HERE.

RELATED: School closings in the Midlands for Hurricane Dorian

6:09 p.m. Lexington District Four Closed on Thursday
Lexington Four will be closed Thursday, September 5. All schools and offices will be closed, and all before and after school activities have been cancelled.

See the full list of school closures HERE.

RELATED: School closings in the Midlands for Hurricane Dorian

6 pm: Charleston Swift Water Rescue Teams Prepare for Action

5:43 pm: Lexington District Two Closed on Thursday
Lexington Two schools and administrative offices will be closed Thursday, September 5. All afternoon and evening activities are cancelled for Thursday,  including athletic events, extracurricular activities, after-school programs and adult education classes. 

See the full list of school closures HERE.

RELATED: School closings in the Midlands for Hurricane Dorian

5:42 pm: Fairfield County schools Closed on Thursday

See the full list of school closures HERE.

RELATED: School closings in the Midlands for Hurricane Dorian

5:40 pm: Lexington-Richland District 5 Closed on Thursday
All schools and offices in #LexRich5Schools will be closed Thursday (Sept. 5) due to high winds and other possible effects of Hurricane Dorian. All district events including athletic events, field trips, Adult Education classes and other activities are also canceled Thursday.

See the full list of school closures HERE.

RELATED: School closings in the Midlands for Hurricane Dorian

5:35 pm: Lexington District One Closes Schools Thursday
In an abundance of caution, Lexington County School District One is canceling school tomorrow, Thursday, September 5, 2019. These closings apply to all schools, students and staff in all Lexington District One attendance areas. The district also cancels all daytime and evening meetings and events scheduled to take place at any Lexington District One school, performing arts center, field or facility. This includes all district programs, athletic practices or events, adult education classes, school or district-related meetings, events, or extra-curricular activities scheduled for tomorrow.

See the full list of school closures HERE.

RELATED: School closings in the Midlands for Hurricane Dorian

5:32 pm: SCDOT Dispatches Crews to Coast

5:31 pm: Sumter Hotels Seeing Rise in Occupancy

5:31 pm: Richland Two Cancels School for Thursday
Richland School District Two is canceling school on Thursday, September 5, 2019. All schools and offices will be closed, and all before-school and after-school activities and all district activities are canceled. 

See the full list of school closures HERE.

RELATED: School closings in the Midlands for Hurricane Dorian

5:30 pm: I-26 Returns to Normal Operation
All lanes of I-26 are operating in true direction as of 5:30 p.m.

5:23 pm:  Richland One Closed Thursday
Richland One schools and administrative offices will be closed on Thursday, September 5, 2019. The weather forecast calls for high sustained wind speeds and the possibility of higher wind gusts, which pose potentially unsafe travel conditions for school buses and other vehicles. Afterschool programs and activities that were scheduled for Thursday, including athletics games and practices, are canceled. The district’s College and Career Fair, which was scheduled for Thursday at the Carolina Coliseum, has been postponed.

See the full list of school closures HERE.

RELATED: School closings in the Midlands for Hurricane Dorian

5:16 pm: Joint Base Charleston Moves to HURCON 1

5:15 pm: Hurricane Dorian Forecast Update
Hurricane Dorian got a little stronger late Wednesday, just hours before the storm's effects along the South Carolina coast are expected to pick up. The current track still has the storm impacting the state all day Thursday.  

RELATED: Hurricane Dorian gains strength as it aims toward South Carolina coast

5:11 p.m. Emergency Shelter Update

5:07 pm: Dominion Energy Preparing for Power Outages

4:57 pm: Kershaw County Schools Closed on Thursday
Due to Hurricane Dorian and concerns with high winds for school buses, Kershaw County School District (KCSD) schools will be closed tomorrow, Thursday, Sept. 5. The district office will be open. This will be an eLearning day for KCSD students. A decision about Thursday's afterschool activities will be made on Thursday.  

See the full list of school closures HERE.

RELATED: School closings in the Midlands for Hurricane Dorian

4:51 pm: Folly Beach Already Reporting Downed Power Lines

4:46 pm: Beaufort County Reports 40-45 MPH Gusts, Curfew in Effect
Tropical storm force wind gusts between 40 and 45 miles per hour have been reported in northern and southern Beaufort County, and officials are recommending residents shelter in place at this point. A 10 pm curfew is in effect. 

4:42 p.m. Inmates Allowed to Check in on Family

4:40 pm: Emergency Shelter to Open in Camden
Food for the Soul will serve as Kershaw County's emergency shelter beginning at 6 pm tonight.

4:38 pm: Sumter residents prepare for impacts from Dorian

4:36 pm: Electric Coops Prepare for Outages

4:06 pm: State Museum Offers Free Admission to Evacuees
The South Carolina State Museum will offer free general admission to families evacuating from the coastal region Thursday, Sept. 5 through Sunday, Sept. 8, 2019. Visit scmuseum.org for details.

RELATED: Riverbanks Zoo to close on Thursday for Hurricane Dorian

3:58 pm: Lee County to Open Emergency Shelter
An emergency shelter will open at Lee Central High School Gym at 6 pm Wednesday. Anyone planning to come to the shelter should bring their own bedding, any medicines they require, supplies for infants or small children, as well as snacks, etc. The shelter will only provide very basic supplies such as a cot for sleeping and military style MRE’s for food. 

Emergency shelter will open at Lee Central High School at 6pm today,... September 4, 2019. With the winds on Thursday may gust up to 45 MPH Anyone planning to come to the shelter should bring their own bedding, any medicines they require, supplies for infants or small children, as well as snacks, etc.

3:54 pm: Look up!

3:35 pm: Columbia Richland Fire Crew Heads to Horry County 
A crew of 9 firefighters will be working in Horry County as the storm moves through — assisting with water rescues & other operations as needed over the coming days.

3:06 pm: Clarendon County Shelters to Open
Emergency shelters in Clarendon County will open at 4 p.m.

3 pm: Midlands School Closings
Schools continue to report delays and closure for Thursday. Get the latest updates on wltx.com. 

RELATED: School closings in the Midlands for Hurricane Dorian

2:58 pm: Flash Flood Watches Issued
Flash Flood Watches have been issued for the Eastern Midlands starting late tonight through Thursday evening.  

2:50 pm: State Emergency Management Update
South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster says time is running out for coastal residents to evacuate ahead of Hurricane Dorian.

2:36 pm: Lane reversal to end Wednesday
Crews continue to pick up cones on I-26. Officials estimate that it could take until 6 p.m. to return the interstate to the normal traffic pattern.  

RELATED: I-26 lane reversals in South Carolina to end Wednesday

RELATED: Detours to Orangeburg and Calhoun Counties during lane reversals

2 pm: Update from National Hurricane Center
Dorian is located east of Jacksonville, Florida as of the 2 pm advisory. Hurricane Warnings continue for the coasts of South and North Carolina. Preparations should be rushed to completion in those areas.  

RELATED: Hurricane Dorian track shifts, to begin impacting South Carolina coast tonight

RELATED: Timeline: What to expect in the Midlands with Dorian

1:34 p.m. USGS Installing Storm-Tide Sensors
U.S. Geological Survey scientists are completing the installation of about 150 storm-tide sensors and other instruments to track the hurricane’s effects on the North and South Carolina coasts.

Credit: USGS
U.S. Geological Survey scientists are installing about 150 storm-tide sensors and instruments to track the hurricane’s effects on the North and South Carolina coasts.


12:51 pm: Georgetown County Declares State of Emergency

11:25 am: Dominion Energy update
Dominion Energy says Contract crews from Tennessee are safely staged in Colleton County for quick response to storm outages along the coast. 

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