Tropical Storm Warning Issued For Charleston, Berkeley

Aug. 26, 5 a.m.: Updates for Friday will be

Aug. 25, 10:40 p.m.: Charleston County offices will also be closed on Friday.

Aug. 25, 9:40 p.m.: The Charleston County School District has cancelled school Friday as a precautionary measure due to the possible tropical storm force winds expected to hit the region on Friday.

Aug. 25, 5 p.m.: A tropical storm warning has been issued for Berkeley and Charleston counties. The warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected in the next 36 hours. 

Under these conditions, damage should be limited to carports, awning and pool enclosures. Small branches could break off trees. Winds could be dangerous on bridges and there would likely only be isolated power outages.

At 5 p.m., Hurricane Irene had 115 mph winds. It is expected to run off the South Carolina coast late Friday and into Saturday morning with up to 120 mph winds near its center.

Aug. 25, 3:30 p.m.: A couple of things to update. First, the forecast: On Isle of Palms, the National Weather Service is forecasting possible tropical storm conditions beginning after 8 a.m. Friday. Wind gusts are expected to reach as high as 38 mph.

A few quick scheduling notes: The Charleston Farmers Market downtown has been cancelled for Saturday morning. And, according to News 2, the Carnival Fantasy will be heading out Thursday bound for Cozumel and Key West instead of it's planned destination: Bermuda.

Officials in Horry County closed its beaches to swimmers after six people had to be saved from dangerous rip currents, according to the Associated Press.

And, in case you missed it, our own Jonathan Allen stopped by the beach yesterday to catch some shots of surfers catching some waves. Expect a lot of that in the next 24 hours.

Aug. 25, 6 a.m.: The National Weather Service has issued a tropical storm watch for Charleston County and inland and tidal Berkeley County. A tropical storm watch means that tropical storm conditions are possible, generally within 48 hours.

At 5 a.m., the storm was 600 miles south of Charleston with 115 mph winds. According to the National Hurricane Center, winds are expected to stay between 115-125 mph as it moves up the Atlantic and makes landfall in coastal North Carolina before moving up to the Northeast.

Irene is expected to stay more than 150 miles off the Charleston coast, but tropical storm force winds will be extending more than 200 miles out from the eye of the storm.

Local winds could gust to tropical storm force Friday and Friday night, according to the weather service, especially across the Charleston Harbor and up and down the coastline.

The local forecast calls for showers and thunderstorms likely after 2 p.m. Friday and continuing into Saturday morning.

"Now is the time to begin preparing your home or business according to your hurricane disaster plan," according to the NWS.

Charleston residents living on a boat are encouraged to begin making preparations and find shelter on land, when necessary. Marinas are also instructed to make preparations.

The Weather Channel is covering the storm with photo and videos.