Temperatures a bit below normal, lower humidity makes for a nice stretch of weather, Ernesto threatens Bermuda

Drier air is moving into the Pee Dee and we will be have a nice stretch of weather tomorrow, Thursday and Friday. Each day will have mostly sunny skies. Humidity levels will be lower. Afternoon high temperatures will actually be a little below normal! That will give us several days to dry out after Tropical Storm Debby. For folks that live along the rivers, the cresting and then falling rivers will bring better days, but clean up will continue. Speaking of tropical storm Debby, the official records are in, and Debby takes second place in the list of the highest amount of rain from a tropical system in South Carolina. For Debby, the highest amount in the state was 22.02 inches in Moncks Corner. The only storm with a higher amount was Hurricane Florence in 2018 with 23.68 inches in Loris.

Here are the details for Dillon, Marion and Marlboro counties; Becoming clear tonight. Lows 67-71. Tomorrow, mostly sunny and warm. Not as humid. HIghs 85 to 88. Clear tomorrow night. Lows 65 to 69. Sunny Thursday and Friday. HIghs 84 to 88.

In the tropics, tropical storm Ernesto is moving through the northern Caribbean islands tonight, then is expected to turn north. That will take the center through the Virgin Islands this evening, then north of Puerto Rico tonight. Computer models agree on the sharp northward turn and Bermuda will have to watch and prepare of possible hit from a strenghening hurricane this weekend. Here is the offical track forecast from the National Hurricane Center.

The confidence in the sharp northward turn and avoiding the US coast is based on a healthy trough, or dip, in the jet stream along the East Coast acting as a barrier to a storm approaching from the east. The Euoprean ensemble model - many different variations of starting assumptions of the model all running at the same time - all show the turn.

With Ernesto staying far of the coast, there is still one impact for the Carolinas we need to be aware of. If you are heading to the beach this weekend, there will be some rough surf and a possibility of dangerous rip currents. Please stay aware of surf forecasts and advisories, and check with life guards on what rules are in effect for your particular beach. Remember the basic rule of if you find yourself being taken away from the beach in a rip current, do not try to fight yourself back to shore. Instead, swim parallel to the beach until you swim out of the rip current and then work yourself back to shore.