Beaufort, South Carolina, is heading into a soggy, humid weekend while attention across the country turns to what used to be Hurricane Bertha.
Overnight temperatures in the coastal town sat near 28 degrees Celsius, with a RealFeel closer to 35 thanks to sticky humidity and light southwesterly winds. Today’s forecast calls for a high of 32 degrees, variable cloud cover, and the chance of a thunderstorm capable of producing sudden, damaging wind gusts.
Bertha Weakens, but Rain Threat Continues
Bertha made landfall in Texas and has since been downgraded, first to a tropical rainstorm and now to a tropical depression as it moves closer to the Houston area.
Even in its weakened state, the system is still dumping heavy rain across parts of the state, raising concerns about localized flooding. Forecasters are also tracking Hurricane Fausto out in the East Pacific, watching to see whether it could eventually pose any risk to Hawaii.
Meanwhile, other parts of the country are dealing with their own weather troubles. Severe storms are moving through the Midwest and Northeast, bringing the threat of high winds and flooding. West Virginia has already declared a state of emergency after record flooding swamped the region, and lightning strikes in Oregon have sparked a batch of new wildfires.
What to Expect in Beaufort This Week
Back in Beaufort, the ten-day outlook shows a pattern of warm, humid days interrupted by scattered afternoon thunderstorms.
Saturday and Sunday should stay mostly cloudy with highs around 31 degrees, followed by a slight warming trend into the low-to-mid 30s by midweek. Wednesday looks like the hottest day, with a high near 36 degrees and another round of afternoon storms possible.
Air quality in the area is currently rated fair, meaning most people should be fine outdoors, though sensitive groups may notice some mild effects with prolonged exposure. Pollen levels for trees, ragweed, grass, and mold are all running low right now, but dust and dander levels are unusually high, so allergy sufferers may want to take precautions.
With the region sitting under a humid air mass and a steady stream of thunderstorm chances through early next week, residents are being encouraged to keep an eye on forecasts and have a plan in place in case storms turn severe.