Forecasters say Frances brings threat of widespread flooding to Upstate

Stephen Sapp, on porch at background center, a resident at the Lou Ray Motel, stays out of the driving wind and rain while watching the effects of Hurricane Frances in Daytona Beach, Fla., Sunday Sept. 5, 2004. Pieces of a roof section from down the street lie broken a jammed under two cars by the force of the wind. (AP Photo/Daytona Beach News-Journal, Sam Cranston) e-mail this story

"It really is hard to imagine us not having an impact of some kind," said meteorologist Harry Gerapetritis of the National Weather Service in Greer.

Up to 6 inches of rain could fall starting tonight as the storm that battered Florida takes aim at Georgia and the Carolinas, according to the Weather Service.

Forecasters predicted it will crawl through the Upstate, with the heaviest rain Tuesday and Wednesday.

A nudge to the east would mean even heavier rainfall, while a slight move to the west could bring tornadoes, Gerapetritis said.

The mountains will likely see the heaviest rain, Gerapetritis said.

Frances moved northwest across Florida on Sunday at 8 mph as winds fell to 65 mph and it was downgraded to a tropical storm.

Forecasters said Frances could regain hurricane strength today as it moves over the Gulf of Mexico. Tropical storm-force winds extended 230 miles from the center.

Paul Alongi can be reached at 298-4746.