Two storms to brush Upstate

e-mail this story Related Online extra • Weather forecast

Two tropical systems are expected to pass across the state in the next 72 hours, something state officials said was unusual, and residents from the mountains to the coast should be prepared for wind, rain, flooding and power outages.

Tropical Storm Bonnie will come first and is expected to arrive tonight. The track of the storm, according to the National Hurricane Center, puts it over the midlands in the early morning hours Friday. Bonnie is expected to make landfall along the Florida panhandle at midday today.

National Weather Service Meteorologist Pat Moore said the Upstate could receive from 1 to 4 inches of rain over 12 or 18 hours, depending on the path. Flood watches are posted for the entire Upstate through noon on Friday.

Less is known about Hurricane Charley, which could move through the coastal areas of South Carolina on a line from Charleston to Florence in the early morning hours Saturday. Forecasters said Wednesday it's too early to predict rainfall, but the Upstate could get slammed or spared entirely.

"It is a situation that bears watching," Moore said. "People are going to have to keep track of the weather forecasts during the day Thursday."

A cold front is expected to shield much of the Upstate from the storms, shifting the bulk of the rain toward Columbia and Charlotte, according to Weather Service forecasters.

The state Department of Health and Environmental Control warned dam owners to reduce water levels and check the safety of their dams in preparation of heavy rains.

All South Carolina residents should make sure emergency kits are prepared and they have enough food for a few days, said Joe Farmer, spokesman for the state Emergency Management Division.

"We're doing storms in stereo in South Carolina right now," he said. "That's right unusual to happen."