CHARLESTON, S.C. - Gov. Mark Sanford ordered coastal residents and vacationers in Horry and Georgetown counties to evacuate after a sudden shift in the forecast track of powerful Hurricane Charley on Friday.

"This has proven to be an unpredictable storm," Sanford said.

The storm, which slammed into Florida's west coast with 145 mph winds earlier Friday, was predicted to strike again near Myrtle Beach again Saturday as a strong tropical storm or weak hurricane.

Sanford issued the mandatory evacuation for anyone east of U.S. Highway 17 Business, which runs east of the Intracoastal Waterway and for most of its length is less than a dozen blocks from the ocean, in Georgetown and Horry counties.

To ease the flow of traffic, officials reversed the lanes along U.S. Highway 501 to have four lanes heading out of Myrtle Beach. The extra lanes would stay remain westbound until 6 a.m. Saturday, Public Safety Department director James Schweitzer said.

Sanford maintained a voluntary evacuation of low-lying areas for the rest of South Carolina's coast.

Forecasts showed "the leeward side to be the Charleston side and the windward side to be up in Georgetown and Horry counties," Sanford said. "So what we're going to do is maintain that voluntary evacuation for the Charleston area."

But he cautioned residents in those areas who could be affected by a 3 to 5 foot storm surge.

"If you happen to live in a trailer or if you live in a low-lying area or if you're on beachfront property to think about moving to a safer location, perhaps a friend's house," Sanford said.

Sanford also declared a state of emergency to make South Carolina eligible for federal assistance if necessary.

"We want to take precautions, we want to be careful, but we don't want to cause too much in the way of alarm," Sanford said.

Charley made landfall near Port Charlotte, Fla., around 4 p.m. Friday. It was expected to cross the Florida peninsula and emerge as a topical storm when it makes a second landfall Saturday, said Mark Bacon, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Wilmington, N.C.

"When it crosses Florida, that's going to change the whole character of the storm," Bacon said. "It's going to be a lot weaker."

But the storm was also expected to grow in physical size, meaning the tropical storm force winds would extend farther from the center.

Forecasters posted flood watches from the Midlands to the sea.

Charley was expected to bring more heavy rains in the wake of Tropical Storm Bonnie, the remnants of which moved through on Thursday dumping up to five inches of rain in places, flooding some streets and low lying areas.

The National Weather Service reported Thursday tornadoes damaged several homes in Fairfield and Chesterfield counties, and four tornadoes were confirmed in Horry County, said Joe Farmer, a spokesman for the state Emergency Management Division.

Schools in Beaufort County closed Friday, officials closed Hunting Island State Park in Beaufort County was closing Friday and Hilton Head Island officials urged visitors and residents alike to stay off area beaches.

Intermittent showers came across Beaufort on Friday, but none of the buildings downtown had been boarded up late in the afternoon.

The governor told several hundred National Guardsmen across the state to get ready just in case he needs them.

"Although the governor has not called us, we stand ready," Army Col. Jack L. Davis said.

Meanwhile, tolls were suspended on the Cross Island Parkway on Hilton Head to speed people getting off the island.

The Department of Transportation was keeping close watch on the speed and volume of vehicles on major roadways, said Elizabeth Mabry, executive director of the agency.

At least four Lowcountry counties planned to open shelters for people who wanted to ride out the storm on higher ground.

In Charleston, Mayor Joseph P. Riley Jr. urged residents not to drive through deep water and resist going out side during the worst of the storm.

"The point is be prepared on your own," he said. "This storm, unlike Hugo, will occur during daylight. There is a temptation ... to go out and experience the weather. Do not go out during periods of high wind."

It was midnight when Hugo's eye moved across Charleston in 1989, smashed the coast with its 135 mph winds.

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Jennifer Holland in Columbia and John Shurr in Beaufort contributed to this report.