Rains in store for Aiken as Ida downgrades to tropical storm 11/9/2009 8:38 PM
By APRIL BAILEY Staff writer
Though Hurricane Ida has weakened to a tropical storm, residents will still feel its effects over the next couple of days.
Bill Cherry, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Columbia, said the storm could easily dump one to two inches of rainfall over the area, with the possibility of three inches.
"I don't see much improvement until Wednesday night," Cherry said of the showers.
On Monday, the National Hurricane Center reported that the hurricane had weakened from a Category 2 storm with 90 mph winds.
Ida, the third named hurricane of the 2009 Atlantic hurricane season, is expected to hit landfall this morning, though it is also expected to weaken more in the process. Hurricane season officially ends Nov. 30.
Though showers may be heavy at times, Cherry said the area will likely be spared from any severe weather associated with the storm. He said the storm's left side, its weaker side, will pass through Aiken.
"The air mass is stable enough that it will mainly be just a rain event," he said.
According to the National Weather Service, today's forecast calls for a 100 percent chance of rain with a high near 62 degrees. On Wednesday, the rain chance drops to 30 percent with a high near 63 degrees.
Cherry said Thursday through Sunday looks to be drier. Temperatures will also gradually begin to warm back up.
"There's a slow warming trend heading into the weekend," he said.
Thursday's forecast calls for a mostly sunny sky with a high of 65 degrees. The sunshine will remain through Monday with highs in the lowers 60s to mid 70s.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
Contact April Bailey at abailey@aikenstandard.com.
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