Gov. Henry McMaster issued a State of Emergency for South Carolina in preparation for Tropical Storm Debby. News 19 Weather Impact Alerts days have been issued through Thursday, but river and water levels may continue to rise even after the storm moves on. We're breaking down what you need to know and how it could affect The Midlands throughout the week.

Flooding

Tropical storm rainfall + flooding poses the biggest threat to the Midlands. Along with heavy rainfall, wind gusts are expected and could reach upwards of 30 mph. The South Carolina Emergency Management Division posted yesterday that rainfall totals for South Carolina have increased, and the Midlands area could see eight to 15 inches.

Columbia is no stranger to flooding, and last June, SC rolled out a new Strategic Statewide Resilience + Risk Reduction Plan. Part of the plan includes a reference to the severe flooding event that occurred in 2015, specifically, the breach that caused significant damage to the canal and affected the water supply for ~400,000 people.

Safety + power crews are preparing for potential power outages and will use sandbags to help with flooding.

Local sources to follow

For safety tips, up-to-date information, and road closures, follow the links to several local sources below.