Improving weather is expected this afternoon into this evening as Helene continues to pull away from the area. Winds remain rather gusty — as of noon, a 48 MPH wind gust was reported at the airport — but will diminish as the afternoon wears on. It’ll stay warm and humid, with highs topping out in the low 80s as sun begins to peek through the cloud canopy. We’ll cool to around 70° overnight on our way back to the mid-to-upper 80s on Saturday.

Some housekeeping: The Flash Flood Warning that was in effect for the Charleston metro area, including downtown, has expired. The Tropical Storm Warning remains, but I expect that to be dropped by the 5PM advisory. And yes, the tornado threat has ended.

More on the weekend with this evening’s forecast post as the routine gets back to regular order. Thank you all again for your trust — it’s an honor to help guide y’all through these haranguing meteorological situations!

Keep rain gear handy for the rest of today as we get into the afternoon and evening hours. Light showers are already beginning to break out across the area, though the bulk of the rain remains — for now — to our north and west. Expect this to continue to fill in as the day goes on, with the best chance of showers later this afternoon into this evening. Temperatures will top out around 60° given cloud cover and showers in the area.