>> THE SCHOOLS IN OUR AREA GOING REMOTE ARE CANCELING CLASSES TOMORROW. WE HAVE LIVE
TEAM COVERAGE TO HELP PEOPLE
PREPARE. YOU'RE WATCHING
EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE AT 10.
WE BEGIN TONIGHT WITH THE
LATEST TRACK ON IN. HERE IT IS
ON THE RADAR. IT'S A CATEGORY
ONE STORM. NOW A HURRICANE SET
TO MAKE LANDFALL IN SOUTH
CAROLINA, MAYBE AROUND NOON
TOMORROW SINCE THIS MORNING
WE'VE BEEN SHOWING YOU IMAGES
OF THIS STORM AS IT JUST
LEVELED PORTIONS OF FLORIDA
LEAVING ENTIRE COMMUNITIES
UNDER WATER, LEAVING
DESTRUCTION AND NOW IT'S HEADED
OUR WAY TONIGHT. MUCH OF OUR
AREA REMAINS UNDER A TROPICAL
STORM WARNING. WANT TO GET
RIGHT TO METEOROLOGIST JOHN
AHRENS NOW IN SEVERE WEATHER
CENTER. 9. SO THE QUESTION IS
WHEN WE EXPECT TO START SEEING
THE SOME OF THE RAIN AND WIND
HERE IS ALREADY BEEN PRETTY
BREEZY. IT CERTAINLY HAS BEEN
VERY WINDY. SCOTT, WE'RE GOING
TO START OUT LIKE HERE, THOUGH,
AS FAR AS THE RAIN GOES, YOUR
PRIVATE HERE TO TALK ABOUT IT,
STEVE, ABOUT HOW IT'S GOING TO
TAKE SOME TIME FOR THE
ATMOSPHERE TO SATURATE. IT IS
VERY DRY RIGHT NOW. SO ANYTHING
THAT COULD FALL FROM THE CLOUDS
WOULD EVAPORATE PRETTY QUICKLY.
SO I WOULD SAY FOR THE NEXT
SEVERAL HOURS THERE WILL NOT
BE ANYTHING HAPPENING FROM A
RAIN PERSPECTIVE. INSTEAD, IT'S
STILL GOING TO REMAIN VERY
WINDY OUT THERE.
>> THESE ARE THE WIND GUSTS.
WE HAVE A 28 MILES PER HOUR
IN CHARLOTTE UP IT THROUGH
MONROE AS WE GO LATER ON IN
THIS EVENT, THOSE WINDS CAN
REALLY BE KICKING UP THERE.
HERE'S THE LATEST. THIS IS THE
RADAR IMAGE OF WORK IN IS
ALMOST PARALLEL TO THE GEORGIA
COASTLINE NOW MOVING NORTH AT
ABOUT 8 TO 10 MILES AN HOUR WAY
OF FALL PROJECTIONS. STILL,
THIS IS NOT GOOD FOLLOWING A
LOT WITH THE GUIDANCE AS OR
LOOKING AROUND EAST OF THE
CHARLESTON AREA. THEY'RE
GETTING RAIN RIGHT NOW. PRETTY
SOON. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS
WILL BE EXPECTED THAT WE HAVE
CREWS ALL ACROSS THE CAROLINAS.
LET'S GO TO JONATHAN LOWE WHO
IS IN CHARLESTON OUT.
>> WELL, NORMALLY THIS AREA
WOULD BE HUSTLING AND BUSTLING
WITH NIGHT LIFE ACTIVITY JUST
BEHIND ME. THERE'S THE HISTORIC
MARKET HERE IN DOWNTOWN
CHARLESTON, BUT ASKED THE WHEN
AND THE RAIN GRADUALLY PICK UP.
WE'RE SEEING FEWER AND FEWER
PEOPLE THAT ARE ON THE STREETS.
MANY OF THEM WITH THAT. WE HAVE
COME INTO CONTACT WITH TELL
US THAT THEY HAVE BEEN SPENDING
ALL DAY PREPARING. SO HAVE THE
BUSINESSES IN THIS AREA.
JUST TAKE A LOOK. THIS IS WHAT
WE HAVE SEEN AT A NUMBER OF
THEM SANDBAGS JUST PACKED AND
READY, HOPING THAT THEY WILL BE
ABLE TO FEND OFF ANY FLOOD
WATERS. NOW WE HAVE BEEN HERE,
AS I MENTIONED EARLIER THIS
AFTERNOON.
>> EMERGENCY RESPONDERS HAVE
BEEN TELLING US THAT THEY ARE
PREDICTING ANYWHERE FROM 4 TO
AS MUCH AS 7 FEET OF STORM
SURGE TO INUNDATE THIS AREA.
THERE ARE ALSO PREDICTING THAT
THE FLOODING, ESPECIALLY IN
DOWNTOWN CHARLESTON, WILL BE
SEVERE AS HURRICANE IN AND
MAKES ITS NEXT LANDFALL HERE IN
THE U.S. HOW MANY OTHER PEOPLE,
AS I MENTIONED, THEY'RE
PREPARING. BUT HERE, LOCALS,
THEY ARE USED TO THE POTENTIAL
AND THE THREAT OF SEVERE
WEATHER. THEY SAY, YOU KNOW
WHAT? IN MOMENTS LIKE THIS,
THEY CAN JUST HOPE FOR THE
BEST.
>> COMING UP INITIALLY
COMING THROUGH FORT MYERS AND
THE DEVASTATION THEY SAW THERE
WAS JUST INCREDIBLE ON SEE ON
TV ADS. IT'S WILD THAT
CERTAINLY WE DON'T EXPECT TO
SEE THE SAME THING THAT THEY
THEY SAW IT.
I DON'T KNOW. I MEAN, WE MIGHT
SEE SOME SIGNIFICANT FLOODING
AND HOPEFULLY WE DON'T YOU
KNOW, WE DON'T SEE ANY TYPE OF
DEVASTATION THAT THEY SAW.
>> CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO
DETERIORATE HERE IN CHARLESTON
COUNTY AND THE LOW COUNTRY OF
SOUTH CAROLINA OVERNIGHT AND
INTO THE EARLY MORNING HOURS.
SO MAKE SURE YOU STAY WITH
CHANNEL 9. WE WILL HAVE
COMPLETE COVERAGE HERE FROM THE
LOW COUNTRY IN OUR DAYBREAK
COVERAGE AS WELL AS THROUGHOUT
THE DAY ON FRIDAY.
>> EMERGENCY WORKERS IN
LANCASTER AND OTHER SOUTH
CAROLINA COUNTIES ARE, OF
COURSE, PREPARED NOW, JUST
WATCHING HIM MAKE LANDFALL.
THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
DIRECTOR IN LANCASTER COUNTY IS
CONCERNED ABOUT FLASH FLOODING
IN LOW AREAS AND ALSO THE
STRONG WIND GUSTS, OF COURSE,
COULD KNOCK DOWN TREES AND THAT
COULD KNOCK OUT POWER.
>> I'M CONCERNED ABOUT POWER
OUTAGES, BUT THE POWER
COMPANIES ARE PRETTY GOOD AT
COMING IN AND GETTING THINGS
HANDLED IN GETTING THE POWER
BACK ON.
>> ALSO TODAY, OFFICIALS WITH
ALL 4 YORK COUNTY SCHOOL
DISTRICTS INCLUDING YORK ROCK
HILL, FORT MILL AND CLOVER SAID
THEY WILL HAVE AN E LEARNING
DAY TOMORROW. CHESTER
CHESTERFIELD IN LANCASTER
COUNTY SCHOOLS MADE THAT SAME
ANNOUNCEMENT.
>> THE CHARLOTTE MECKLENBURG
SCHOOLS WILL NOW BE HAVING A
REMOTE LEARNING DAY TOMORROW
BECAUSE OF THE STORM IN OUR
ERICA JACKSON IS CONTINUING OUR
LIVE TEAM COVERAGE FROM MYERS
PARK, HIGH SCHOOL. AND ERICA,
YOU WERE OUT THERE AS THEY HAD
THAT FOOTBALL GAME TONIGHT.
TALK TO A LOT OF PEOPLE JUST
HOPING FOR THE BEST RIGHT NOW.
>> YEAH, EXACTLY, ERICA AND CMS
DECIDED TO MAKE THIS CHANGE TO
SWITCH TO REMOTE LEARNING AFTER
WORKING WITH THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE AND LOCAL
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT. AND THIS
IS JUST ANOTHER ADJUSTMENT.
FAMILIES WILL HAVE TO MAKE
THANKS TO HURRICANE IAN.
>> I FOOTBALL TAILGATES ARE A
FRIDAY NIGHT TRADITION FOR
THESE MYERS PARK, MUSTANGS MOMS
AND DADS.
THIS WEEK, IAN FUMBLED THEIR
PLANS. IT'S A LITTLE BIT
STRANGE WAS AFTER WORK
TOMORROW. BUT THAT BEING SAID,
I'D MUCH RATHER THAN ME THAT IF
THERE'S DAY WHERE THE KIDS CAN
ACTUALLY PLAY THEN HAVE TO
RESCHEDULE. CHARLOTTE
MECKLENBURG SCHOOLS ANNOUNCED
ALL VARSITY FOOTBALL GAMES WERE
MOVED UP A DAY TO DODGE THE
THE INTERRUPTIONS CONTINUE.
THE DISTRICT SHIFTED ALL
CLASSES TO REMOTE LEARNING ON
FRIDAY. IT'S WELCOME NEWS FOR
HEATHER MOSS AND HER SON.
YOU MIGHT SAVE A LITTLE BIT
LATER TONIGHT BECAUSE OF THE
GAME AND NOT HAVING TO GO TO
SCHOOL BRIGHT AND EARLY IN THE
PANDEMIC HAS TAUGHT HIM HOW
TO RELEASE BUCKLE DOWN AND
FOCUS WHEN HE HAS TO REMOTE
LEARNING. ONLY THING WE'RE
CONCERNED ABOUT IS POSSIBLY A
POWER OUTAGE. BRIAN CROMWELL'S
FAMILY IS PREPARED WITH THE
GENERATOR.
>> BUT CMS UNDERSTANDS NOT ALL
FAMILIES HAVE A BACKUP POWER
SOURCE. THE DISTRICT TELLS ME
ALL ABSENCES DUE TO LOST WI-FI
OR ELECTRICITY. WE'LL BE EXCUSE
JUST BATTEN DOWN THE HATCHES
AND JUST GET PREPARED FOR THE
STORE. CMS IS PREPARING TO BY
TALKING WITH LOCAL EMERGENCY
LEADERS ABOUT PLANS TO USE
SCHOOLS AS SHELTERS, IF
NECESSARY. MOSS IS USING THIS
TIME TO REPAIR HER FAMILY FOR
THE WORST AS THEY HOPE FOR THE
BEST. HOPEFULLY EVERYONE IS
SAFE AND NO TREES DOWN AND
POWER.
>> YEAH, THAT'S WHAT A LOT OF
PEOPLE ARE HOPING. MEN CMS SAYS
IT WILL ASSESS THE DAMAGE AFTER
THE STORM. LOOK AT ALL THE
DIFFERENT SCHOOLS AND THEN SEND
AN UPDATE TO PARENTS ON SUNDAY.
>> THANKFULLY, THEY DID GET TO
HAVE A LITTLE FUN TONIGHT.
ERICA,
THANK YOU. AND A REMINDER THAT
YOU CAN SEE A FULL LIST OF THE
SCHOOL CLOSURES AND THOSE THAT
WILL BE LEARNING VIRTUALLY
TOMORROW. IT'S SCROLLING ALONG
THE BOTTOM OF YOUR SCREEN.
YOU CAN ALSO FIND THAT ON OUR
FREE WS OC APP. WINDS ARE
STARTING TO PICK UP HERE IN
THE CHARLOTTE AREA AND FROM
CHOPPER 9 EARLIER, WE'VE
ALREADY SEEN AT LEAST ONE TREE
COME DOWN. THIS ONE CAME
CRASHING DOWN ONTO A HOME THIS
AFTERNOON ALONG GLENWOOD DRIVE
NEAR. I-85 CHARLOTTE FIRE SAYS
THAT 3 PEOPLE WERE INSIDE THAT
HOUSE AT THE TIME. THANKFULLY,
NO ONE GOT HURT.
NEW TONIGHT, THE HARRISBURG
FIRE DEPARTMENT GETTING READY
FOR IN AND CHECK THIS OUT FOR
THE LAST 72 HOURS.
>> CREWS HAVE BEEN LOADING UP
THEIR WATER RESCUE EQUIPMENT.
THEY'VE GOT 35 CERTIFIED RESCUE
CREW MEMBERS WITH TRUCKS, 14
FOOT BOATS AND RAFTS AND DRY
SUITS ALL ON STANDBY. READY TO
RESPOND TO ANY WEATHER EVENT IN
THE AREA. HOPEFULLY THEY WON'T
BE IN ACTION TOMORROW.
>> THIS IS WHAT WE PREPARE
PRACTICE FOR SO AGAIN, WE'RE
SPEND THE NEXT COUPLE ENSURING
THAT EVERYTHING IS READY FOR
WE HOPE THAT ALSO WE DON'T HAVE
YOU KNOW, AS THAT. BUT WE'RE
HERE. IF I'M SOMEBODY CALLS.
THE TOWN, SAYS ALL 3 STATIONS
CARRY THIS KIND OF WATER
EQUIPMENT.
>> PEOPLE IN FLORIDA WOKE UP
TODAY TO WIDESPREAD DEVASTATION
AFTER HURRICANE IAN JUST
SLAMMED INTO THE STATE'S
SOUTHWESTERN COAST. AT LEAST
15 LIVES HAVE BEEN LOST.
OFFICIALS FEARING THAT THAT
NUMBER COULD RISE. GLORIA
PAZMINO IS LIVE IN FORT MYERS
TONIGHT WITH THE LATEST ON THE
RESCUE EFFORTS AND THE MASS
DEVASTATION.
>> AND IN THE AREA OF FORT
MYERS, WHICH HAS BEEN
ABSOLUTELY DECIMATED BY THE
STORM, THE DOWNTOWN AREA OF THE
CITY IS BASICALLY GONE. ALL
THOSE BUILDINGS HOMES, A SMALL
BUSINESSES HAVE BEEN WIPED AWAY
IN THE POWER OF THAT STORM.
IT WAS BEING PUMMELED LAST THE
FORCE OF THAT HURRICANE HAS
FOR EVER CHANGE THE CITY OF
FORT MYERS.
>> AS DAYLIGHT BROKE THURSDAY,
IT REVEALED HOW DOES TRAFFIC
DEVASTATION IN FLORIDA IN THE
WAKE OF HURRICANE IAN? HIGHER
NEIGHBORHOODS UNDER WATER,
POWER LINES TURNED DOWN DEBRIS
SCATTERED IN THE STREETS.
RESIDENTS IN FLORIDA NOW TRYING
TO PICK UP THE PIECES ABOUT
IT, KNEW IT WAS GOING TO BE.
HE'S BEEN OUT ON ME. MY FAMILY
OUT AHEAD OF SEARCH AND RESCUE
CREWS FROM MULTIPLE AGENCIES
RUSHING TO HELP PEOPLE TRAPPED
IN
THEIR HOMES. BUT IN AREAS LIKE
SANIBEL ISLAND, IT'S IMPOSSIBLE
TO GET THERE BY CAR BECAUSE
THE CAUSEWAY IS THE ONLY
CONNECTION TO FLORIDA'S
MAINLAND. AND IT'S NOW.
>> IN PIECES. AS YOU CAN
IMAGINE, IT IS PRETTY
DEVASTATING. AND WHAT'S REALLY
DOES IS LEFT THE PLACE ALMOST
UNRECOGNIZABLE IN
>> HURRICANE IAN SLAMMED
FLORIDA SOUTHWESTERN CALLS
WEDNESDAY AS A CATEGORY 4 STORM
BRINGING LIFE-THREATENING STORM
SURGE, HISTORIC FLOODING AND
WINDS NEAR 150 MILES PER HOUR.
BUT IT'S NOT JUST THE COAST
THAT WILL SLAMMED AS THE STORM
TURNS EAST. IT DUMPED RAIN ON
CENTRAL FLORIDA, TRIGGERING
FRESH WATER FLOODING.
>> THIS COULD BE THE DEADLIEST
HURRICANE IN FLORIDA HISTORY
AS FLORIDA ASSESSES THE
DEVASTATING DAMAGE. PRESIDENT
JOE BIDEN SAYING THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT WILL BE SENDING
FUNDS FOR EMERGENCY RESPONSE
EFFORTS.
>> AND RESCUE OPERATIONS ARE
WRAPPED UP HERE FOR THE NIGHT.
THE FORMAT, FORT FIRE
DEPARTMENT CARRIED OUT 200
RESCUES THROUGHOUT THE DAY.
AND THE CITY NOW IS PLUNGED IN
DARKNESS. 88% OF THE CITY
REMAINS WITHOUT POWER. SO
PEOPLE STILL NEEDING THE BASIC
BASIC THINGS. POWER, A CELL
PHONE SERVICE, WATER, ALL OF
THOSE