Heavy rain in Lexington County is forecast about 3 p.m. Friday, with rainfall becoming more abundant into Friday night. Lexington County could get up to six inches of rain before Tropical Storm Hermine passes through by the early a.m. hours of Saturday.

Press release from the SC DOT: 

The South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) has intensified preparations and planning as Tropical Storm Hermine approaches South Carolina. Rain and high winds are expected in advance of T.S. Hermine’s arrival into the state.

SCDOT maintenance units in counties from the Midlands down to the Pee Dee, Lowcountry and coastal areas will have their forces work 12-hour shifts beginning Friday morning. Upstate counties will continue to prepare for stormy weather in those areas. Some crews in those counties have also been designated to move to the lower part of the state should additional crews become necessary to handle clean-up.

Maintenance units in the Pee Dee, Lowcountry and coastal areas are inspecting and preparing locations on Thursday that tend to flood during heavy rain. All counties continue to prepare equipment, road signs and vehicles.

Secretary of Transportation Christy A. Hall urges motorists to use caution at all times, particularly in stormy conditions. Since heavy rainfall is predicted as T.S. Hermine passes through the state, significant levels of standing water on roadways can occur. The public is warned not to attempt to drive through it. Standing water can be life-threatening. Motorists are also urged not to drive around any barricades SCDOT uses to close roads. Roads are closed when damaged or present hazardous situations.

More Thursday preparations:

• SCDOT’s website will provide information including road closings, and links to the 511 Traveler Service, social media posts and press releases. Here is the link:http://www.scdot.org/getting/HermineResources.aspx
• SCDOT’s Customer Service Call Center will open at 6:00 Friday morning. Customer Service Agents will be on duty to take calls overnight and into Saturday. The toll free number is: 855-GO-SCDOT (855-467-2368) toll free or 803-737-2314.
• The public should be advised that any moveable swing bridges will be locked down in a position for vehicle traffic when sustained winds reach 25 mph. These bridges will not be opened for nautical traffic until the sustained winds are below 25 mph.
• SCDOT also notes the following recommendations for high level structures in the Charleston area including the Ravenel, Holt and Wando Bridges. Whensustained winds reach speeds of 30 mph, law enforcement will warn operators of high profile vehicles such as semi-trucks, box delivery trucks, RVs and travel trailers not to use these bridges. At sustained winds of 40 mph, law enforcement will notify the public that travel over those bridges may be hazardous. At that point, anyone crossing the bridges is doing so at their own risk. In addition, the public is warned that regardless of sustained wind speeds, unexpected and hazardous wind gusts of higher speeds could occur.

SCDOT urges all drivers to use caution for your own safety, the safety of other drivers and for those are working to keep the highways open. Updates will be provided on SCDOT’s Facebook page and Twitter feed: @SCDOTPress.