SAVANNAH, Ga. () — The area of disorganized cloudiness that we have been watching for potential tropical development has become more organized and is now Tropical Depression Three.

Hurricane hunters were investigating this system Friday afternoon and found a defined circulation making it a tropical depression at 5 p.m.

As of 8 p.m., T.D. Three maintained strength and has sustained wind of 35 mph. Wind gust of 45 mph were measured as well. It is located about 150 miles off of the Georgia coast. T.D. Three is slowing moving north at 2 mph.

T.D. Three is expected to slowly strengthen before making landfall near Charleston, S.C. late Saturday night or early Sunday morning. It is forecast to slowly strengthen into a tropical storm by sometime Saturday. Chantal is the next name on the 2025 Atlantic name list.

A Tropical Storm Watch has been issued for Edisto Beach and northward along the South Carolina Coast to the Little River Inlet on the North Carolina boarder.

LOCAL IMPACTS

Local impacts from T.D. Three are expected to be minimal and concentrated near the coast. The primary coastal concerns will be breezy and gusty wind up to about 35 mph at times. Strong on shore wind will lead to rough surf and a high rip current risk for Georgia and South Carolina.

As this system makes its way toward the Charleston area, scattered rain and storms are expected locally. Some rain will be heavy at times. Minor localized flooding is possible mainly for Beaufort County. However, most of the Coastal Empire and Lowcountry that covers will receive less than one inch of rain.

This system will not be a major wind or rain even for most of coastal Georgia, Savannah, or for our inland communities.

T.D. Three is expected to remain a lopsided system. This means most of the thunderstorms and wind will remain on the eastern side of the storm, leading to the lower local impacts.