Tropical Storm Idalia strengthening in the Gulf. Here’s the forecast for Myrtle Beach, SC.

Myrtle Beach could experience three to four inches of rain later this week from Tropical Storm Idalia after it passes over Florida, according to a National Weather Service prediction.

Idalia’s remains are expected to reach South Carolina on Wednesday and Thursday, bringing heavy rain, gusty winds and isolated tornadoes.

On Sunday morning, the National Hurricane Center declared the system a tropical storm, with winds between 39 and 73 mph.

The system is expected to strengthen to a hurricane over the Gulf of Mexico, bringing the risk of “life threatening storm surge,” heavy rain and high winds to Florida’s Gulf Coast and Panhandle as early as Tuesday.

As of Sunday morning, the storm previously known as Tropical Depression 10 was located off of Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula and western Cuba.

A state of emergency has already been declared in 33 Florida counties, covering cities including Tampa, Tallahassee, Bradenton and Panama City.

Despite passing hundreds of miles from the shore, Hurricane Franklin is expected to bring dangerous rip currents to the Myrtle Beach area this week.

In 2018, Hurricane Michael devastated Florida’s Gulf Coast. The system weakened to a tropical storm by the time it reached South Carolina and dumped a few inches of rain across the coastal parts of the state.