The wind will be a’blowing out of the west through the day.

“Through tonight and tomorrow, we’re going to have high sustained winds across the county,” said Chris Newkirk, Beaufort County’s Operations Chief of Fire and Emergency Management. “Some (models) are saying as little as 20 to 25 (mph); others are saying we could see 30 to 40 (mph) sustained with higher gusts.”

The wind, part of a nor’easter system, is expected to continue through the weekend. The National Weather Service is forecasting sustained winds of 26-30 mph throughout the day, with frequent gusts greater than 35 mph. Saturday, the winds will decrease slightly, but will only begin to taper off into Sunday and Monday, with sustained wind forecasts of 12-16 mph Sunday and 10-12 mph Monday.

There is a potential for weather-related hazards: abnormal water levels are expected through Monday; and the combination of saturated ground and high winds leading to downed trees and power outages.

“While we do not expect this to be a widespread hazard, there is a potential for isolated incidents of this nature,” Newkirk said. “This ain’t going to be good weekend to get on the water. There’s going to be very rough conditions in open waters.”

Newkirk encouraged residents to secure any outdoor belongings that could be picked up by strong gusts and to stay tuned to local media outlets for weather updates, watches and/or warnings.