Irma hits South Carolina as a tropical storm

South Carolina was hit by the force of Tropical Storm Irma Monday, as the former hurricane made its way past Florida.

The massive storm brought whipping winds and relentless rain after moving its way up the East Coast, according to reports, leading Charleston to experience its third-highest-recorded storm surge with nearly 10 feet of water building up a mile inland.

While the Southern city did not encounter the fierce eye of the storm, it had not seen recession in tide levels as of 10 p.m. and could expect to see another several inches of rain in the area, the National Weather Service said.

{mosads}Nearly 250,000 people across the Palmetto State had no power by Monday afternoon and over 160 roads were closed as a result of downed trees and flooding, CBS reported.

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster (R) urged South Carolinians to avoid driving as a result of the precarious road conditions. 

“There’s no need to put yourself or your family or first responders at risk,” he reportedly said.