AT 11 AM EDT, THE CENTER OF HURRICANE IAN WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 32.4° NORTH AND LONGITUDE 79.0° WEST,OR ABOUT 60 MILES EAST-SOUTHEAST OF CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA OR ABOUT 120 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF CAPE FEAR, NORTH CAROLINA.

IAN IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH NEAR 14 MPH.  IAN IS FORECAST TO MOVE MORE

QUICKLY TOWARD THE NORTH TODAY FOLLOWED BY A TURN TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHWEST BY TONIGHT.  ON THE FORECAST TRACK, THE CENTER OF IAN WILL REACH THE COAST OF SOUTH CAROLINA TODAY, AND THEN MOVE FARTHER INLAND ACROSS EASTERN SOUTH CAROLINA AND CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA TONIGHT AND SATURDAY. 

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 85 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS.  IAN SHOULD MAINTAIN ABOUT THE SAME STRENGTH BEFORE LANDFALL LATER, THEN WEAKEN AND RAPIDLY TRANSITION INTO A POST-TROPICAL CYCLONE OVERNIGHT.  IAN SHOULD DISSIPATE OVER WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA OR VIRGINIA LATE SATURDAY. 

THE NEXT NEWS ITEM WILL BE ISSUED AT NOON.