Initial news reports are hitting the wires now.

The Associated Press reports that, "The National Weather Service says Hurricane Charley has made landfall in South Carolina with winds of 85 mph."

Other wire reports below in the extended entry.

Hurricane Charley made its second landfall in South Carolina on Saturday and, with winds of about 85 mph, was not nearly the deadly storm that trampled Florida a day earlier....

...But it was a downsized Charley that rolled into South Carolina, still potent enough to spawn tornado warnings and flood watches in its wake. Charley, moving at 28 mph, was expected to quicky pass through the Grand Strand and move further north along the Eastern Seaboard.

Charley found a largely empty Grand Strand when he arrived. One of the state's biggest vacation spots was mostly abandoned after Gov. Mark Sanford ordered a mandatory evacuation for Georgetown and Horry counties east of U.S. Business 17. Many of the area's 180,000 tourists and residents rolled out of town Friday night and early Saturday....

...Horry County spokeswoman Lisa Bouchier said the region expected winds of 50 to 60 mph through the early afternoon.

The main roads out of the Grand Strand were clear Saturday morning, very different from about eight hours earlier when bumper-to-bumper traffic stretched for about 60 miles as people evacuated from Charley's path....

...Sanford told several hundred National Guardsmen across the state to get ready just in case he needs them.

And Attorney General Henry McMaster warned businesses that a new state law targeting "unconscionable" increases in prices for goods, services and temporary housing would be used to curb storm-related price gouging.

Hurricane Charley is beginning to make landfall along the S.C. coast, with the storm's eye wall grazing Georgetown County. According to Weather Channel and National Weather Service reports, the storm is packing 85-mph winds and its center will be near Bucksport by 10:45. Tropical storm force winds are being felt across the area, with the worst of Charley still to come for most areas. Gov. Mark Sanford is on his way to the Georgetown County emergency operations center, spokesman Will Folks said. He'll be there to assess local needs, Folks said. Sanford is scheduled to arrive around 11:30 a.m., said Georgetown County spokesman Greg Troutman.

There were no reports of damage, flooding or road closures in Horry County as of 10 a.m. The county was under a flood warning from the National Weather Service. Restaurant signs were reported blown down on the Murrells Inlet Marshwalk around 10:20. Georgetown County had removed its emergency vehicles from the road around 10 a.m., a move associated with winds reaching 40 mph.

Power was reported out in some areas of Georgetown County, although the extent of the outage was unclear. This is the county's first real test of its new 800 megahertz system, which went online about months ago....

Hurricane Charley was churning up the southeastern N.C. coastline, with turbulent weather already affecting eastern counties by early morning. About 100 people decided to stay on the island of Sunset Beach despite its bridge being closed. Heavy rain was pelting Brunswick County by 10:45 a.m., with water starting to accumulate on the side of some secondary roads.

Myrtle Beach International Airport was open as of 8 a.m., but airlines had canceled most morning and afternoon flights. Late-evening flights will depend on Charley's path and impact. Passengers are advised to check directly with airlines concerning flights.

...Horry County meanwhile moved to its Disaster Operations stage. The county said residents can expect to see tropical storm force winds (40 mph) between 8-9 a.m. and hurricane force winds (50-60 mph) around noon. Gusts are forecast to reach 80 mph.

All 10 Horry County shelters are open, with 1,600 seeking refuge from the storm there. Charley is expected to be gone from the area by late this afternoon....

...Flooding possibilities were increased following rains Thursday from Tropical Storm Bonnie that dumped from two to about five inches of rain on parts of the Grand Strand.

The storm could deliver winds up to 60 mph, gusts to 80 and storm surges up to 6 feet in Horry County and 8 feet in Brunswick County, N.C.

"The peak winds will happen about the same time as low tide and that should help," Hawkins said. He also said isolated tornadoes will be a threat until the storm passes.

Horry County residents may get hurricane updates by calling the county's automated hurricane information line at 915-5005. Updates also are available on the Web at www.horrycounty.org.

Georgetown residents may listen to the city's radio station for updates and information. The station is WGEO-FM, 105.7.

Cross-posted at Backcountry Conservative.