Weaker Idalia pushes through the Carolinas

Nov 03, 2023

Updated 8:20 p.m., Aug. 30, 2023 | A weaker but still potent Tropical Storm Idalia crossed into South Carolina Wednesday evening as residents watched the nightly television news. With maximum sustained winds of 65 mph, the storm was 60 miles west of Charleston at 8 p.m., moving in a northeasterly direction at 21 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC).

But with a Blue supermoon pulling tides higher than normal, storm surge and flooding remained a concern Wednesday night in the Charleston area. A storm surge warning and tropical storm warning remained in effect for the Lowcountry coast.

“The center of Idalia will move near or along the coast of South Carolina through tonight, and then just offshore of the coast of North Carolina on Thursday,” the NHC forecast said. “Idalia will then move eastward over the western Atlantic into the weekend.

“Maximum sustained winds have decreased to near 65 mph with higher gusts. Some additional weakening is forecast through tonight, but Idalia is expected to remain a tropical storm while it moves near the coasts of South Carolina and North Carolina.”

Isolated tornadoes, such as a weak one that apparently flipped a car on U.S. Highway 52 in Goose Creek, also remain a threat in the Palmetto State until the storm moves into North Carolina in the early hours of Thursday. – Andy Brack

Updated 3 p.m., Aug. 30, 2023 | S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster on Wednesday said state and county leaders are ready for Hurricane Idalia’s arrival as it moves north from Georgia. There will be no evacuation orders and no state agencies are planning to close as a result of the storm, he said, adding people should stay home and stay informed in the hours ahead.

“We don’t think it’s going to be as destructive [as] some, but there will be a lot of water, especially in the Lowcountry,” McMaster said. “Estimates are from Georgetown to Myrtle Beach (for) one to two feet of water, but down in Beaufort it will be higher than that.

“We’re hoping that the storm will weaken as it goes across ground, which is what they usually do,” he added. “But we’re asking everyone to realize that these storms are dangerous. There will be water on the roads that does not appear to be deep, but … if you can’t see the road, don’t drive on it.”

According to the city of Charleston, “the primary threat to the Charleston area remains heavy rainfall and major coastal flooding associated with King tides. Charleston is currently forecast to receive 2 to 4 inches of rain tonight into tomorrow morning. The King tide prediction has increased to 8’5” and is expected to peak at 8:24 p.m. tonight.

Sustained wind speeds could reach 60 mph, with gusts up to 80 mph. Tropical storm-force winds and heavy rainbands are expected to arrive as early as this afternoon.

McMaster urged residents to stay inside as much as possible. And to get all information from official sources.

“There’s always a lot of chatter on social media,” he said. “A lot of it is right, but most of it is wrong. If you get your information from official sources, you will be much better informed.”

In Charleston, police are mobilizing under a specific hurricane plan, according to Sergeant Anthony Gibson.

“You will definitely see more officers out and about today and through tomorrow in preparation for the storm,” he said. “The Municipal Emergency Operation Center is open, and we have extended to 12-hours shifts, and increased staffing across the city so we can respond to anything that comes our way. We also have officers dedicated to road closures and setting barricades out for flooding roadways.”

Updated 11:30 a.m., Aug. 30, 2023 | Hurricane Idalia, now a Category 2 hurricane with sustained winds of 90 mph, is along the southern border of Georgia heading toward the South Carolina coast later today.

“Although Idalia will weaken further while the center is inland, it is still expected to be a hurricane through this afternoon or evening while moving across southeastern Georgia and southern South Carolina,” according to the latest forecast from the National Hurricane Center (NHC). “Idalia is forecast to be a tropical storm while moving near the coasts of northeastern South Carolina and North Carolina tonight and on Thursday.”

There are several warnings and watches relevant to South Carolinians, according to the NHC. Warnings mean associated conditions are likely in an area, while watches indicate the possibility of those conditions:

Updated 8:34 a.m., Aug. 30, 2023 | Hurricane Idalia, which struck Florida’s Gulf Coast this morning as a Category 3 storm with 120 mph winds, will spin its heavy rain, storm surge and bluster into South Carolina late this evening.

As of 8 a.m. today, a hurricane warning was in effect for the coasts of Georgia and southern part of South Carolina. The rest of the state’s coast was under a tropical storm warning.

Tropical storm force winds (39 mph to 73 mph) should arrive in the Palmetto State in midafternoon. By the time the center of Idalia gets to South Carolina late Wednesday or early Thursday, forecasters say it will again be a tropical storm, but its impact could be significant due to the confluence of heavy rains, wind and a supermoon that will exacerbate flooding and storm surge.

Local schools generally have a half-day today and will be closed Thursday for an e-learning day. People in businesses and homes have been preparing by securing property, stockpiling goods and bringing in things in yards that could soar.

This morning in Florida, the National Hurricane Center said the eye of Idalia was moving inland at 18 mph in a north-northeasterly direction along the Big Bend Coast with catastrophic storm surge and damaging hurricane-force winds.

On Monday, S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster declared a state of emergency ahead of Idalia’s arrival. He encouraged residents to make preparations and keep tuned into the latest developments.

“Although South Carolina may avoid the worst of Hurricane Idalia’s impacts, this state of emergency is issued out of an abundance of caution to ensure that we have the necessary resources in place to respond to flooding events and are able to respond quickly if the forecast worsens,” McMaster said in a statement.

Also Monday, Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg said the city was taking aggressive steps to prepare because the storm is anticipated to hit Charleston Wednesday night when the area is likely to experience a higher-than-normal king tide of nearly 8 feet.

Getting ready. Follow these links to read the City Paper’s emergency kit checklist and safety tips for hurricane preparedness and Charleston County’s 2023 Hurricane Guide. – Andy Brack

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