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Hurricane Dorian Devastated the Bahamas and Parts of the Carolinas

Featured Image: The Atlantic

Charleston geared up for Hurricane Dorian this week, luckily much of the Holy City was left largely unharmed despite the hundreds of thousands of power outages. Sadly, the northern Bahamas were not as lucky and suffered the largest impact from the hurricane as the storm was at a category 5 level when it struck the islands. The official death toll is 43 and continues to rise as rescue workers reach more areas. The United Nations believe almost 70,000 are left homeless on Abaca and Grand Bahamas, the areas which took the grunt of the impact, due to the damage. Follow CNN’s live updates here.

Northeast South Carolina and North Carolina were impacted as well as flooding and tornadoes have hit the region. Outer Banks residents’ homes flooded, leaving hundreds trapped by high water. Ocracoke Island, in the Outer Banks, suffered catastrophic flooding, described by residents as levels they had never seen. The island is only accessible by boat and air, but Governor Roy Cooper said medical and search and rescue teams were on the way. Here are just a few of the ways you can donate and help the Bahamas as well as the impacted communities in the Carolinas:

Find more organizations working to aid in the rescue work in the Bahamas and the United States, accepting donations here.

The Charleston region was impacted by the hurricane as well with trees, powerlines and even traffic lights downed across the Lowcountry. Take a look at some pictures of the impacts the storm left on Charleston:

 

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hurricane irma

Essential Tips On Preparing For Hurricane Irma

Featured Image Credit: National Hurricane Center

South Carolina just issued a state of emergency for Hurricane Irma. A state of emergency means that the government suspends normal constitutional procedures to regain control. These are normally issued during potential natural disasters. Irma has already destroyed buildings and flooded a few Caribbean islands. The storm is set out to hit Puerto Rico first and then Florida after that.  

The National Hurricane Center forecasts Irma to turn north on Saturday, expecting to reach South Carolina late Sunday. No evacuation orders have been ordered due to the unexpected track of the storm. While previous hurricane, Matthew, didn’t do as much damage as expected to the Charleston area, hurricane warnings are always to be taken seriously.

Evacuation Tips:

Fill up your gas tank

There will be heavy traffic on expressways during evacuations. Also, everyone will be trying to get gas at the same time. We advise you to get gas before the gas stations run out and so you don’t have to stop on your way out.

Leave as early as possible

People like to hold out the storm, however, getting a head start can be vital in these situations. By heading out early, you can get ahead of the traffic and beat the storm.

Know where you are going

Whether you are going to family or friends, figure it out ahead of time. If you are planning on staying in a hotel, make your reservation asap. Many hotels around the southeast are booking up due to Florida evacuating now.

Pack clothes, cash, food, important documents, and first-aid kits

Make sure you are prepared to leave for a few days. It is always important to have cash in case your credit card declines for being in a different city. Secure important documents so you don’t lose them in the storm. Lastly, carry a first-aid kit with you in case of small emergencies!

Staying Tips:

Prepare to lose power & water

Hurricane winds are known for knocking over powerlines and leaving people without electricity and water. Be sure you are prepared for this! Have food on hand you can cook without electric, stock up on paper plates and plastic silverware. Also, be sure you have batteries, flashlights, and candles!

Prepare your house: trim your trees, secure all gutters, board up windows

Trim your trees so that limbs and branches are less likely to fall and cause damage. Be sure that all gutters are in the correct place to clear water away from your house. Board up windows so winds have a lesser chance of breaking windows.

Make sure you have water and food

It is important to have bottled water at your service in case the water goes out. This will help you stay hydrated, bathe, and brush your teeth!

Get a full tank of gas

Again, even if you are staying make sure your car has a full tank. It is always better to be safe than sorry. Sometimes, people decide to leave last minute and it is helpful to have gas before you desperately need it.

Have pet care items

Make sure if you have pets, they are well taken care of. Stock up on food and water for them as well as treatment pills they might require.

Secure important documents

Hurricanes can destroy homes and it would be dreadful to lose one of those important documents you need. Make sure they are high up in your house and in a safe place where they won’t get wet.

These are just some tips to help you during this hurricane. Use your best judgment and most importantly, stay safe Charleston.

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hurricane

Forecasters Say Tropical Threats Are Looming For South Carolina

Featured Image Credit: BBC

It was the beginning of summer when we said Charleston was in for an “above average” hurricane season, but now, a federal forecaster is calling for far more hurricane activity expected for the rest of the season, saying the next few months could be “extremely active.”

Historically, nine of every 10 hurricanes occur after August 10, said Phil Klotzback of the Tropical Meteorology Project.

This year, the so-called Bermuda high with its hurricane-steering winds is weakening but also shifting back and forth, which could nudge cyclones either toward us or away from us. Since spring, the waters offshore the Southeast have been hot enough to muster up some cyclones…which could strengthen into a hurricane in a very short amount of time.

hurricane

Image Credit: CNBC

“At this stage of the game, I find myself focusing more time and effort on the individual ‘could be’ features because the set-up off the U.S. southeast coast could get a tropical cyclone spun up quickly close to the beach,” said Mark Malsick, the S.C. Climate Office severe weather liaison.

“High pressures building down from the north can help spawn ‘home grown’ tropical cyclones along tail ends of cold fronts over our ripe waters,” said meteorologist Shea Gibson of WeatherFlow, a Charleston-based company.

hurricane

Image Credit: Charleston Daily

Even a relatively weaker storm could wreak some serious havoc this season. We all remember Hurricane Matthew that happened last October. It scraped up the coast as a minimal, non-threatening hurricane but it did more than $100 million in damage from Hilton Head Island all the way to Myrtle Beach and killed 43 people.

NOAA lead forecaster Gerry Bell said all the dominant factors that stir up a hurricane are perfectly and alarmingly present this year, including favorable winds and much warmer-than-average water.

Most of us have lived through a hurricane in Charleston. Whether it was Hugo in 1989 or Matthew just last year…. we know that vulnerable feeling when Mother Nature decides to wreak havoc. There’s nothing we can do about it besides be prepared, stay calm, and make smart decisions. Here is a helpful guide to getting through a hurricane.

Learn more from our source.

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Charleston Needs To Get Ready For An “Above Average” Hurricane Season

Image Credit: Charlotte Observer
After Hurricane Matthew hit the Lowcountry and its surrounding areas in late October of 2016, many of us hope that we never have to go through anything like that again.

But according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), South Carolina and other parts of the U.S. are expected to have an “above normal” hurricane season. Predictions say that there is a possibility of having anywhere between 11 and 17 tropical storms, with 5 to 9 of those storms becoming hurricanes, and 2 to 4 becoming major hurricanes.

hurricane matthew

Image Credit: REUTERS via BBC News

“There’s a potential for a lot of hurricane activity this year,” said Ben Friedman, the acting NOAA administrator.

Because of the mix of environmental factors that could weaken or strengthen the climate’s potential of storms, it’s uncertain truly how high the forecast really is. But, NOAA did state that there is a 20 percent chance of a quieter season, a 35 percent chance of a near-normal season, and a 45 percent chance of an “above normal” season.

The forecast “really underscores the importance of preparedness,” Friedman said.

hurricane matthew

Image Credit: REUTERS via BBC News

It has been a record-breaking 12 years since there has been a catastrophic hurricane that has made landfall in the U.S. but with strong tropical storms and well-built smaller hurricanes like Matthew, these storms can be just as dangerous and deadly as major hurricanes.

The “official” start date for the 2017 Hurricane season was June 1st, and is planned to last through November. There has already been strong activity that has been detected in the Atlantic Ocean with Tropical Storm Arlene. Because this type of activity is becoming so strong so early into the year, it is obvious that we must do everything we can to prepare ourselves for Hurricane Matthew round two, or even something more drastic.