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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.

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