Update #5 from the Town of Kiawah Island:
Stay Indoors as Storm Impacts Continue
The hurricane has now weakened to a tropical storm, but impacts to the Charleston County are consistent with previous predictions. The storm is currently tracking through Georgia and will reach the Charleston area by Thursday, but rain and flooded will continue to make road conditions dangerous today through Thursday.
It continues to be important for residents to stay indoors and off the roadways, as debris and flooding are still causing hazards on bike paths and roads. Alligators and other wildlife may also be displaced and in atypical areas of the island.
Currently, there has been as much as 12 inches of rainfall reported during the storm in Charleston County. An additional 3 to 5 inches are expected today, an additional 1 to 3 inches tomorrow, and 2 to 4 inches on Thursday.
Tropical storm winds, potentially as high as 58 to 73 mph, as well as 2 to 4 feet of storm surge are a concern on Thursday as the storm approaches Charleston County. Isolated to scattered power outages and additional downed trees are possible.
The next high tide is expected tonight around 10:28 p.m. View the latest tides through the Town's tide station here. The tide station provides tide predictions and actual real-time tides.
There is a high rip current risk currently in effect. Please stay out of ocean. Rip currents can sweep even the best swimmers away from the shore into deeper water.
Continue to monitor local weather stations for updates.
Last Night's Storm Impacts
Tropical Storm Debby had several impacts on Kiawah Island last night. This morning’s island assessments included the following updates:
- Standing water on Beachwalker Drive
- Kiawah Island Parkway is completely flooded past the first gate near the first tunnel
- Most bike paths are flooded
- Surfsong Road, Governor’s Drive near Vanderhorst, and Sora Rail Road are flooded and impassable
- Three side roads have hazardous flooding and are closed, which includes Doral Open, Glen Abbey and Jackstay Court
- Structural damages are not yet confirmed
As the storm progresses, additional roadways will likely not be safely passable. Residents are urged to stay off the roadways and never drive through waters of unknown depths.
Last night, around 9:26 p.m., the National Weather Service detected a strong rotation and likely tornado moving towards Kiawah Island. The areas of most imminent threat included Turtle Point Golf Course and Osprey Point Golf Course. In this area, there are downed trees and minor structural damage. There is a continued risk of tornadoes this week. A tornado warning means that a tornado has been spotted or detected by radar. Residents should immediately take shelter in the lowest level of their home away from windows if a tornado warning is issued.
Island Preparations and Operational Updates
Due to the expected storm impacts, below are the latest preparations and operational updates in Kiawah Island. For updated changes in operations as the storm progresses, visit each agencies' website:
- UPDATED: There will be no solid waste collection today, Aug. 6 or tomorrow, Aug. 7. Residents are reminded to secure their trash and recycling bins, such as in a garage, to avoid being washed away.
- Mayor Brad Belt has declared a "State of Emergency" for Kiawah Island, effective on Aug. 5, at noon, in preparation of the potential effects of Hurricane Debby.
- Town meetings will be canceled until Thursday, weather dependent.
- The Town Hall Building will be closed with essential personnel on-site and non-essential personnel working remotely. To contact Town staff, residents can call the Town's main line at 843-768-9166.
Freshfields Village
UPDATED: Any closures will be shared on the Freshfields' website. Harris Teeter is anticipated to stay open and The Station is currently closed, but gas pumps are working. The gas pumps will only be turned off if the water reaches dangerous levels.
Kiawah Island Community Association (KICA)
- UPDATED: Gate access for commercial services is expected to remain closed through Thursday. Only emergency repair services are permitted, with authorization from KICA Security. (Contact securitysup@kica.us to gain authorization and provide the service provider's name, date and time of arrival, and reason for service.)
- UPDATED: The Sandcastle is closed and may not reopen until Saturday. KICA offices are closed, but the Member Services team is available at 843-768-9194.
The county park is closed through Wednesday, weather dependent.
St. John's Fire Department
The St. John’s Fire Department has a high-water vehicle on-hand and stands ready to assist as needed. The department will respond to all calls as safely as possible to do so and based on the volume of calls, may need to triage and prioritize calls.
For the latest operational updates, please visit their website here.
The Town will continue to provide updates to the community and coordinate with island entities as the storm progresses.
Emergency Notifications
The Town of Kiawah Island leads communications in an emergency situation. Be sure to get the latest updates from the town by registering for CodeRED and emergency email notifications.
Residents are encouraged to stay tuned to local weather stations for updated forecasts and information.
Hurricane Guides
Helpful Links