Flooded Roadways Will Be Hazardous
Last night, the tropical storm strengthened to a hurricane and Hurricane Debby made landfall near the Big Bend of Florida. Local impacts are still consistent with yesterday's predictions.
Historic rainfall amounts are expected and could cause catastrophic flooding throughout Charleston County. There is still 10 to 20 inches of rainfall expected, with localized amounts up to 30 inches.
Flooded roadways are expected during the storm. It will be very dangerous to drive during the storm. Stay indoors and do not drive through flooded waters, as the condition of the road underneath will be unknown. Driving through flooded waters not only places the driver's and passengers' lives at risk, but also the first responder personnel lives. Anticipate road closures due to flooding and do not drive around barricades.
There is also 2 to 4 feet of storm surge and tropical storm wind expected to impact the area. Consider bringing lawn furniture or other outdoor items indoors and secured, including trash and recycling bins. Isolated to scattered power outages and downed trees are possible.
The next high tide is expected tonight around 9:50 p.m., which increases the potential of flooding. 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.
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:
- NEW Mayor Brad Belt has declared a "State of Emergency" for Kiawah Island, effective today, Aug. 5, at noon, in preparation of the potential effects of Hurricane Debby.
- NEW The Town Council meeting scheduled for tomorrow, Aug. 6 has been canceled and any other Town meetings will be canceled until Thursday, weather dependent.
- NEW There will be no solid waste collection tomorrow, Aug. 6 and Trident anticipates collections will not take place on Wednesday as well. Residents are reminded to secure their trash and recycling bins, such as in a garage, to avoid being washed away.
- NEW All beach-related items, including trash bins, receptacles, and equipment have been removed from the beach.
- 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.
NEW The county park has closed today, Aug. 5 at 1 p.m. and will continue to be closed through Wednesday, weather dependent.
Freshfields Village
Any closures will be shared on the Freshfields' website. Harris Teeter is anticipated to stay open and The Station will remain open as long as possible. The gas pumps will only be turned off if the water reaches dangerous levels.
Kiawah Island Community Association (KICA)
- KICA will close the island to commercial gate access (with exception to emergency repair services) on Tuesday and anticipate to remain closed through Thursday. Emergency repair services will be permitted, but must be authorized by KICA Security.
- Those in need of an emergency repair service during this commercial access closure should contact KICA Security (securitysup@kica.us) and provide the service provider's name, date, and time of arrival, and reason for the service.
- The Sandcastle and KICA offices at Beachwalker Center closed today at noon, and remain closed through Thursday, weather dependent.
- KICA has lowered pond levels to increase stormwater storage capacity and drainage gates have been closed to incoming tides.
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 also requested additional high water resources from the county. 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.
Parking Available at Town Hall
For those concerned about their vehicles in low-lying areas, parking at Town Hall is available on a first-come, first-served basis. The Town is not liable for any damages incurred, and parking is at the motorists' own risk.
Please do not park at the electric vehicle station parking spots, as this prevents these motorists from charging their vehicle.
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