Good morning Island residents,
At 8am this morning Hurricane Idalia was located at 29.9N 83.5W approximately 10 miles from Perry Florida and approximately 260 miles SW of Sullivan’s Island. The storm is a powerful Category 3 hurricane with sustained winds of 120 mph and central minimum pressure at 28.05 inches. The storm is moving NNE at 18 mph.
The National Hurricane Center has issued the following alerts:
- Hurricane Warning for the area between Longboat Key, FL to Edisto Beach, SC. A hurricane warning means that hurricane conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area. Preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion.
- Tropical Storm Warning from Sebastian Inlet, FL to the North Carolina/Virginia border. A tropical storm warning means that tropical storm conditions (sustained wind speeds between 39 and 73 mph) are expected somewhere in the warning area.
- Storm Surge Warning is in effect for the area between St. Catherine’s Sound, GA to the South Santee River, SC. A storm surge warning means there is a danger of life-threatening inundation, from rising water moving inland from the coastline. Persons in these low-lying areas should take all necessary actions to protect life and property from rising water and the potential for other dangerous conditions.
- Additional warnings could be issued later today.
What to expect on Sullivan’s Island:
- Tropical storm winds could begin to arrive as early as 5pm today; however, the strongest period of tropical storm wind will likely be felt between 8pm today until around 2am Thursday. The National Hurricane Center anticipates that Idalia could maintain hurricane strength through Georgia before tapering off to tropical storm speeds.
- Bands of rain will begin to arrive as early a 2pm today and last through 2am Thursday. The National Hurricane Center has forecast rainfall in Charleston County to be between 2 inches and 4 inches.
- The storm surge is anticipated to be between 2 feet and 4 feet during the storm event. The key high tide event during the storm is Wednesday evening at 8:32pm with astronomical measurement of 6.7 feet. All low lying areas on Sullivan’s Island can expect salt water. Residents should take precautions to protect life and property.
Items for you to consider:
- Continue to follow your family hurricane plan.
- Monitor local media for the most current storm updates.
- Household garbage collection will resume Friday pending Charleston County landfill operations resuming.
- Exercise great caution if you enter the ocean as rip currents and swell heights will be much greater than normal.
- The bridges will remain open and passable but moving into Wednesday afternoon and evening road conditions will become hazardous. Please consider not driving unless necessary.
The Town is operating at emergency condition OPCON 2. Town Hall will close at 2pm Wednesday and reopen at 10am Thursday. Minimum staff will remain at Town Hall until 5pm today. Additional first responders are on duty at the Police and Fire Departments throughout the duration of the event and standing by at the ready to lend assistance. In the event of an emergency always dial 9-1-1. For non-emergency Police, Fire or Water and Sewer contact Charleston County Consolidated Dispatch at 843-743-7200.
Other contact information:
- For emergency dial 9-1-1
- For Police, Fire or Water and Sewer non-emergency contact dispatch at 843-743-7200
- To report a power outage or downed power line contact Dominion Energy at 1-888-333-4465; view to Dominion Energy Power Outage Map at https://outagemap.dominionenergysc.com. Never approach a downed power line as it or the ground around it may be energized.
Please be confident that the Town staff has taken every precaution to prepare the Island for this storm event. First responders are standing by and ready to provide any assistance necessary. I anticipate one or two messages to follow today and perhaps a concluding message tomorrow.