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| A MESSAGE FROM ED PIOTOWSKI, WPDE CHIEF METEOROLOGIST "While it was painfully obvious days before Ike's landfall that there would be tremendous damage, I don't think anyone could imagine just how catastrophic it would be. These before and after pictures are shocking...
website: Hurricane Ike Photos
As a point of reference, the Bolivar Peninsula is a ferry's ride across the Galveston Bay Inlet. While the eye went directly over Galveston sparing them from the worst storm surge, the Bolivar Peninsula was not as lucky.
I am not an alarmist by any means, but THIS is what could happen to Little River, Garden City, Murrells Inlet and many points south toward Georgetown with a category 2 or 3 making a perpendicular hit."
IKE AFTERMATH By now, you've no doubt seen how catastrophic Ike was to parts of the Texas coast. There are entire towns that have literally been wiped off the face of the earth. Rescue and recovery crews continue the monumental and arduous task of assessing damage and locating survivors and bodies. Sadly, because entire communities were washed away by Ike's massive storm surge, we may not know for weeks, even months, who survived and who perished. It's highly likely that some that stayed behind were swept out to sea and will never be found. Two of the dead found in Galveston were dialysis patients who failed to get treatment. One was a cancer patient whose breathing apparatus stopped due to the power outage. I’m sure that these three people had reasons for not evacuating. But it appears that some of these people may have died because they defied the mandatory evacuation orders. This is yet another shocking reminder of how powerful water is. I can only hope that all of us along the coast realize what the ocean can do and evacuate if we're ever told to in the future." Ed
 What does a hurricane watch mean? A hurricane watch means hurricane conditions are POSSIBLE within 36 hours.
What does a hurricane warning mean? A hurricane warning means hurricane conditions are EXPECTED within 24 hours.
If I'm under a hurricane warning, what are my chances of getting hurricane force winds? According to National Hurricane Center statistics, there is a 25% chance you'll get winds of 74 mph or greater. That means 3 out of 4 times you'll be warned and never get hurricane force winds. Some of you may think, "Why evacuate for such a low percentage?" IF you decided not to leave every time, eventually the statistics would catch up to you. It's much better better to safe than sorry.
Am I in an evacuation zone? If you live east of the Intracoastal Waterway, you are in one of three evacuations zones. It's important to remember that if you are in an evacuation zone, there is a real threat the ocean can get to where you are. In a category 1 or 2 hurricane, all areas east of Highway 17 Business will be evacuated. In a category 3 or 4 hurricane, all areas east of Highway 17 Bypass will be evacuated. In a category 5 hurricane, all areas east of the Intracoastal Waterway will be evacuated.
Why are evacuations ordered so far ahead of a hurricane? Recent studies released by Horry County Emergency Management suggest that it would take up to 30 hours to complete an evacuation. In addition, an evacuation must be completed before tropical storm force winds (39 mph) reach the coastline. That can be 12 hours before a hurricane's eye ever crosses the shoreline. Often, you'll be evacuating on a perfectly beautiful day 2 days before a hurricane ever arrives.
In a mandatory evacuation, can I take any route I want? No. Once a mandatory evacuation has been ordered, law enforcement will be stationed all along the evacuation route telling you which way to go. To see what roads you would take, see our tropical page at www.wpde.com/weather. ; Keep in mind, if you decide to leave during a voluntary evacuation, you are free to take any route you want.
What happens if I don't evacuate? Plan to be on your own with no help. Once the sustained winds reach 40 mph, all high profile and light weight emergency vehicles are pulled off the streets. ALL emergency vehicles are pulled once the sustained winds reach 60 mph. If you stay and someone is seriously injured or your house catches fire, no one will be able to help you. Once the storm passes, response will usually resume in 8 - 12 hours depending on road network issues.
If I don't live in an evacuation zone, should I still leave anyway? If you are not in an evacuation zone, you are not required to leave. If your house has been built within the last 10 years and you protect the windows, doors and roof, you should be safe. No matter how well fortified your home is, if you have a lot of trees that could be blown down by a hurricane, it might be best to seek shelter elsewhere. Bottom line, whether you leave or not is a personal preference.
How do I determine if my house will flood? Unfortunately, this is not a black and white issue. How much storm surge any location gets depends on the hurricane's angle of approach, forward speed and strength. For a rough idea if you flood based on the worst case scenario, check out http://www.horrycounty.org/hurricane_info/surge.asp
What kind of insurance do I need? It is imperative you contact your insurance agent to be sure you have the proper coverage in the event you experience any loss due to a hurricane. Your insurance typically does NOT cover flooding from rising water caused by hurricanes. This normally requires a separate policy.
Can I get assistance to help protect my home? If you qualify, yes! Check out www.scsafehome.com. ; The goal of the program is to assist eligible South Carolina property owners with the retrofitting of their homes to make them more resistant to losses from hurricane damage.
Can I take my pets to a shelter? No. The American Red Cross does not allow pets in any of their shelters. Your best bet is to plan ahead by making reservations at a pet friendly hotel well outside of the evacuation zone. To find a hotel in your destination city, go to www.petswelcome.com
What part of my house do I need to protect? It is vital you protect all vulnerable parts of your home. This means protecting and strengthening your windows, doors and roofs. All it takes is one window or door to be breached to put the entire house at risk of destruction.
What are the pros and cons of shutters?
PROS: Keeps the wind and water out
CONS: Can be very expensive. Most you have to put up/close yourself.
What are the pros and cons of window film?
PROS: Once it's installed, it's always there. Makes windows much harder to break.
CONS: Does not strengthen the window frame or it's connection to the house.
What are the pros and cons of plywood?
PROS: Least expensive and does offer some protection.
CONS: Back breaking work and often installed improperly making you more vulnerable.
What are the pros and cons of impact windows?
PROS: Once installed, always there. Keeps the wind and water out.
CONS: Expensive to install. Expensive and messy to replace.
Will taping my windows work? Absolutely NOT! Frankly, it's a waste of time and money. Tape does not strengthen the window and could give you a false sense of security. IF your window survives a storm, you'll have a gooey mess on the glass to clean up afterwards!
What should I fear most in a hurricane? There are 4 killers in a hurricane: Storm surge, heavy rain, tornadoes and destructive wind. While storm surge has the greatest potential to kill, people do a good job of leaving the immediate coast. Take away Katrina's deaths and the number one killer is heavy rain. 6 out of 10 people killed in a hurricane drown far from the immediate coast. Keep in mind, any tropical system is capable of producing enough rain to flood areas that have never flooded before.
Which produces more rain, tropical depression, tropical storm or hurricane? All three are capable of producing massive amounts of rain capable of catastrophic flooding in a short amount of time. Hurricane Floyd in 1999 produced more than 20 inches of rain in Horry County. Tropical Storm Allison in June of 2001 had winds of only 45 mph, but dumped more than 40 inches of rain on Houston, TX over a 5 day period. Wind speed is the primary characteristic that separates tropical depression, storms and hurricanes. Remember, it's the heavy rain and subsequent flooding that is the number one killer in a tropical system.
When the storm has passed, how do I get back home? When it's deemed safe, local authorities will allow you back to your property. You must have identification linking you with your home or business. A valid drivers license, company ID or documents showing ownership will suffice.
How busy will the season be? All indications point to an above normal season. What none of those forecasts can tell you is where any of those storms will go. It only takes one storm to make it a bad season for us. You should prepare the same way every year regardless of the forecast. Remember, there were only 6 named storms in 1992...the same year hurricane Andrew roared ashore in South Florida.
Has SC ever been hit by a category 5 hurricane? Since good record keeping began in 1851, a category 5 hurricane has never hit the South Carolina coast. In fact, category 5s are rare with only 3 hitting the U.S. in the 20th century. They are the Florida Keys "Labor Day" hurricane of 1935, Hurricane Camille which hit Mississippi in 1969 and Hurricane Andrew which hit south Florida in 1992.
When is the peak of hurricane season? Historically, September 10th is the peak of hurricane season.
When should we worry most along the SC coast? While it's important to be prepared anytime during the hurricane season, the ten week period that runs from August 1st through October 15th offers us our highest risk. Historically, 22 of the 31 South Carolina landfalls have occurred in August and September.
If hurricanes form over salty oceans, why isn't the rain saltwater? Massive quantities of ocean water are evaporated by tropical systems, but the salt is left behind.
Which side of a hurricane is the worst? This depends on the hurricane's forward speed and angle of approach to the coastline. For almost every storm approaching the South Carolina coast from the south or southeast, the top right quadrant is the worst. The counter-clockwise circulation pushes the highest winds and most water ashore. The storm surge is maximized here. Tornadoes are also a major concern in the front right quadrant.
Is global warming the reason for the more intense hurricanes and damage? There is no question global warming is occurring now. What we cannot say with certainty is how long it will last and what's responsible. The debate over global warming being man-made or a natural cycle of the earth will rage on. Surprisingly, both sides of the issue agree that it is highly unlikely global warming is causing any increase in hurricane intensity or frequency. In fact, some of the climate models suggest that there could a be a reduction of tropical storm and hurricane frequency. The reason 7 of the 10 costliest hurricanes in American history have occurred since 2004 has nothing to do with global warming. It has everything to do with where people live. 50% of the United States population now lives within 50 miles of the coast. More people and buildings in the path of a hurricane means more material loss.
What's the difference between a hurricane, typhoon and a tropical cyclone? Characteristically, they are exactly the same. Different parts of the world call them different things. In the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico and eastern Pacific Ocean, we call them hurricanes. West of the International Dateline through the western Pacific Ocean, they are typhoons. In the Indian Ocean, they are called cyclones.
Do all hurricanes come from Africa? While a vast majority of tropical storms and hurricanes can be traced to Africa, not all come from there. There are some tropical systems that form on an old frontal boundary that recently emerged from the U.S. mainland.
Emergency Contact Numbers Horry County - 843-915-5150 Georgetown County - 843-545-3130 Florence County - 843-665-7255 Darlington County - 843-398-4450 Marion County - 843-423-8270 Dillon County - 843-774-1414 Marlboro County - 843-479-5642 Chesterfield County - 843-623-6837 Robeson County - 910-671-3150 Columbus County - 910-640-6610 Scotland County - 910-276-1317 Williamsburg County - 843-354-9330
Local Poet Patricia Robinson was inspired by WPDE Chief Meteorologist Ed Piotrowski's message "Be Prepared" at Hurricanes Happen 2008 - a public meeting about hurricane preparedness held July 8,2008 @ the Barefoot Community Church in North Myrtle Beach for all North Strand residents: Out of the Path of a Hurricane
The clouds come, the winds blow-as Horry County prepares to be blown to and fro.
Noon looks like evening as the bands turn-staying tune to WPDE so you can learn.
We got to listen to what Ed. has to say-he will tell us, when to batten down the hatches, and make our get away.
Stocking up on water and food-on hand always have plenty of can goods.
Peanut butter, jelly, granola bars-make sure you have plenty of Gas in your car.
Because all storms are not the same-no one wants to be in the Path of a Hurricane.
So when the evacuation sounds-its time to safely leave your town.
Have your maps and your ID-so you can get back into your own community.
Be ready at all cost-donʼt be foolish and have your name as one of the lost.
Even a category 1 is something man cant tame-the safest place is out of the path of a hurricane. By: Patricia Robinson - 7/9/08 - 3:30pm | |
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