hurricanes (Charleston, Isle of Palms, Folly Beach: house, camping, living)

[NYTeacher1]

I was just wondering what the hurricanes are like in and around Charleston. I know that you have hurricanes, but how bad and how frequent are they?

[fqtravlr]

It's a crap shoot. Every spring the predictions start and we wonder if this will be the year the next big one comes our way. We are less prepared than ever with so many new people calling the Charleston area home who have no experience with a major hurricane. New development of outlying areas has removed the natural buffers and only the future will show how our topographical alterations and deforestation of large sections of the Lowcountry will change the way a hurricane afffects the coastal region. How bad will a major storm be? Depends on where you are and where it hits. Will it hit at high tide. We hope not. Will it wipe Daniel Island slick? Wait and see. Will Isle of Palms and Sullivan's Island be under water again? Probably. Will Folly Beach be cut in half at the washout? We can only hope not. Will downtown Charleston flood? You can pretty much count on it. I stayed home for Hugo in '89 and won't be here to experience the next big one. That was an indirect hit and it scared the devil out of me. I'll be camping in the mountains next time.

[Luvsdabeach]

There has been plenty of discussions about hurricanes on here. Here are just a few.

http://www.city-data.com/forum/charl...urricanes.html

http://www.city-data.com/forum/charl...urricanes.html

http://www.city-data.com/forum/charl...cane-hugo.html

[MEMCPO]

I would point you toward the National Hurricane Center archive; http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/tracks/2007atl.jpg where you can search the trackline of all hurricanes by year.

This website is full of info and has been the one I consult every year.

The sad news is that anyone within 5 miles of the coast or near a creek, tidal basin or river on the North East side of a Cat 4 or 5 may see significant damage. We had 4 trees on our house with alot of water damage from Katrina. I was about 6 miles inland and 20 miles or so on the bad side of the eye. My job required me to stay put, but the family evacuated. Anyone within a mile of the coast was wipe out.

[MEMCPO]

Sorry, try this one; NHC Archive of Hurricane Seasons

[wildwoodflower]

i tracked them last year here and found this to be the best site: www.stormpulse.com

[jesposito]

you're better off here than Florida

[mrpeatie]

Will downtown Charleston flood? You can pretty much count on it.

For some reason I found this humorous. I think we've all seen a couple of parts of downtown flood from a simple rainstorm at high tide.

And yeah- i wouldn't hold out much hope for some of the newer homes on the northern end of Folly. I swear a couple don't even have dunes in front as is. They should have just built them on pontoons with an anchor.

After Floyd's embarrassment of an evacuation my advice to all new residents is to use your out of town trips as a chance to become familiar with the alternate Hurricane evacuation routes. So many people are only familiar with 26 that it becomes a parking lot. Look at 176, 52, 41, 78, etc to find an alternate that takes you to 95.

[OleTomCat]

There are dozens of ways out of town, the problem is that with so many people living here and trying to leave all at once they all fill up. My mother lives in Tn, that is where I will be for the next major Huricane. If it is a 3 or less I stay put, I am 35 miles from the beach with no major water near me and I am at an elevation of over 15'.

[wildwoodflower]

but do people usually start leaving before a mandatory evacuation? i am on james island...and i can say i am going to head inland as soon as i can if we see one coming. i am sure come summer i will be a wreack about hte possiblity of a hurricane! the traffic out concerns me in an evacuation.