Hurricane Special: The 5th Season

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - Most states only have four seasons, but South Carolina prepares for a fifth — hurricane season.

Storm Surge

Storm surge is the most dangerous hazard of a hurricane that kills the most people directly, according to Storm Surge Specialist Cody Fritz with the National Hurricane Center.

Storm surge occurs when a tropical system pushes water from the ocean inland. It could reach anywhere from 2 feet to over 18 feet!

Fritz said with the latest technology and newest graphics, he is able to give a 2 to 3 day lead time for storm surge.

Charleston is getting ready for the worst by working with the Army Corps of Engineers to build an extended battery around the peninsula blocking the waters from entering the Holy City, according to Chief Resilience Officer with the City of Charleston, Dale Morris.

Morris said it would it is a large project with years of design and construction ahead of it.

Learning from the Past

Since 1851, 44 tropical cyclones have made landfall in South Carolina.

Our first Major storm was the Great Charleston Hurricane of 1893.

We faced Hazel and Gracie in the 50s, before Hugo arrived in 1989, changing the landscape of South Carolina forever.

Hurricane Hugo made landfall as a Category 4 on Sept. 22, 1989.

Around the core of the storm, max sustained winds reached 140 mph.

Legends of South Carolina vividly remember the lasting impact Hugo left on our state.

Sports Director Rick Henry recalled the concern of hoping his mother was okay while riding out the storm in McBee.

Former Camden Mayor Mark Clark remembers the massive number of downed trees across Kershaw County, causing electricians to work around the clock to restore power.

By the end of Hugo, it caused around $7 billion in damage, making it the costliest storm in American history.

Hundreds of South Carolinians were injured by Hugo, with nearly 100 people losing their lives.

Hugo serves as a reminder as to why we must prepare for The Fifth Season.

Inland Threats

We are an inland community.

WIS spoke to John Q, the Warning Coordination Meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Columbia about the greatest threat to inland comminutes during a landfalling hurricane and some of the hazards after the storm.

Also, indirect deaths related to hurricanes like carbon monoxide poisoning and traffic light malfunctioning.

They use media partners like WIS to alert the public to the threats and get the word out.

Social media has been a valuable tool to alert the public.

He also referred to the 2015 flood as the worst storm aftermath he has ever seen in this area, even though the flooding was not directly from a landfalling hurricane.

Hurricane Preparations

Are you prepared if a tropical storm or hurricane were to hit South Carolina?

Members of the South Carolina Emergency Management advise everyone put together a hurricane kit at the start of the season.

These kits should contain non-perishable food and water to last at least three days along with some other essential items to help you get by in the immediate aftermath of a storm.

They also discussed having an evacuation plan if you live along the coast.

Make sure you know what zone you live in, as the zones have changed this year.

Also, have several different plans for evacuation depending on the where you might need to go to escape the path of the hurricane.

Insurance

If you wait too long to get insurance, you will be out of luck.

According to our experts, if you hold off until a named storm is projected to hit your area, insurance companies will not give last minute coverage.

You need to have wind and flood coverage secured ahead of time.

With coverage in place, something else you can do before a storm is to reinforce your home if at all possible.

This would include temporary repairs using strong plywood and tarps for added protection.

You could also board up windows, make short term roof repairs, tack down plastic sheeting, and identify any cracks or openings that can be sealed for water protection.

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