Shallow coastal flooding expected this evening, through the weekend
We’ve got a double-whammy of coastal flooding possibilities through the weekend: high astronomical tides, and then some rough surf from Hurricane Bill closer to the weekend. A Coastal Flood Advisory is in effect tonight, and I suspect we’ll see one of these a day through the weekend:
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHARLESTON HAS ISSUED A COASTAL
FLOOD ADVISORY…WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM TO 9 PM EDT THIS
EVENING.ASTRONOMICAL HIGH TIDES AS A RESULT OF THE PERIGEE TONIGHT AND THE
NEW MOON EARLY THURSDAY…WILL PRODUCE WHAT ARE REFERRED TO AS
PERIGEAN SPRING TIDES THIS EVENING.TIDES IN CHARLESTON HAVE BEEN RUNNING AROUND 1/3 TO 1/2 FOOT ABOVE
PREDICTED TIDE LEVELS THE PAST SEVERAL TIDE CYCLES…AND THIS
TREND WILL CONTINUE THIS EVENING. THIS WILL PRODUCE AN HOUR OR TWO
OF MINOR NUISANCE FLOODING AT LOCATIONS NEAR AND ALONG THE COAST
OF SOUTHERN SOUTH CAROLINA…AROUND THE TIME OF HIGH TIDE. THE
HIGH TIDE THIS EVENING OCCURS IN CHARLESTON AT 703 PM AND AT
BEAUFORT AT 818 PM.TIDES ARE EXPECTED TO REACH AS HIGH AS 7.0 TO 7.2 FEET MEAN LOWER
LOW WATER AT CHARLESTON WITH THE UPCOMING HIGH TIDE.SOME COMMUNITIES SUBJECT TO SHALLOW COASTAL FLOODING INCLUDE…PARTS
OF DOWNTOWN CHARLESTON SUCH AS LOCKWOOD AVENUE AND AMERICA
STREET…LONG POINT ROAD IN MOUNT PLEASANT NEAR BOONE HALL
CREEK…SULLIVANS ISLAND…FOLLY BEACH…EDISTO BEACH AND FRIPP
ISLAND.
We’ll begin to feel Bill’s waves this weekend. An excerpt from this afternoon’s Hazardous Weather Outlook:
LARGE AND POWERFUL…LONG PERIOD SWELLS GENERATED BY HURRICANE
BILL WILL REACH THE BEACHES OF SOUTH COASTAL SOUTH CAROLINA AND
NORTH COASTAL GEORGIA OVER THE WEEKEND. THIS WILL RESULT IN AN
ENHANCED RISK FOR RIP CURRENTS ALONG AREA BEACHES.TIDES/BEACH EROSION…SHALLOW COASTAL FLOODING WILL REMAIN A
POSSIBILITY WITH THE EVENING HIGH TIDES THROUGH THE WEEKEND AT
THE COAST. IN ADDITION…THE COMBINATION OF POWERFUL SURF AND HIGH
ASTRONOMICAL TIDES COULD PRODUCE MINOR TO MODERATE BEACH EROSION
AT AREA BEACHES…MAINLY THIS WEEKEND.
It’ll be a great weekend for surf, but also a dangerous weekend in the water, especially for inexperienced swimmers. Typically with tropical system-generated surf, swimming restrictions go into effect, and I have a feeling that will happen this weekend.