Coastal flooding possible tomorrow AM; “widespread severe event” possible afterward

We’re watching with great interest a fairly good possibility for a widespread severe weather event Wednesday. A very strong low pressure system is coming together in the Gulf of Mexico and will push eastward during today and tomorrow. We’ll start feeling the effects of this low late tonight in Charleston, as strong onshore winds will begin to kick up the coastal waters, causing beach erosion and coastal flooding. NWS has the Charleston coast under a Coastal Flood Watch from late tonight through Wednesday morning, as it’s expected that heavy rain and wind will impact the area right at the time of high tide. Tides up to 7.8′ are currently expected in Charleston Harbor. This is a prime setup for a fairly significant downtown flooding event right at rush hour, as high tide is at 7:30am.

Later Wednesday, this storm system will bring along with it a favorable setup for severe weather — a bit unusual for December, but certainly not unprecedented. The entire SC coastal area is in a “slight risk” of severe weather for Wednesday. Damaging winds, hail, and tornadoes cannot be ruled out. Plan accordingly for your Wednesday if you are traveling. We’ll keep an eye on things and update as the forecast becomes more clear.