737  
WTUS82 KCHS 310318  
HLSCHS  
GAZ087-088-099>101-114>119-137>141-SCZ040-042>045-047>052-311200-  
 
TROPICAL STORM IDALIA LOCAL STATEMENT ADVISORY NUMBER 18  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC AL102023  
1118 PM EDT WED AUG 30 2023  
 
THIS PRODUCT COVERS SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA AND SOUTHEAST GEORGIA  
 
**CONDITIONS IMPROVE TONIGHT AS TROPICAL STORM IDALIA MOVES AWAY FROM THE AREA**  
 
NEW INFORMATION  
---------------  
 
* CHANGES TO WATCHES AND WARNINGS:  
- THE STORM SURGE WARNING AND TROPICAL STORM WARNING HAVE BEEN  
CANCELLED FOR COASTAL CHATHAM  
- THE TROPICAL STORM WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR ALLENDALE,  
BULLOCH, CANDLER, COASTAL BRYAN, COASTAL LIBERTY, COASTAL  
MCINTOSH, EFFINGHAM, EVANS, HAMPTON, INLAND BRYAN, INLAND  
CHATHAM, INLAND JASPER, INLAND LIBERTY, INLAND MCINTOSH,  
JENKINS, LONG, SCREVEN, AND TATTNALL  
 
* CURRENT WATCHES AND WARNINGS:  
- A STORM SURGE WARNING AND TROPICAL STORM WARNING ARE IN EFFECT  
FOR BEAUFORT, CHARLESTON, COASTAL COLLETON, AND COASTAL JASPER  
- A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR DORCHESTER, INLAND  
BERKELEY, INLAND COLLETON, AND TIDAL BERKELEY  
 
* STORM INFORMATION:  
- ABOUT 20 MILES NORTH-NORTHWEST OF CHARLESTON SC OR ABOUT 90  
MILES NORTHEAST OF SAVANNAH GA  
- 33.0N 80.0W  
- STORM INTENSITY 60 MPH  
- MOVEMENT NORTHEAST OR 45 DEGREES AT 21 MPH  
 
SITUATION OVERVIEW  
------------------  
 
TROPICAL STORM IDALIA, NOW CENTERED NEAR CHARLESTON LATE THIS  
EVENING, IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE MOVING NORTHEAST AND OFFSHORE OF THE  
CAROLINA COASTLINE BY THURSDAY MORNING.  
 
SURGE AND TIDAL LEVELS ALONG THE COAST OF SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA  
HAVE DROPPED OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF HOURS, WITH THE TIDE GAUGE IN  
CHARLESTON HARBOR NOW BELOW FLOOD STAGE. THE STORM SURGE WARNING NORTH  
OF THE SAVANNAH RIVER WILL CONTINUE FOR A FEW MORE HOURS, AS SOME  
AREAS CONTINUE TO SEE FLOODING RELATED TO SURGE FROM THIS AFTERNOON.  
 
TROPICAL STORM WIND GUSTS WILL CONTINUE ALONG THE COASTLINE OF  
SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA, AND IN PARTS OF COLLETON, DORCHESTER, AND  
BERKELEY COUNTIES THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT. WINDS WILL DIMINISH FROM  
SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST OVERNIGHT AS IDALIA MOVES AWAY FROM THE AREA.  
 
HEAVY RAIN HAS ENDED OVER THE AREA, THOUGH SOME BANDS OF LIGHT TO  
MODERATE RAIN WILL LINGER IN COLLETON, DORCHESTER, BERKELEY, AND  
CHARLESTON COUNTIES FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS.  
 
DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS AND HIGH SURF WILL CONTINUE ALONG THE SOUTH  
CAROLINA AND GEORGIA COAST THROUGH THURSDAY.  
 
POTENTIAL IMPACTS  
-----------------  
 
* SURGE:  
PROTECT AGAINST LIFE-THREATENING SURGE HAVING POSSIBLE SIGNIFICANT  
IMPACTS ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA COAST. POTENTIAL IMPACTS  
IN THIS AREA INCLUDE:  
- AREAS OF INUNDATION OF SALTWATER ALONG IMMEDIATE SHORELINES AND  
IN LOW-LYING SPOTS FARTHER INLAND NEAR RIVERS AND CREEKS, WITH  
STORM SURGE FLOODING ACCENTUATED BY WAVES. DAMAGE TO SEVERAL  
BUILDINGS, MAINLY NEAR THE COAST.  
- SECTIONS OF NEAR-SHORE ESCAPE ROUTES AND SECONDARY ROADS BECOME  
WEAKENED OR WASHED OUT, ESPECIALLY IN NORMALLY VULNERABLE LOW  
SPOTS.  
- MODERATE TO MAJOR BEACH EROSION WITH HEAVY SURF BREACHING  
DUNES. STRONG AND NUMEROUS RIP CURRENTS.  
- MINOR TO MODERATE DAMAGE TO MARINAS, DOCKS, BOARDWALKS, AND  
PIERS. SEVERAL SMALL CRAFT BROKEN AWAY FROM MOORINGS,  
ESPECIALLY IN UNPROTECTED ANCHORAGES. SOME NAVIGATION AIDS  
POSSIBLY DISPLACED WELL OFF STATION, CREATING DIFFICULT  
NAVIGATION NEAR INLETS AND WATERWAYS.  
 
* FLOODING RAIN:  
POTENTIAL IMPACTS FROM THE FLOODING RAIN ARE STILL UNFOLDING ACROSS PARTS OF  
SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA. IF REALIZED, THESE IMPACTS INCLUDE:  
- RIVERS AND TRIBUTARIES COULD RAPIDLY OVERFLOW THEIR BANKS IN  
MULTIPLE LOCATIONS. SMALL STREAMS, CREEKS, CANALS, DITCHES MAY  
BECOME DANGEROUS RIVERS. FLOOD CONTROL SYSTEMS AND BARRIERS  
COULD BECOME STRESSED.  
- FLOOD WATERS COULD ENTER MANY STRUCTURES WITHIN MULTIPLE  
COMMUNITIES; SOME STRUCTURES BECOME UNINHABITABLE OR ARE WASHED  
AWAY. FLOOD WATERS COULD COVER MULTIPLE ESCAPE ROUTES. STREETS  
AND PARKING LOTS BECOME RIVERS OF MOVING WATER WITH UNDERPASSES  
SUBMERGED. DRIVING CONDITIONS BECOME DANGEROUS. MANY ROAD AND  
BRIDGE CLOSURES WITH SOME WEAKENED OR WASHED OUT.  
- DRINKING WATER AND SEWER SERVICES COULD BE NEGATIVELY IMPACTED.  
- HAZARDOUS CONTAINERS AND MATERIALS COULD POSSIBLY BE PRESENT IN  
FLOOD WATERS.  
 
* WIND:  
POTENTIAL IMPACTS FROM THE MAIN WIND EVENT CONTINUE TO LINGER ACROSS PARTS  
OF SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA AND COASTAL GEORGIA. IF REALIZED, THESE IMPACTS  
INCLUDE:  
- SOME DAMAGE TO ROOFING AND SIDING MATERIALS, ALONG WITH DAMAGE  
TO PORCHES, AWNINGS, CARPORTS, AND SHEDS. A FEW BUILDINGS  
EXPERIENCING WINDOW, DOOR, AND GARAGE DOOR FAILURES. MOBILE  
HOMES DAMAGED, ESPECIALLY IF UNANCHORED. UNSECURED LIGHTWEIGHT  
OBJECTS BECOME DANGEROUS PROJECTILES.  
- SEVERAL LARGE TREES SNAPPED OR UPROOTED, BUT WITH GREATER  
NUMBERS IN PLACES WHERE TREES ARE SHALLOW ROOTED.  
- SOME ROADS IMPASSABLE FROM LARGE DEBRIS, AND MORE WITHIN URBAN  
OR HEAVILY WOODED PLACES. A FEW BRIDGES AND ACCESS ROUTES  
IMPASSABLE.  
- TRAVEL BY VEHICLE OR ON FOOT INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT. DANGER OF  
DEATH OR INJURY FROM FALLING OBJECTS SUCH AS TREES OR ELECTRIC  
WIRES OUTSIDE.  
- SCATTERED POWER AND COMMUNICATIONS OUTAGES, BUT MORE PREVALENT  
IN AREAS WITH ABOVE GROUND LINES, WHICH COULD PERSIST FOR HOURS  
OR DAYS.  
- SOME POORLY SECURED SMALL CRAFT COULD BREAK LOOSE FROM THEIR  
MOORINGS.  
 
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS  
----------------------------------  
 
* EVACUATIONS:  
 
RECOVERY PHASE - DO NOT ENTER EVACUATED AREAS UNTIL OFFICIALS HAVE  
GIVEN THE ALL CLEAR TO RETURN.  
 
* OTHER PREPAREDNESS INFORMATION:  
LISTEN FOR UPDATES AND BE READY IN CASE YOU LOSE ELECTRICAL POWER. KEEP  
A BATTERY-POWERED RADIO, CHARGED CELL PHONE AND FLASHLIGHT HANDY.  
 
KEEP YOUR CELL PHONE CHARGED AND IN POWER-SAVING MODE. IF YOU LOSE  
POWER, USE IT SPARINGLY AND MAINLY FOR PERSONAL EMERGENCIES AND  
CHECK-INS.  
 
IF YOU ARE PRONE TO FLOODING OR IN AN AREA UNDER A STORM SURGE WATCH  
OR WARNING, BE PREPARED FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF A QUICK AND DRAMATIC  
RISE IN WATER LEVELS.  
 
* ADDITIONAL SOURCES OF INFORMATION:  
- FOR INFORMATION ON APPROPRIATE PREPARATIONS SEE READY.GOV  
- FOR INFORMATION ON CREATING AN EMERGENCY PLAN SEE GETAGAMEPLAN.ORG  
- FOR ADDITIONAL DISASTER PREPAREDNESS INFORMATION SEE REDCROSS.ORG  
 
NEXT UPDATE  
-----------  
 
THE NEXT LOCAL STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER  
SERVICE IN CHARLESTON SC AROUND 6 AM EDT, OR SOONER IF CONDITIONS  
WARRANT.  
 

 
 
KR  
 
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