MORNING NEWSBREAK | The way that now-stalled Tropical Storm Debby is lingering and dumping rain on the South Carolina Lowcountry makes it easy to conclude we’re in our own kind of Groundhog Day.
According to U.S. Geological Service rain gauge data, the storm dumped several inches of water in the last 24 hours – and a foot or more is expected to come by Thursday when forecasters say it may move along. Some totals: 8.8 inches in Jacksonboro; 8.5 inches in Varnville; 5.6 inches in Summerville; and 3.9 inches in Huger. One television report this morning reported four to 12 inches of rain in spots since Monday. It also said the Charleston airport got a record 4.7 inches of rain Monday.
The storm is moving slowly to the northeast and is expected to head off of the Georgia coast today and then turn north on Wednesday, with a possible landfall somewhere on the S.C. coast Thursday.
The most recent forecast by the National Weather Service shows the potentially historic rainfall is likely to bring areas of catastrophic flooding through Friday. In fact, the water is building up now and starting to cause flooding – so much so that Charleston Mayor William Cogswell closed off the peninsula Monday night with an 11 p.m. curfew that may lift later this morning.
“We don’t know exactly how much water is coming, but we know it’s going to be a lot,” Gov. Henry McMaster said at a 5 p.m. Monday statewide press conference at the S.C. Emergency Operations Center in Columbia. Later he added, “These things are unpredictable and this water is dangerous.”
Also at the conference was the National Weather Service’s John Quagliariello, who reiterated how up to 30 inches of rain in pockets of the state will inundate South Carolina. It will cause flash and urban flooding and a host of problems during a prolonged period of impact in which the area also is expected to get tropical storm force winds, storm surge and more.
“Unfortunately, Debby will linger just off the South Carolina coast for much of the mid-week period before possibly moving back onshore somewhere along the northern South Carolina coast or possibly even the southeast North Carolina coast late Thursday,” he said. “Rainfall amounts could exceed what some areas have ever experienced in the past with a widespread area of 10 to 20 inches with locally higher amounts up to 30 inches possible through Friday across the eastern half of the state.”
More area coverage on the storm:
- CP FOOD: Local chefs share go-to storm snacks
- CP NEWS: List of closings in Charleston County
- Weather Channel’s Jim Cantore is in Charleston | Also here.
- Charleston leaders say beaches may look different after storm
- Debby brings rain, reported tornadoes to Charleston
- Debby drops heavy rain, breaking totals
- Flooding from Debby could be worse than 2015
In other news today:
Doctors offer tips to help kids go back to school. Parents should take advantage of the time they have to start preparing kids now for the new school year, said Dr. Brittany Peters, a child and adolescent psychiatrist in Columbia with Prisma Health. Charleston County students return to school Aug. 13.
Frontier Air calling it a season on Charleston-Cleveland flights. Frontier’s seasonal nonstop service to Cleveland is coming to an end at Charleston International. It’s unclear whether it will return next year.
Mount Pleasant Hilton Hotel unveils major makeover. The Hilton Garden Inn at 300 Wingo Way wrapped up an extensive renovation of all 133 guest rooms as well as its bar and grill and event spaces as it approaches the 10-year mark.
New Mexican restaurant opens inside a former pizzeria in Charleston. Villa Cantina Cocktail and Lounge opened in the former Andolini’s Pizza space in West Ashley, becoming a diversion from other Mexican restaurants in the area, according to the owner.
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