Carolina Coast Eyes Hanna; Ike Becomes Hurricane

In what is becoming a busy hurricane season, all eyes are on the Atlantic with three named systems.  Tropical Storm Hanna continues to churn in the Bahamas, and forecasters are now predicting Hanna to brush the South Carolina coast and move inland near Wilmington, NC early Saturday.  It is still predicted to be a minimal hurricane.  Ike has now become a hurricane.  It is predicted to take a westerly track for the next couple of days, wandering in the same area Hanna now resides.  There is no firm landfall location.  And finally, Josephine is expected to become a hurricane in the next few days.

You can get the very latest information on the projected course of Hanna from Storm Team 7 in the Live Vipir Forecast by clicking here

Follow the storms’ developments—as well as Ike and Josephine which continue to build in the Atlantic—in our Hurricane Center by clicking here

Track what people are saying about Hanna in Amy Wood’s blog

South Carolina Adjutant General Wednesday Morning Update

The public should monitor the storm on NOAA weather radio and through local news media, especially people in low-lying areas along the entire South Carolina coast.  Now is the time for people to prepare their homes, gather supplies, review their plans, top off the fuel in their vehicles and prepare for possible evacuation.

Forecasters currently show the storm on a track that could cause heavy rainfall on coastal areas of South Carolina.

As a precautionary measure in anticipation of possible effects on South Carolina from Hanna, the state Emergency Management Division began 24-hour staffing of the State Emergency Operations Center with Emergency Management Division personnel this morning.
Currently, Hanna is expected to affect South Carolina beginning Friday.

If the National Hurricane Center issues a hurricane watch, a hurricane will be possible within 36 hours, and residents who live in vulnerable areas should stay tuned.  If a hurricane warning is issued, a hurricane is expected within 24 hours. 

Read and see more about South Carolina’s preperations for Hanna by clicking here

Tropical Storm Hanna leaves 21 dead in Haiti

SAINT-MARC, Haiti (AP) - Haitian authorities say Hanna has killed at least 21 people.

The tropical storm, which arrived as a hurricane, generated flooding and mudslides that swept some victims away and has cut off communities.

Those who could move clutched mattresses, chairs and other belongings as they slogged through waist-high floodwaters.

Hanna’s maximum sustained winds slipped to 65 miles per hour, but forecasters say it could regain hurricane strength and turn toward the east coast of Florida, Georgia or South Carolina in two to three days.

SC officials eye Hanna, urge residents to monitor

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) - Emergency officials are urging residents of the South Carolina coast to have plans ready in case Tropical Storm Hanna spins toward the state.

Charleston Mayor Joe Riley says Wednesday will be important because emergency planners will have a better idea what will happen with Hanna. That means they will be better able to decide whether evacuations are needed and whether shelters should be opened.

Projections from the National Hurricane Center show Hanna could hit South Carolina as a hurricane late Friday.

Officials also worry about complacency.

It’s been four years since a hurricane made a direct hit on South Carolina and they worry new coastal residents may have never weathered a storm and may not take precautions.

Coastal Carolina, Chas. Southern may move games
   
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - Coastal Carolina and Charleston Southern are considering moving their home games Saturday because of Tropical Storm Hanna.

Officials at both schools say decisions have to be made by Wednesday to give opponents enough time to adjust.

The Chanticleers host Colgate at 7 p.m. Coastal Carolina coach David Bennett says officials are considering moving the game to Thursday or Sunday.

The Buccaneers host Wofford at 1:30 p.m. Charleston Southern coach Jay Mills didn’t want to talk about contingency plans yet.

A number of coastal high schools have also moved games to Wednesday or Thursday.

There is still much uncertainty about Hanna’s track, but forecasters expect it to strike somewhere in the Southeast by the end of the week.

Many local games in the Upstate have been rescheduled for Thursday.

Military agencies in SC warily eye storm
   
CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) - Military installations along the South Carolina coast are closely watching Tropical Storm Hanna.

The Charleston Air Force Base has told its personnel and residents to prepare for the arrival of Hanna, which could require evacuation of the base. Base personnel also are preparing to fly the base’s C-17s to other bases, should that become necessary.

Meanwhile, the Coast Guard is advising all commercial vessels and oceangoing barges of more than 500 gross tons to make plans to leave the Port of Charleston.

The National Hurricane Center said Hanna could hit the South Carolina coast near Charleston as a Category 1 hurricane on Friday afternoon.

NC officials prepare for Hanna rains, winds

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - Emergency management officials are expecting heavy rain and some tropical force winds in eastern North Carolina as a tropical storm takes aim at Southern states.

Emergency management spokeswoman Julia Jarema said Wednesday that eastern counties would feel effects from remnants of Tropical Storm Hanna by Friday night or early Saturday.

Jarema said the latest briefing at the state emergency operations center showed that Hanna would make landfall around Charleston, S.C., late Friday.

Jarema emphasized that the storm isn’t well organized and that the forecast could easily change.

State officials urged residents to prepare emergency kits and keep an eye on weather forecasts.

National Weather Service posts rip current warning

WILMINGTON, N.C. (AP) - The National Weather Service has issued a rip current warning for the North Carolina and Virginia coasts.

The weather service and the Coast Guard said Tuesday the risk of rip currents will continue throughout the week as Tropical Storm Hanna approaches. Lifeguards helped more than 40 people from the surf at Wrightsville and Carolina beaches, according to the Star-News.

The United States Lifesaving Association says rip currents can drag swimmers away from the beach. The deadly currents cause approximately 100 deaths annually in the United States. Over 18,000 lifeguard rescues a year are the result of rip currents.
   
    (Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)

The following information is from AAA Press Releases:
CHARLOTTE (September 3, 2008) – As Tropical Storm Hanna creeps toward the Southeastern United States, AAA Carolinas has begun notifying 75,000 residents in 19 coastal counties along the North and South Carolina coasts advising them how to prepare to minimize damage and risk to life. While Tropical Storms like Hanna follow uncertain paths, the possibilities of its arrival can be devastating to those caught in its path.

AAA’s tips for hurricane preparedness (see attachment) include:
• Secure your house. Use storm shutters for windows, put free-standing objects inside, keep emergency phone numbers available by the phone, designate a safe room with no widows or exterior walls and build an emergency supply kit with bottled water, battery-operated radio with extra batteries, first aid kit, flashlight and packaged snacks.

• Listen to media broadcasts, especially paying attention to any calls for evacuation. If evacuated, make sure you know where you will be going. Call 311 (Emergency Evacuation Assistance) if a family member needs special care. Plan for your pets, have an out-of-state contact for your family members, take prescriptions and medical supplies with you and place important documents in a water proof bag to take with you – insurance policies, wills, deeds, birth and tax records, marriage certificate, proof of residence, home photos, driver’s license, etc.

• Check your insurance coverage. Flood and windstorm insurance are not automatically covered by homeowner’s insurance. Take photos of your home before the storm.     

AAA Carolinas will establish a Mobile Claims Unit on site in Wilmington, N.C., immediately following the storm to handle any claims for its insured clients on the spot.

Those counties expected to be in the main path of Hurricane Hanna, according to the most recent tracking, include:
South Carolina: Jasper, Hampton, Beaufort, Colleton, Charleston, Dorchester, Georgetown, Williamsburg, Horry, Florence, and Marion.
North Carolina: Brunswick, Columbus, New Hanover, Bladen, Pender, Cumberland, Onslow, and Duplin.

The Members Insurance Company (TMIC) is owned by AAA Carolinas, which operates the second largest personal line insurance agency in North Carolina to its members and the public. An affiliate of the American Automobile Association, AAA Carolinas is a not-for-profit member organization offering travel, automobile and insurance services to its 1.7 million members while being an advocate for the safety and security of all travelers.