Depression moving into colder water… expected to dissipate.

The depression is heading for colder waters.

Tropical Depression One turns to the east-northeast.

In addition to the storm surge, damaging winds and inland flooding, hurricanes can also produce tornadoes.

Tropical Depression One is moving northeastward over the open Atlantic Ocean

A couple of days early… the official start of the hurricane season isn’t until Monday.

When it comes to hurricanes, wind speeds do not tell the whole story.

The most deadly weather associated with hurricanes is actually inland flooding.

From 1970 to 2000, inland freshwater flooding was responsible for more than half of the deaths associated with tropical cyclones in the United States.

The intensity of a land falling hurricane is expressed in terms of categories that relate wind speeds and potential damage. 

According to the Saffir Simpson Hurricane Scale, a Category 1 hurricane has lighter winds compared to storms in higher categories. 

For example, a Category 4 hurricane would have winds between 131 and 155mph, and on average would usually be expected to cause 100 times the damage of a Category 1 storm.  But depending upon the exact circumstances, less intense storms may still be strong enough to produce damage, particularly in areas that have not prepared in advance.

Visibilities have improved across the region.

Storm surge is a large dome of water, often 50 to 100 miles wide, that sweeps across the coastline mainly to the right of where a hurricane makes landfall.

Storm surge from Hurricane Hugo in 1989 inundated the South Carolina coast from Charleston to Myrtle Beach.  Maximum storm tides, the combination of the actual tide plus the surge of water, reached 20 feet in the area of Cape Romain and Bulls Bay.

The surge of high water, topped by wave action, can be devastating, especially to those along the immediate coast.  The stronger the hurricane and the more shallow the coastal shelf, the higher the surge will normally be.  In addition, wind driven waves develop on top of the storm tide.  This rise in water level can cause severe flooding in coastal areas, particularly if the surge coincides with the occurrence of the high tide.

If you are seeing sunshine today, please consider yourself lucky because this isn’t the case for all.  Scattered showers and thunderstorms are out there over parts of the Coastal Empire and Lowcountry.

The WSAV – Savannah Morning News Hurricane Guide 2009 is coming soon to a Cricket Wireless and Subway location near you!

Today is the first day of National Hurricane Preparedness Week. 

Throughout the week, we will provide you with useful information about hurricanes and how you can better prepare for the dangers associated with hurricanes and other tropical systems.

The National Weather Service in Charleston has issued a COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY for the following counties:  Beaufort, coastal Colleton and coastal Jasper.

Slightly drier air is trying to move into the area, and this is allowing some glimpses of sunshine from time to time.

However…
widely scattered showers will continue to move north through portions of the area.  Where rain falls, expect rain totals ranging from a few hundredths to 1/10 of an inch in an hours time.

A few spots could pick up as much as 3/4 of an inch of rain in an isolated heavier shower.

Rainfall has tapered off.

Shallow coastal flooding expected at time of high tide.

Heavy Rain may continue into this evening.

Scattered rain showers will continue to move onshore and move inland across parts of southeast Georgia and portions of southeast South Carolina.  Rain totals up to a tenth of an inch in an hours time is expected for most areas.  But some isolated locations will pick up more than half an inch due to heavier rainfall.

High Risk for Rip Currents through Saturday…
The combination of moderate to strong onshore winds, elevated surf and the upcoming new moon will produce a high risk of rip currents at the beaches through Saturday.

It will not be a Wash Out… Just keep an eye to the sky and keep up date with changes to the forecast.

High Surf Advisory now in effect

Occasional heavy rains will impact parts of southeast Georgia, mainly near and south of Interstate 16 today into this evening.

A HIGH SURF ADVISORY is in effect for the following counties:  Beaufort, coastal Colleton, coastal Jasper, coastal Bryan, coastal Chatham, coastal Liberty and coastal McIntosh.

Try not to be caught in the fog, especially on the water.  You may lose your life. 

Heavy Surf Advisory for the Georgia coast.

Strong weather systems bring signicant and prolonged weather event.

A weak surface low could develop into a tropical cylone.  All eyes are watching the central Bahamas.

An very unusual steam fog was seen around mid day today
in Savannah. To get steam fog in the middle of the day this
far south in May is quiet unusual.

List of evacuation shelters for tropical weather in Georgia…

List of evacuation shelters for tropical weather in Georgia…