The remains of a pool located between
two condominums destroyed by Hurricane Ivan are seen in
Orange Beach, Ala. AP
JEANNE ON TRACK FOR S.C. COAST:
Early forecast calls for landfall on 15th anniversary of
Hurricane Hugo
By GENE ZALESKI, T&D Staff
Writer
Weakening Tropical Storm Ivan and
strengthening Jeanne.
Storm headlines had the attention
of T&D Region emergency service and utility officials
Thursday as all focus was on the twin storms and their
potential impact on the region.
With rain from Ivan
forecast Thursday and Friday, the greater worry appears to be
the latest forecasts for Jeanne, which was upgraded to a
hurricane Thursday when winds reached near 80 mph. Winds later
dropped to 70 mph. Storms become hurricanes at 74 mph. The
storm is expected to return to hurricane strength.
John
Smith, Orangeburg County emergency services director, said the
forecast track Thursday afternoon had Jeanne off the South
Carolina coast around 8 a.m. Tuesday with about 98 mph
winds.
The National Hurricane Center's track
as of 5 p.m. Thursday had Jeanne making landfall somewhere
near Hilton Head-Beaufort in South Carolina at 2 p.m. Tuesday
with winds greater than 73 mph. Tuesday marks the 15th
anniversary of Hurricane Hugo's arrival in the Palmetto
State.
"By Monday, we will have a better idea what we
are looking at," Smith said. "We might see some type of impact
by midweek next week."
Smith said the threat of another
storm on the heels of Ivan is something that has become all
too common for this hurricane season. "It has been a
relentless season."
After Ivan's direct hit on the Gulf
Coast overnight, rain bands from the storm rolled through The
T&D Region between 8:30 and 10:30 a.m. Thursday with brief
downpours, lightning and rumbles of thunder. Rainfall totals
in the hour span reached nearly an inch in the Elloree area,
with lesser amounts (less than 0.5 inch) reported in the
Orangeburg city limits. "It has made landfall and seems to be
staying on the track that will take it up to Alabama,
Tennessee and into Kentucky," Smith said. "The concern here in
Orangeburg County is a good possibility of heavy rainfall from
the storm."
As of Thursday evening, The T&D Region
was under a flood watch through 2 a.m. Saturday
morning.
The Columbia National Weather Service forecast
moisture to spread across the region late Thursday, increasing
in intensity Thursday night into Friday.
Forecasts
called for rainfall totals of 1 to 3 inches from Thursday
night into Friday night.
With soil conditions moist
from recent rains, the NWS statement noted that low-lying
areas could be prone to minor and occasionally moderate
flooding.
Smith encouraged dam owners to check that
run-arounds and spillways are clear of any
debris.
Forecasts for more rain come on top of a
September that has already seen rainfall of 2.66 inches for
the month, as reported by the Orangeburg Department of Public
Utilities, the official Orangeburg observer for the National
Weather Service. Average precipitation for the month of
September is 4.18 inches.
The river level for the North
Fork Edisto River at 4 p.m. Thursday was 156 feet. Flood stage
is 158 feet. There are no concerns by DPU officials that the
river would reach flood stage.
DPU Manager Fred
Boatwright said crews are keeping an eye on the storm
throughout the day Thursday.
"I don't think Ivan is
going to present very much of a problem for us except for some
rain," Boatwright said.
In addition to concerns of
flooding rains, the tornado threat was raised.
A
tornado watch was issued for The T&D Region shortly after
noon on Thursday. The watch was through Thursday at 9 p.m. A
tornado watch means conditions are favorable for tornadic
activity.
Smith said the OCES would post and notify the
public of any severe weather watches or warnings. Individuals
were encouraged to stay alert to the changing weather
conditions.
Thursday afternoon saw Hurricane Ivan
weaken to a tropical storm over Alabama and head north into
Georgia, Tennessee and the North Carolina mountains, where the
storm was forecast to stall Friday.
The Appalachian
mountains were forecast to receive upwards of 15
inches.
Calhoun County Emergency Services officials
kept a close watch on the track of Ivan and the Weather
Service radar imagery throughout the day.
Calhoun
County did receive some brief heavy rains Thursday morning as
the same band of showers that rolled through Orangeburg County
hit the region. No significant problems were
reported.
In Bamberg County, Emergency Services
Director Sharon Hammond reiterated that the biggest concern is
flooding, particularly if Jeanne follows in Ivan's
wake.
"It looks like if it comes toward Charleston that
we are on the left side," Hammond said. "We will get rain and
flooding, but it depends on how much flooding we get from
Ivan. We have to be on our P's and Q's for Jeanne. There might
be a continuous flow of rain."
-- T&D Staff Writer
Gene Zaleski can be reached by e-mail at gzaleski@timesanddemocrat.com
or by phone at 803-533-5551.
