Georgia: A menacing cluster of thunderstorms dubbed subtropical storm Beryl crawled closer to the south-east US coast early yesterday, poised to bring a a rainy finale to the Memorial Day weekend on beaches and in tourist towns from north-east Florida to South Carolina.
Tropical storm warnings were in effect for the entire Georgia coastline, as well as parts of Florida and South Carolina, according to the National Hurricane Centre in Miami. A tropical storm watch for the South Carolina coast north of Edisto Beach was discontinued late on Saturday night.
Beryl was technically considered a ‘subtropical storm’, but the system of potent thunderstorms is expected to bring winds and rain to the area regardless of its official classification.
Tropical storm conditions — meaning maximum sustained winds of 72km/h) were expected to reach the coast. Three to six inches of rain are forecast for the area. Some coastal flooding is forecast, as the rain could cause high tides.
As of 2am EDT yesterday, Beryl was centred about 300km southeast of Charleston. It had maximum sustained winds of 85km/h. It was moving toward the west-southwest at 11 km/h and also was about 370 km east of Jacksonville, Florida.
The center said the storm was expected to make landfall sometime Sunday night or Monday.
Dangerous surf conditions are possible from northeast Florida to North Carolina over the holiday weekend, forecasters said.
The southeastern coast is popular with tourists who visit the beaches and wilderness areas.
“A three-day thunderstorm is what it’s probably going to be,” said Jay Wiggins, emergency management director for Glynn County, which lies south of Savannah and includes Brunswick and St Simons Island. “Unfortunately, it’s going to ruin a lot of Memorial Day plans.”
Wiggins said he expects some flooded roadways and scattered power outages, perhaps some minor flooding in waterfront homes, but otherwise little damage.
On Tybee Island, home to Georgia’s largest public beach east of Savannah, employees at Amy Gaster’s home and condo rental business were making sure arriving guests were aware of the approaching storm. Gaster said her 180 rentals were sold out and nobody was cancelling plans or asking to check out early.
“Mostly I think people are just curious,” said Gaster, adding that guests were being urged to bring in patio furniture if the winds kick up and prepare to hunker down for movies and home cooking. “We’re just saying. ‘Take advantage of today as your beach day and get it while you can.’”
On Cumberland Island, a federally protected wilderness area beloved by hikers and campers, superintendent Fred Boyles said he planned to wait to decide if campers need to evacuate before the storm arrives. Boyles said he had about 100 campers planning to stay overnight yesterday, and the only way to leave Cumberland Island is by ferry.
While Georgia hasn’t taken a direct hit from a major hurricane in 114 years, the last time a tropical storm made landfall here was in August 1988. Tropical Storm Chris hit near Savannah but did little damage as it pushed northward into South Carolina.
In South Carolina, Beaufort County Emergency Management deputy director David Zeoli (zee-oli) said that at midday on Saturday word went out to first-responders along the coast near the Georgia line to pay attention to the storm’s progress. Officials haven’t been ordered to work on an otherwise lovely day for the beach, but have been told to stay near a phone, Zeoli said.
