As conditions worsen, will Hilton Head beaches, parks stay open during Hurricane Helene?
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Hurricane Helene
Expected to reach Florida’s Big Bend region late Thursday, the predicted incoming impacts for Hurricane Helene triggered a tropical storm watch for the Lowcountry.
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Although a beach trip isn’t recommended, Hilton Head Island’s public parks and beaches remained open Thursday as the aggressive Hurricane Helene marched its way toward Florida, bringing a tornado watch to Beaufort County and a “likely” twister touchdown in the Bluffton area.
The Town of Hilton Head Island cannot technically shut down its beaches, but it can close down access points at its seven “beach parks” at Fish Haul Beach, Islander’s Beach, Folly Field Beach, Driessen Beach, Burke’s Beach, Coligny Beach and Alder Lane Beach. During Tropical Storm Debby last month, officials shuttered these access points and all other public facilities on the island for a two-and-a-half day period.
As of Thursday morning, Hilton Head emergency manager Thomas Dunn said there were “no plans” to close the town’s beach parks and other public parks.
“Obviously, if there’s a mandatory evacuation by the governor, we’ll definitely close everything down,” Dunn said. “We just take each storm individually.”
Any hurricane-related road closures, including that of the Hilton Head bridges, are decided by the South Carolina Department of Transportation.
As Helene’s high winds made their way to the Lowcountry, Dunn said the town was taking “extra precautions” in public areas, such as rolling up mats at beach access points and relocating trash bins that weren’t secured to the ground. In the Beaufort County area, wind speeds are expected to reach between 30 and 40 mph Thursday night with possible gusts up to 60 mph, according to the latest forecasts from the National Weather Service’s Charleston office.
Lifeguards at all Hilton Head beaches were flying red flags Thursday due to a high risk of rip currents making swimming “extremely dangerous,” according to Shore Beach Service. Beach patrol anticipates “rapidly deteriorating surf conditions” throughout the day and will limit swimmers to wading only.
Despite the dark-gray skies and choppy surf, live webcams near Singleton Beach captured errant visitors walking the coastline and groups of bicyclists around noon Thursday. As conditions worsen, officials are urging islanders to stay home if possible.
“The biggest thing is once this storm starts to ramp up later (Thursday), is just stay put; let it pass,” Dunn said. “It’s a pretty fast-moving storm. Later on Friday, everything should move on out — then we can have a great weekend.”
This story was originally published September 26, 2024 at 12:42 PM.
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