Can you still get to the beach? Here’s what to know about Hilton Head during Hurricane Ian
Is it safe to go to the beach when a hurricane is approaching?
The town of Hilton Head is carefully monitoring the approaching Hurricane Ian in the Gulf of Mexico, but no decision has been made on water safety for residents or vacationers, including whether to close the beaches this weekend.
Public Safety Director Bob Bromage said while Hilton Head has the authority to close roads and beach access points, there aren’t any plans to do so ahead of Hurricane Ian. He urged people to stay informed of water hazards like riptides and storm surge this week through the National Weather Service, the news media and social media.
Beaufort County Spokesperson Chris Ophardt said the county has no real jurisdiction to keep visitors off beaches around Hilton Head, but the state can choose to shut down beaches on state-owned land. There’s really no way to keep people off private beachfront property that runs up to beaches, he said.
According to the National Weather Service, Hilton Head Island and surrounding areas are likely to begin seeing the effects of Hurricane Ian, including high winds and sustained rainfall, late Wednesday or early Thursday.
Statewide threats will include high winds, spin-off tornado threats and flash flooding, South Carolina Emergency Management Department spokesman Derrec Becker said. On Hilton Head, flooding from rainfall could be especially prevalent. The storm could deposit anywhere from 5-7 inches of rain across Beaufort County and potentially more in local areas, Meteorologist Dwight Koehn said.
Emergency management personnel from the local to state levels are already coordinating their responses, Bromage said. This early into monitoring the storm, Becker said it’s impossible to know whether evacuations will be ordered anywhere in the state. Hilton Head Island rests in Evacuation Zone A. But since this storm is in the Gulf and not the Atlantic, evacuations seem unlikely.
Bromage said residents should stay aware of flood-prone spots like Palmetto Bay Road, Sea Pines and the South End. All low-elevations areas should be considered at risk of flooding in heavy rainfall, he said.
High winds will be another important factor during the storm, Bromage said. No municipality controls closure of the bridges to Hilton Head Island — that decision falls to the South Carolina Department of Transportation — but residents should be aware of windy conditions. When wind gusts reach around 35 mph, Bromage said, traversing bridges becomes more risky and town officials urge caution.
Tropical storm force winds are any sustained winds from 39-73 mph, according to the National Weather Service. High winds from Hurricane Ian are most likely to arrive in South Carolina Thursday night but could arrive as early as Wednesday night into Thursday morning.
Thomas Dunn, Hilton Head emergency services manager, said the town has been in contact with its debris removal contractor.
Depending on the amount of storm debris brought onto the island, Dunn said the debris contract will be prepared to keep “major thoroughfares” cleared early after the storm passes. A survey of the damage will be conducted to determine where help or debris clearing is needed after the storm.
He also said the town is also prepared to open its emergency operations center or increase staffing if the storm’s severity requires it.
Anyone on the island during the storm should follow official public sources for accurate information as Hurricane Ian progresses, Bromage said. The Town of Hilton Head Island will provide updates through its social media. Residents should also monitor Beaufort County, the state emergency management department and the National Weather Service in Charleston for official information throughout the week.
This story was originally published September 26, 2022 at 4:45 PM.
