‘Likely’ tornado touchdown in Bluffton ahead of Hurricane Helene making FL landfall

Several hours before Hurricane Helene was expected to hit Florida’s Big Bend region, radar indicated that it was “likely” a brief tornado touched down in Beaufort County.

National Weather Service Meteorologist Emily McGraw said the service had seen some damage like snapped trees and debris early Thursday morning. However, whether a tornado caused the damage is not confirmed, McGraw said. The NWS issued a tornado warning at 7 a.m. Thursday and it was lifted at 7:45 p.m.

At about 7:03 a.m., tree damage was seen on Daufuskie Island, McGraw said, and at 7:15 a.m., trees were snapped and minor debris shown around Palmetto Bluff in Bluffton.

The NWS will confirm possible twisters and make an official statement at a later date, McGraw said. Any damage can be reported to the National Weather Service at inws.ncep.noaa.gov/report/.

A tornado watch was issued for Beaufort County at about 8:35 a.m. It’s set to expire at 9 p.m.

The area has the potential to get “many tornadoes.” The highest level of tornado activity is expected Thursday evening and overnight.

Frank Strait, the state’s severe weather liaison, said a tornado outbreak at night is “never a good thing,” as people are usually sleeping and miss warnings.

“It’s important to have tornado preparations in place ahead of Helene,” Strait said. “Decide on your best shelter area in advance, as you might not get much lead time. Tropical tornadoes often hit fast without much lead time on warnings.”

There are no tornado sirens in Beaufort County, so it’s vital to ensure residents and visitors have a system to get alerts — a reliable phone app, television, radio or access to an online newspaper.

CodeRED: Download the free CodeRED Mobile Alert app from the Google Play or iTunes store.

Everbridge: Download the free Everbridge app from the Google Play or iTunes store.

Other options: NOAA weather radio, news media coverage, Emergency Alert System on radio and TV broadcasts.

Tornado safety

• Go to the lowest floor of a home or building.
• Put as many walls between you and the outside.
• Avoid windows.
• Stay in a small interior room, like a closet, bathroom or an interior hall on the lowest level.
• Use pillows, heavy coats, blankets, or quilts to protect from flying debris.
• If in a mobile home, outside or in a vehicle, seek sturdy shelter nearby. Lie in a ditch or low spot and cover your head.

This story was originally published September 26, 2024 at 11:17 AM.

Sarah Haselhorst

The Island Packet

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Sarah Haselhorst, a St. Louis native, writes about climate issues along South Carolina’s coast. Her work is produced with financial support from Journalism Funding Partners. Previously, Sarah spent time reporting in Jackson, Mississippi; Cincinnati, Ohio; and mid-Missouri.