Tropical Storm Hermine, king tide, a double-whammy for Myrtle Beach

Tropical Storm Hermine is expected to blow through the Myrtle Beach area late Friday afternoon with 55 mph wind gusts and nearly seven inches of rain that could cause flash flooding across low-lying coastal roads.

A full moon Friday night means king tides at 9 p.m. and, combined with the storm, is expected to overwhelm drainage systems in the coastal areas, said Steven Pfaff with the National Weather Service.

Horry County officials warn that roads in the Cherry Grove and Garden City Beach will be most susceptible to flooding during that time period.

Rain is expected to end Saturday morning and winds will diminish by the afternoon, leaving clear skies and milder temperatures for the remainder of the Labor Day weekend.

Although Hermine reached hurricane wind speeds before making landfall Thursday night in Florida, the forecast still holds that the storm will return to tropical storm strength before it reaches the Grand Strand.

County and state emergency managers have stepped up their operating condition level to 4, however the emergency operation center has not been activated in Horry County.

“The path of Hermine continues to be across coastal Carolinas,” the National Weather Service said. “The wind field is expected to expand as the storm moves through with gusty winds likely to affect a large portion of northeast S.C. and southeast N.C.”

If the storm continues to move farther inland, the track of potential tornadoes also will push farther inland. There also is a risk for higher gusts of wind in squalls through Friday night.

The real danger of this storm is from flash flooding that is expected after dark, when visibility is limited and drivers run the risk of driving across washed-out roads, Pfaff said.

Several hours of very heavy rain and tropical storm-force winds are expected, and isolated tornadoes could form with little-to-no warning, Pfaff said.

Although severe thunderstorms are not expected with this system, Pfaff said Horry County could expect to see lightning associated with the storm.

Rough surf can be expected beginning early Friday and continuing through Saturday. A high risk for rip currents continues across the coast through Saturday.

County residents are advised to prepare for dangerous winds including minor structural damage, large limbs and trees downed, with scattered power outages.

Horry County Emergency Management will continue to monitor Tropical Storm Hermine throughout the weekend and keep the public aware of any changes in the forecast, said county spokeswoman Lisa Bourcier.

One or two feet of ocean surge is possible, but the National Weather Service is predicting a minor surge.

Santee Cooper is making preparations to respond to any power difficulties the storm brings to the utility’s customers, said spokeswoman Nicole Aiello.

Transmission and distribution crews are stocking and fueling line trucks and other fleet vehicles in advance of the storm. Utility personnel are monitoring developments and planning staffing to have crews positioned for quick response based on the projected storm path.

Power outages for Santee Cooper can be reported by calling 888-769-7688.

Adjusted school schedules

As Tropical Storm Hermine approaches the Grand Strand, schools and other operations are closing early.

Horry County Schools will dismiss students and all employees three hours early Friday. All school-related events have been canceled for Friday and Saturday.

Coastal Carolina University will operate according to the established daytime schedule on Friday; however, classes after 5 p.m. are canceled.

Georgetown County School District will operate on a half-day schedule for students and all employees Friday.

Horry-Georgetown Technical College will close at 12:30 p.m. All offices will be closed and afternoon classes are canceled.

This story was originally published September 1, 2016 at 5:43 PM with the headline "Tropical Storm Hermine, king tide, a double-whammy for Myrtle Beach."