Live updates: Severe weather threat lessens, but Myrtle Beach is still in storm’s path
The Myrtle Beach area braced for severe weather Thursday as many businesses closed early and Horry County Schools switched to fully virtual instruction for the day, but the threat of tornadoes and other severe weather events has decreased, according to the National Weather Service.
Follow this story for the latest updates, closures, potential power outages and more information you need to know.
5:00 p.m.: The National Weather Service issued a marine warning for Georgetown County until 6:30 p.m. Small boats and watercrafts could be damaged by higher winds and waves.
4:42 p.m.: The National Weather Service now reports that the chances of severe weather across much of South Carolina has declined further.
“While the overall severe threat does not appear as substantial as earlier advertised, there is still a risk for severe weather, primarily for two areas in northeast SC and southeast NC through the early evening,” NWS warning coordination meteorologist Steve Pfaff said in an email.
Areas northwest of Florence still face a threat of storms. The Myrtle Beach region and the North Carolina area near Wilmington also still have “potential for strong to severe thunderstorms moving up from the coastal Low Country of S.C.,” Pfaff said.
2:08 p.m.: Businesses in the Myrtle Beach area have announced early closures as a result of the inclement weather arriving in Myrtle Beach in the next few hours.
The Wells Fargo bank branches in the Grand Strand, Duck’s Beach Club in North Myrtle Beach, HTC retail offices and Rockin’ Jump Trampoline Park and Tidal Creek Brewhouse are among the closures so far.
The Alligator Adventure zoo in North Myrtle Beach stopped selling tickets for today as of 2 p.m.
Before heading out, be sure to check that wherever you plan to go will still be open.
1:18 p.m.: The risk of severe weather has now downgraded slightly overall to “enhanced risk,” the National Weather Service said.
“This does not mean that we can let our guard down as the potential for damaging wind gusts in excess of 60 mph, an isolated tornado or two, and large hail continues for this afternoon and early evening,” Pfaff said in an email. “The threat of severe weather will come to an end later this afternoon for the inland areas, and early this evening at coastal areas.”
12:38 p.m.: Here’s the latest on closures in the Myrtle Beach area due to the inclement weather approaching town.
- The Pee Dee Streetrodders’ Car and Truck Show will close today at 1:00 p.m.
- Myrtle Beach Municipal Court will close at 2:00 p.m. Today’s 5:00 p.m. cases will be rescheduled.
- Myrtle Beach city facilities will close at 3:00 p.m. today.
- Myrtle Beach’s after-school and evening activities are canceled today.
- The Kids’ Track-and-Field Day at Doug Shaw Memorial Stadium this afternoon has been postponed to a later date.
- Horry County Government offices and facilities close at 2 p.m..
- Horry County Solid Waste Authority recycling and convenience centers close at 2 p.m. today.
- Recreation events scheduled at county recreation centers and fields will also be canceled tonight.
- Myrtle Beach International Airport remains open, Horry County says. However, “passengers should check the status of their flights with their airlines.”
- City of Conway offices close at 3 p.m.
Public safety and emergency services are still operating and will continue to do so, Horry County and Myrtle Beach city officials say.
Original Story: Severe weather capable of producing hail and tornadoes is on its way to Myrtle Beach and could arrive as soon as this afternoon, the NWS said.
The NWS said the region has a moderate risk of strong wind and tornadoes, with an enhanced risk of hail. Today’s storms only have a marginal chance of causing more flooding, the NWS said. The most rain any part of the region should see is about 1 inch.
“High confidence of a multi-hazard severe weather event with potential impacts from damaging wind gusts in excess of 60 mph, tornadoes, and some large hail,” the NWS said in its latest severe weather briefing.
The storms have already brought dozens of tornadoes as they passed through other parts of the South on their way to East Coast. The storms were expected to arrive in South Carolina as early as 11 a.m.
Surfside Beach is asking residents to delay putting out their recycling bins as the storms approach.
“Due to the upcoming storm and tomorrow is recycle day, PLEASE DO NOT put out your recycling carts until after midnight or early in the morning,” town clerk Sheri Medina said in a statement. “Public works will start picking up an hour later to allow you extra time to get those cans out.”
The NWS expects Myrtle Beach to see the worst weather between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. Farther inland, the Florence area will likely see the worst of the storms between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.
South Carolina and the Myrtle Beach area, outside of hurricane season, do not typically have this level of severe weather in the springtime, said Pfaff, the NWS meteorologist.
“For our part of the country, for us to get like a moderate risk is pretty infrequent,” Pfaff said.
These types of spring storms are more common in the Gulf Coast, along with the central United States’ so-called “Tornado Alley.”
“We do have a spring severe weather season, but it’s typically not as robust,” Pfaff said.
That doesn’t mean severe weather won’t show up. One tornado last month left three dead in Brunswick County.
“It’s a reminder that we can get hit hard here from time to time,” Pfaff said. “We’re not immune to it.
As the storms approach, Pfaff said it’s important to have more than one way to receive severe weather warnings, such as phone alerts and having the television on, just in case one of them fails.
South Carolina’s coast is particularly vulnerable because of the lack of traditional storm shelters found in other parts of the U.S.
“A lot of parts of the country have basements where you can seek shelter,” but not Myrtle Beach, Pfaff said. “It kind of limits us to (sheltering on) the lowest floor, put as many walls between you and the outside walls. It’s challenging in that regard.”
For now, the severe weather outlook isn’t too bad, but that could change in just a few hours, Pfaff said.
“Not quite out of the woods, but fortunately we are not seeing anything significant upstream of us just yet,” he said.
This story was originally published March 18, 2021 at 11:47 AM.
