Will Imelda rain out your Myrtle Beach trip? How wet will it get from storm
As Tropical Storm Imelda churns off the coast, some vacationers are wondering if they should still make the trip to Myrtle Beach.
Before canceling any reservations, visitors should know that forecasters are confident Imelda will have minimal, if any, impacts on the area. While the beginning of the week may bring some rain, blue skies may be just around the corner.
The Myrtle Beach area will remain out of the path of any direct impacts from the storm, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Jordan Baker. Hazardous surf conditions will be seen throughout the week from the storm, making swimming in the ocean dangerous, but major weather impacts are unlikely.
Even if the surf is too rough and the weather is too gloomy for a beach day, there are plenty of indoor activities in the Myrtle Beach area that visitors can enjoy while they wait out the storm.
The area will see some rain through Monday and Tuesday, but this precipitation is not directly related to the storm , Baker explained.
A “tropical plume of moisture” is responsible for rainfall on the Grand Strand this week, which isn’t abnormal for this time of year. In the fall, these moist patches are blown up from the south, near the Bahamas, bringing heavier rainfall to the region, Baker said.
In fact, in 2015, a storm system was located in the same area where Imelda currently sits, and South Carolina saw record-setting rainfall at the same time, Baker said. However, when the storm was removed from forecasting simulations, it didn’t make a difference in the rainfall, he explained.
Because of the large size of the plume of moisture currently impacting the area, Baker said the rain “could very well not be related at all” to Imelda.
From Monday until Tuesday evening, the area is likely to experience another inch to inch and a half of rainfall, according to Baker. Some local thunderstorms may bring additional rain ranging from 2 to 3 inches.
The heaviest rain will take place on Tuesday morning, with spotty rainfall following, Baker said. However, weather after Tuesday evening is projected to be completely dry. This dry weather is expected to last at least through the weekend.
