Storms bring rain to Myrtle Beach area for 11 days. Will summer be a wash out?
Since the start of May, the Myrtle Beach area has seen significantly more rain than during the typical end of spring.
The constant stop-and-go of the rain has made it difficult to plan outdoor activities in the Myrtle Beach area. Carolina Country Music Fest, for example, had several delays and evacuations due to heavy rain and lightening, affecting musical performances.
The music festival brings in thousands of people to downtown Myrtle Beach each year.
In the month of May, the North Myrtle Beach airport recorded 4.8 inches of rain, which is 1.8 inches more than normal, said Bob Bright, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Wilmington, North Carolina.
As of June 15, the same spot has seen 3.8 inches of rain, which is about 2 inches more than normal, Bright said. The past 11 days have been especially wet, with the storms bringing 1.5 inches on June 5 alone.
The rain has come in flashes, with dark clouds foreshadowing the downpour that begins within minutes. The showers do not last long, as they usually stop within an hour and clear skies return shortly after.
The storms have been brought on by a low pressure trough and colder air in the sky, Bright said. The warm air from the ground rises and when it makes contact with the chilly air up high, clouds and storms form.
Looking forward, a high pressure ridge is coming into the Myrtle Beach area bringing drier and sunnier weather than what occurred at the start of June, according to Bright. A ridge is better at blocking storms than a trough.
Captain Ben Hamel of Southern Shores said he has seen more same-day bookings for dolphin tours in the past 10 days.
He thinks customers are hesitant to book tours in advance when the weather shows thunderstorms. Overall, he has seen a slight dip in tours but nothing worrisome. He will go through with dolphin tours in rainy weather but cancels the boat ride if thunder is present.
“The dolphins don’t care if they get wet,” Hamel said.
Jeff Cline, the owner of River Island Adventures, said he had to cancel some river tubing reservations due to thunder, but overall has not seen a change in business.
