SCEMD monitors Hurricane Michael

South Carolina residents should monitor Hurricane Michael, which could affect many parts of the state after making landfall along the Gulf Coast. Forecasters with the National Weather Service and the National Hurricane Center believe South Carolina could experience periods of heavy rain, gusty winds, tornadoes and storm surge due to Hurricane Michael, with the greatest impacts beginning this Wednesday.

South Carolina residents and visitors in potentially vulnerable areas should review their plans and consider actions they would need to take if the storm threatens the state. Everyone should monitor the storm via local news media and follow updates from the National Hurricane Center and local National Weather Service offices.

“The exact location and the severity of what Hurricane Michael does to our state will depend on its intensity,” SCEMD Director Kim Stenson said, “Given the uncertainty of the storm’s strength and path as it approaches South Carolina, residents need to have their personal emergency plans ready to go just in case we need to take safety precautions later in the week.”

Residents can download the SC Emergency Manager mobile app to build a personal emergency plan, keep track of emergency supplies, and have a way to stay connected with loved ones in addition to official emergency information. The SC Emergency Manager is available in the App Store and on Google Play: http://onelink.to/dn92rx

The official 2018 S.C. Hurricane Guide is available in English and Spanish at scemd.org.

The S.C. Emergency Management Division has notified key local and state agencies to be ready to respond if the need arises. The Division continues operational readiness at Condition 4. OPCON 4 is the second lowest response level above normal, day-to-day activities. Emergency managers are making initial preparations for the possibility of any hazardous situations while select personnel from SCEMD’s Operations and Preparedness sections continue to monitor Hurricane Michael from the State Emergency Operations Center in West Columbia. SCEMD is also prepared to respond to requests for aid from neighboring states as needed.