LIVE BLOG: Tropical Storm Debby's impacts on South Carolina

South Carolina officials are still monitoring river levels after Debby left the state.

To keep track of Debby's impact on the state, continue to follow the S.C. Emergency Management Division, the National Weather Service and local EMD and county/city government pages.

This is the final post for the Debby blog.

The S.C. Department of Transportation has asked drivers to avoid Interstate 26 near Ridgeland due to water on the road.

DOT says the closure is related to the significant overnight rainfall.

There is now a detour in place, per DOT.

The National Weather Service in Charleston says emergency crews early this morning reported high-water rescues in Moncks Corner.

In a post to X, the NWS said homes are flooded throughout the city, and emergency officials reported 2 to 3 feet of fast-moving water in roads throughout the city of Moncks Corner.

The post said life-threatening flash flooding is likely over the next several hours.

Debby has since weakened to a post-tropical cyclone.

Gov. Henry McMaster said Thursday that Debby is nearly behind South Carolina, but that there is still a lot of danger in the fast-moving water.

South Carolina has no recorded any storm-related fatalities or injuries.

McMaster said Thursday's briefing is likely officials' last unless necessary.

Debby made landfall for the second time at 2 a.m. Thursday, and is now about 55 miles east, southeast of Charlotte on the state line.

John Quagliariello, with the National Weather Service in Columbia, said Debby is moving at about 40 mph, with increased forward speeds of about 10 mph.

The ongoing concern, he said, is rising rivers. He said gusty winds could persist at about 20 to 30 mph, even up to about 40 mph, but added those winds should diminish Thursday night into Friday.

Debby has continued to drop heavy rain across parts of the night, with the highest total Thursday of 7 inches at Lynchees River, Quagliariello said.

Quagliariello said the storm will not rise to the impacts experienced by Hurricane Matthew or Hurricane Florence. But, again he said, the concern is river flooding, particularly for Pee Dee at Cheraw, the Little Pee Dee, the Edisto River and the French Quarter Creek.

He said the effects will be long lasting.

The NWS, the S.C. Emergency Management Division and the state's Department of Natural Resources will be working together to assess risk to communities, officials said.

EMD Director Kim Stenson said preliminary assessments show 70 homes experienced damage due to the storm, with one home completely damaged and 15 homes with major damage. Another 16 or so businesses have reported damage in Berkeley, Charleston, Colleton and Horry counties.

Meanwhile, S.C. Department of Transportation Secretary Justin Powell said 69 state-maintained roads have reopened, though 111 roads are still closed statewide.

Powell said the focus now is assessing and repairing roads.

The S.C. Department of Social Services says eight shelters now remain open.

Gov. Henry McMaster and state officials will brief the media on Debby's latest track and impact at 2 p.m. from the state's Emergency Management Operations Center.

You can find the livestream here, or by SCETV's Facebook and YouTube pages.

This is the fourth day McMaster has briefed reporters.

ROCK HILL, S.C. — Rock Hill is getting soaked and it’s creating some problems on the roads.

Water is collecting faster than some of the larger roads can drain. Many roads are partially or fully closed off, most notably Interstate 77 at exit 77 is shut off because of flooding from small creeks off the Catawba River.

BENNETTSVILLE, S.C. — Lake Paul Wallace looks good so far.

Some collected water in low areas here and there, but not more than large puddles mostly from poor drainage.

No reports of injuries so far.

The area received about 3 inches of rain, but officials here say they're expecting 2 more inches by Saturday.

The county shelter at Marlboro High School is opening at 11 a.m. in case the lake does crest, officials said.

SCOTT MORGAN

As Tropical Storm Debby makes landfall this morning north of Charleston, the peninsula city is trying to clean up from days of heavy rain.

Lancaster County schools have closed to staff Thursday as Debby's threat to the state continues.

In an email, the county's emergency management said Lancaster County School District said its closed for teachers, and its closed career centers.

The district has also canceled open houses scheduled Thursday night.

Students don't start the school year until Monday.

Tropical Storm Debby made another landfall early Thursday near Bulls Bay.

The National Hurricane Center says this does not mean the flood risk has ended. There is still a high risk of flooding for portions of South Carolina.

Gov. Henry McMaster and state officials said Wednesday that crews are now shifting their focus to the Pee Dee area, as Charleston continues cleanup efforts.

The National Weather Service in Charleston says this morning that the remaining tropical storm warnings in the Charleston Tri-County have been canceled as Debby pulls away from the area.

Gov. Henry McMaster said South Carolina has been "lucky so far" but stressed the storm is not nearly over.

With much of the focus having been on the coast, state officials said Wednesday they are shifting response to the Pee Dee region.

McMaster said there have been no reported fatalities or rescues.

John Quagliariello, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Columbia, said Debby has strengthened a bit.

Quagliariello said Debby is expected to make landfall as a strong tropical storm around northern Charleston and Georgetown counties Thursday morning.

The concern right now, he said, is major flooding at the Little Pee Dee River at Galivants Ferry and the Edisto River near Givhans Ferry.

Rivers may not crest until next week, he said.

So far, total inches of rain have reached between 9 and 17 inches across the southern parts of the state, with the highest totals in Colleton, Charleston, Beaufort, Jasper, Hampton, Berkeley, Barnwell and Bamberg counties.

Quagliariello said while the threat of storm has ended for parts of the coast, coastal flooding is still a concern. So are isolated tornadoes, he added.

More updates from Wednesday's briefing:

• There are 12 shelters open, with roughly 107 South Carolinians being housed in those shelters
• ORS reported 2,000-plus storm-related outages, but that number is expected to grow, mainly in the Pee Dee region
• Preliminary damage reports show 64 homes have been damaged, majority in Colleton County, with one home completely destroyed
• Reports show 15 businesses on the coast with damage
• No dam breaches overnight
• There are 300 soldiers in active status and 60 high-water vehicles deployed on the coast
• As of 11 a.m. Wednesday, 83 state-owned roads are closed, but no interstates are closed
• Exits 22 and 33 on Interstate 95 in Jasper County have reopened

“We do not anticipate, based on the forecasts we receive, that we will need to do a lifeline operation like we did in 2018 during Hurricane Florence," Powell said Wednesday.

CHARLESTON, S.C. — Streets are empty except for a few folks out getting their cars from parking garages or walking their dogs.

Despite all the rain, flooding in some areas of the county have subsided. Though, with steady rain, streets downtown are starting to flood again.

Trucks were seen around downtown Charleston working to alleviate the flooding with pumps.

Police are out putting up barricades where streets are beginning to flood again.

Residents I’ve spoken with applaud the mayor being proactive and keeping people safe. There are plenty of pumps still at work, and tourists are trying to take in as much of the city as they can.

Gov. Henry McMaster and other state officials will again brief the media and public Wednesday about Tropical Storm Debby's track and how the state is responding to the storm.

The briefing is at 2 p.m.

This is the third day government officials have briefed the public on Debby.

You can find SCETV's livestream online, or on ETV's Facebook and YouTube pages.

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — A somewhat peaceful sunrise on the beach, with sustained 20 mph winds from Tropical Storm Debby, quickly turned into rain showers from fast-moving gray clouds, sending the few beachgoers back to nearby hotels in what should be a bustling summertime morning in this tourism Mecca.

However, you wouldn’t think there was a tropical storm off the coast Much of downtown Myrtle Beach and surrounding areas don’t look like the scenes from storms past, with boarded up windows, bags over empty gas pumps and a ghost-town feeling nowhere really to be found.

Some attractions and stores are closed, but the carriages remain on the Sky Wheel, waiting for visitors to return once the slow-moving storm moves through and dumps more rain on the area today and tomorrow.

Despite the relative normalcy, there are still important severe weather warnings and watches that continue to be activated that residents and guests need to heed, especially later in the day when more severe weather rolls in.

The city of Charleston says it has lifted the city-wide curfew.

That means that all thoroughfares leading onto the peninsula have now reopened.

The curfew was put in place so that crews could respond to emergencies and debris.

In a statement, Charleston Mayor William Cogswell said that city crews have worked around the clock to clear drains, roads and alleviate flooding.

Several roads in Charleston and throughout the state remain closed. State officials urge to stay out of flooded water.

Charleston Mayor William Cogswell said Tuesday night that the city will keep its curfew, citing concerns that Debby could intensify.

The city plans to reevaluate the curfew early Wednesday.

The National Weather Service in Charleston says it has also confirmed two tornadoes.

The first was in Moncks Corner, and the second was in Edisto Beach.

We are still in the process of determining their EF-ratings and path," NWS said in a post on X.

Driving U.S. Highway 17 north from Mount Pleasant to now Georgetown, conditions are passable and rain is light under gray skies.

Power still appears to be on most areas with traffic lights working, and folks are still out and about. Though there are very few cars compared to what would normally be busy rush-hour in the area, and unlike storms past where we’ve seen heavy rainfall in this area.

In fact, Hurricane Ian made landfall in Georgetown in 2022, flooding much of the downtown area, but those conditions are nonexistent today.

In fact, back in 2018 this area was also battered by Hurricane Florence and the rain that came with that slow-moving storm, which many continue to compare to Tropical Storm Debby.

Conditions right now in Georgetown are partly cloudy and rain is scattered.

People were even out playing pickleball in East Bay Park, which on a peninsula juts into Winyah Bay, where the Great Pee Dee River and Waccamaw River meet up before flowing out to the Atlantic Ocean.

3:15 p.m. Charleston

The Charleston curfew remains in effect for the peninsula, effectively cutting it off from outside traffic with main thoroughfares to the peninsula from James Island, West Ashley and from Interstate 26.

It’s hard to reroute around the area, especially when it’s not raining much and conditions are somewhat stable. However, officials expect more rain to come in Wednesday.

2 p.m. Edisto Island

It wasn’t possible to get onto Edisto Beach due to ongoing recovery operations as a result of a tornado that hit the area and flooding based on photos that have been posted to social media and official accounts.

Leading up to Edisto Beach on Edisto Island, there was a localized flooding in front yards and some side streets, but for the most part roads were passable as light rain fell in the afternoon.

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster and state officials shared the latest updates about Debby's impacts on the state.

McMaster said there are so far no fatalities that have been reported, and the threat of severe flooding in the state remains high.

"The storm is creeping across our state," McMaster said. "Creeping across."

National Weather Services' John Quagliariello said Debby is a dangerous situation unfolding across parts of South Carolina.

Already, southern parts of the state have received between 9 and 13 inches of rain. Gusty winds — for instance, 63 mph in Folly Beach, 69 mph in Battery Point in Charleston County and 66 mph in Isle of Palms — have downed trees.

A tornado was confirmed in Edisto, and in Moncks Corner.

Tornado threats will persist throughout the week, Quagliariello said.

Debby is currently moving at about 10 mph, but is starting to slow down, creating a greater impact throughout the week, Quagliariello said.

River levels will rise significantly, with the greatest concern in the Pee Dee Basin, Quagliariello said.

Quagliariello said long-term effects could cut off access to some some communities.

As of 3 p.m., utilities reported more than 7,000 customers without power — a significant drop from early Tuesday.

Other updates:

Kim Stenson, SCEMD

Stenson said the state's emergency operations are operating at OPCON 1, and are working to support local shelters and local evacuations.

Though there are reports of home damage in Colleton County, Stenson said there has been no major damage across the state to homes and businesses.

Maj. Gen. Van MCarty, Adjutant General

MCarty said roughly 100 soldiers have been deployed across the state and dozens of high-water recovery vehicles.

The number of S.C. National Guard soldiers is expected to increase as the storm continues, MCarty said.

Secretary Justin Powell, S.C. Department of Transportation

As of 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Powell said there were 48 state roads closed due to flooding. That number is expected to grow.

Powell said DOT is especially keeping an eye on Interstate 95 in Jasper County. While currently open to traffic, Powell said they have had to close exits 22 and 33.

"We do anticipate more roads will flood," he said. "Resist the temptation to go into floodwaters. It is simply not worth the risk."

Director Robert Woods, S.C. Department of Public Safety

More than 200 law enforcement personnel are currently on patrol from the Midlands to the coast.

Another 186 personnel will clock in Tuesday night — 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. shift — to assist with storm response. In total, Woods said more than 400 law enforcement personnel have been assigned to response.

Director Mike Leach, S.C. Department of Social Services

Leach said there are 11 open shelters across the state, mainly on the coast.

DSS is currently working with county operations officials to open more shelters in Charleston, Florence and Georgetown. Dillion and Marion counties have also requested shelters, he said.

If anyone plans to go to a shelter, Leach recommended bringing:
- Necessary and important documents
- Identification
- Homeowner and rental paperwork
- Insurance documents
- Blankets, sleeping bags, pillows
- Medications and special food

Interim Director Myra Reese, S.C. Department of Environmental Services

Reese said there was one small dam breach in Colleton County, but there was no damage to roads or homes.

The agency, she said, has assessed 19 dams of concern. None of those assessments reported urgent issues.

If residents or business owners have questions about dams in their area, Reese said to call 1-888-246-0133.

The Colleton County Fire-Rescue says it is urging any residents who live between Edward Road and Cavanaugh Road to evacuate the area immediately.

That's because the McGrady Dam, near the intersection of Cane Branch Road and Cavanaugh Road, has the potential to fail.

The department said in a post on X that Cane Branch may become impassable.

Meanwhile, thousands in the state still remain without power. But the number of outages has decreased from 20,000-plus to just more than 11,000, according to the latest outage map.

Most outages are in the areas of Beaufort and Colleton counties.

In Walterboro Tuesday afternoon, front yards have become ponds, forests have turned to swamp, and ditches are filling up as the Lowcountry absorbs massive amounts of rain from Tropical Storm Debby.

Life still seems to be humming along, though not like a typical day would be in August — one of the busiest seasons of the year as people head to popular beaches like Edisto Island about an hour away.

The city of Charleston has extended its curfew through Wednesday as Debby makes inroads toward South Carolina's coast.

The city plans to reassess the curfew Wednesday morning.

"Suffice it to say, Tropical Storm Debby is here, and it looks like she is wearing out her welcome," Cogswell said Tuesday.

Cogswell said he knows the curfew is frustrating.

But "the reality is that nobody should be out on the streets in these conditions, unless it is an absolute emergency," he said. "Buttom line is we need you to stay home until this passes. The curfew is working. We especially don't need any yahoos driving through the water and causing damage to property."

Despite a few tickets, Cogswell said there were no overnight rescues or reports of injuries.

More than 20,000 utility customers in South Carolina are without power, with the highest in Charleston and Colleton counties.

The National Hurricane Center said Tuesday morning that Debby is slated to move offshore off the Georgia coast later Tuesday afternoon.

Major flooding is expected across parts of Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina.

For South Carolina, the National Weather Service says many areas on the coast have reported 8 to 12 inches of rain.

There is a flash flood warning for Hampton and Varnville until 1 p.m. Tuesday.

At his press conference, Cogswell said the city received about 8 inches of rain Monday night, and officials anticipate another 3 to 6 inches over the next 12 to 14 hours.

That rain, coupled with wind gusts of up to 40 mph, will continue to create dangerous road conditions for residents and first responders, Cogswell said.

Following thoroughfares are closed:

From Mount Pleasant:

1. 17 and E Bay St  

1. 17 and Meeting St  

1. 17 and Crosstown  

From 26:

1. 26 and Mount Pleasant St.  

1. 26 and Rutledge Ave 26 and Crosstown 

From West Ashley:

1. Savannah Hwy and Lockwood  

1. Savannah Hwy and Crosstown  

From James Island:

1. SC-30 and Calhoun St 

From North Charleston:

1. Meeting Street Extension 

1. King Street Extension 

The South Carolina coast is now under a tornado watch until 5 p.m. Tuesday.

The watch also covers parts of the Grand Strand and the Pee Dee.

The Colleton County Sheriff's Office said in a post on X late Monday that a tornado did touch down on Edisto Beach.

"There is some property damage and several power poles down. Palmetto Blvd will be impassible at this time until the damage can be evaluated," the sheriff's office posted.

Videos and photos of damaged homes and downed trees were shared on the social media platform.

Meanwhile, a curfew for the city of Charleston remains in effect. Charleston Mayor William Cogswell is expected to share an update on the curfew and road closures Tuesday morning.

President Joe Biden on Monday approved an emergency declaration for South Carolina.

The approval now activates federal resources and reimbursements for the Palmetto State.

Charleston Mayor William Cogswell has issued an 11 p.m. city-wide curfew.

In a post to X, the city said thoroughfares heading toward the peninsula will be closed from 11 p.m. until noon Tuesday. Only emergency crews will be able to pass through.

The Charleston Police Department will start to close roads at 8 p.m.

Robert Ashe, deputy regional administration with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, encourages South Carolina residents to be in a safe place to withstand the impact of Tropical Storm Debby.

In addition to listening to guidance from local officials, Ashe recommends residents visit ready.gov/ , which provides information to help residents prepare for emergencies and disasters, including hurricanes.

Ashe also recommends downloading the FEMA app, where users can enter their zip code to locate shelters available in their area and get information on how to apply for assistance.

Gov. Henry McMaster and several state emergency officials held a briefing on the latest Debby updates.

The governor said he does not plan to issue any evacuation orders or close any state-owned facilities at this time.

South Carolina officials are asking residents to limit travel this week and be prepared to seek higher ground as Debby makes its way toward the coast.

"Stay alert. Stay tuned and stay safe," McMaster said Monday from the S.C. Emergency Management Division's headquarters.

Debby made landfall in Florida early Monday as a Category 1 hurricane. It's since weakened back to a tropical storm.

National Weather Services' John Quagliariello said Debby will move across northern Florida and southeast Georgia, before merging over the Atlantic.

"Unfortunately, Debby will linger off (the) South Carolina coast before possibly moving back on shore," late Thursday into Friday, he said.

The result, Quagliariello said, will be tropical storm force winds, possibly a few tornadoes and threats of flash flood and urban flooding.

Quagliariello said river flooding is expected this week, potentially "isolating some communities."

Officials stressed that motorists not drive through flooded roads.

While rainfall totals rival what the saw recorded in 2015, Quagliariello said "no two storms are alike," stressing that some areas that did not flood in 2015 could flood this time around.

Though Debby is expected to hit the state's coast the hardest, EMD Director Kim Stenson stressed the storm is a statewide event.

"We cannot stress enough how serious the flooding threat is here in South Carolina," Stenson said.

Stenson repeated that some of the impacts will look similar to the 2015 historic floods, but that areas impacted will be different. Beaufort and Charleston, for example, will be more impacted this storm.

"If you live in a flood-prone area, or low lying, identify higher ground," he said, adding that flooding is the No. 1 cause of fatalities in tropical storms.

Emergency responder teams from Alabama, Michigan and Tennessee will be in South Carolina to assist the state.

Officials said five teams from the Federal Emergency Management Agency will be stationed in South Carolina. Those teams will also be deployed across the Southeast.

In addition to out-of-state help, 300 S.C. National Guard soldiers and several recovery vehicles will be on hand. South Carolina deployed about 70 soldiers and some 30 vehicles to Florida to assist with their storm response efforts.

MAAYAN SCHECHTER

Dams

The S.C. Department of Environmental Services says it checked 19 dams in the state today. Results of those assessments were not immediately available.

The dam emergency number is 803-898-1939.

Lakes

Officials with the S.C. Office of Regulatory Staff said lake levels at Lake Moultrie, Murray and Marion have been lowered.

Columbia city officials said Monday they're planning for the worst of Debby but hoping for the best.

City officials briefed the public Monday afternoon.

They said the troubling factor about Debby is the storm's uncertain path, and whether it might sit over the state.

Officials said Debby is reminiscent of the 2015 historic floods in South Carolina.

The National Weather Service said early Monday that Debby is expected to dump between 8 and 15 inches of rain on the Midlands.

Columbia Police Chief Skip Holbrook asked residents to avoid driving through standing water.

He said areas around the city that are prone to flooding will be barricaded off. Sandbags will be placed in some areas, he said.

With power outages expected, Holbrook and others asked drivers to come to a complete stop before driving through any intersection without lights, and listen for emergency vehicles.

"Look after your neighbors," Holbrook said.

The Beaufort County School District says it has closed all school buildings and facilities Monday through Wednesday.

The district said in a statement on its website that it'll decide Wednesday whether to reopen the rest of the week.

"Again, we understand that you need as much advanced notice as possible regarding any decisions so you can plan accordingly for your family’s needs," the district posted to its website. "However, please know we don’t take the possibility of further postponing the start of the school year lightly as to avoid students having to utilize make-up days during the winter break, especially since e-learning is not an option this week as device distribution is still taking place."

Meanwhile, the Colleton County School District released students early Monday.

Gov. Henry McMaster will brief reporters and the public later Monday on Debby.

The governor will start his briefing at 5 p.m. at the state's Emergency Management Operations Center.

SCETV will carry a livestream.

Along the South Carolina coast, homeowners and business owners have been collecting sandbags as the area prepares for 10 to 20 inches of rain, with as much as 30 inches possible in some areas.

Since Sunday, the city of Charleston handed out at least 32,000 sandbags.

The coast is already starting to get rain.

The heaviest rain is expected Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Charleston city offices will close at 3 p.m. Monday, and the Mayor William Cogswell will hold a press conference at 6 p.m.

A storm surge of 2 to 4 feet is still likely, which means the water will have a hard time moving out, especially if the system stalls over the Lowcountry.

Charleston International is also closely monitoring the storm, and advises travelers to check for weather delays and cancellations before arriving to the airport.

Already 2.29 inches of rain has fallen at the airport, breaking the previous record of 1.78 inches in 1941, according to the National Weather Service in Charleston.

South Carolinians are encouraged prepare their homes now for Debby's possible impacts across the state.

“If you're renting property right now, it's a good time to find those ways to get hold of your landlord,” Scott Cooke, communications director for the S.C. Department of Consumer Affairs. “If an emergency comes up, know their process for reporting damages.”

Preparation should include organizing and printing any necessary paperwork should owners and renters have to leave their homes.

Consumer Affairs also warns about scammers. Residents can check company names and complaints at SCDCA’s website.

Debby is back to tropical storm status.

But the storm is still expected to dump large amounts of rain on the state and cause flooding throughout the Southeast over the next few days.

A storm surge warning is in effect from the Georgia to South Carolina's coast, from the Mouth of St. Mary's River to the South Santee River, the National Hurricane Center said.

The coast is also under a tropical storm warning. That means tropical storm conditions are expected within 36 hours, according to the NHC.

The South Carolina Emergency Management Division on Monday said rainfall totals will likely increase across the state after Hurricane Debby made landfall early Monday in Florida.

EMD said Debby is expected to move slowly across the state, dropping "historic heavy rainfall" over the week.

In the Lowcountry, meteorologists anticipate 20 to 30 inches of rain, and 10 to 20 inches of rain in the Grand Strand.

Weather reports said that rainfall will result in life-threatening flash and urban flooding, in addition to possible river flooding.

On Sunday, Gov. Henry McMaster declared a state of emergency for South Carolina, which mobilizes state resources.

For more resources and how to keep up with Tropical Storm Debby's impact on the state, go to scemd.org.

A special marine warning is in effect for waters from Edisto Beach to Savannah, Georgia, until about 11:45 a.m., according to the National Weather Service.