Gov. Henry McMaster declared a state of emergency late Friday afternoon as the state increases preparations ahead of potential severe tropical weather.
The declaration begins the official response process by activating the South Carolina Emergency Operations Plan and directs the S.C. Emergency Management Division to coordinate with agencies ahead of potential requests for state assistance from local officials and county emergency management.
"As this storm approaches our coast, I am issuing a State of Emergency to ensure Team South Carolina is able to access and deploy the resources and personnel needed to prepare for and respond to this storm," McMaster said in a statement. "While the storm's arrival, speed, and intensity remain hard to predict, we do know that it will bring significant wind, heavy rainfall, and flooding across the entire state of South Carolina. We have seen this before. Now is the time to start paying attention to forecasts, updates, and alerts from official sources and begin making preparations."
State officials have been monitoring the storm and been in contact with local authorities who, especially those in several coastal counties, are also ramping up their preparations ahead of any potential impacts from the tropical disturbance, known as Invest 94L. The storm is currently off the eastern edge of Cuba and its impacts to South Carolina remain uncertain as it continues to develop. Hurricane Humberto is not a threat to South Carolina and is heading out to sea while it continues to strengthen.
Officials say now is the time for folks to begin reviewing emergency plans, know their evacuation zone should an order be issued, follow trusted news and weather sources, compile important documents and medicines and secure property. The South Carolina Emergency Management Division provides extensive information in its hurricane guide.
South Carolina has 187 miles of coastline along the Atlantic Ocean split among Beaufort, Charleston, Colleton, Georgetown, Horry, and Jasper counties and while storm surge is concern with all tropical cyclones, the entire state is susceptible to the effects of a tropical cyclone.
McMaster's declaration comes on the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Helene hitting the state as a tropical storm. The state saw wind gusts from Helen range from 70 m.p.h to over 100 m.p.h, which led to widespread damage a record 1.3 million power outages. The storm also spawned 21 tornadoes. Major damage was recorded in the Midlands and Upstate, causing over $800 million in federal Public Assistance response costs, according to SCEMD.
Rainfall over September 25 and 26 led three Upstate counties to set new 24-hour rainfall records. The highest amount of rainfall in the state was in Greenville County with a total of 21.66 inches during the event, ranking third highest on record for a tropical cyclone in South Carolina.
South Carolina ETV and South Carolina Public Radio will broadcast on TV and radio channels statewide any and all briefings with Gov. McMaster and other state officials as they happen throughout the state of emergency. These briefings will also be streamed on the agency's social media platforms.
