Charleston, North Charleston, businesses prepare for storm

The cities of Charleston and North Charleston are encouraging residents and visitors to begin preparing for potential Hurricane Ian impacts. 

According to a City of Charleston Neighborhood News Bulletin sent via email on Tuesday afternoon, city officials continue to work closely with state and regional officials to monitor the storm’s track and coordinate preparation efforts. 

The National Weather Service Charleston (NWSC) has issued a tropical storm watch and a storm surge watch for Charleston County, anticipating a two- to four-foot storm surge by the end of Thursday. 

At publication time, the primary threat to the city is expected to be flooding due to heavy rainfall and high tides starting this evening and continuing through Saturday. Between Wednesday and Sunday, six-to-eight inches of rainfall is projected. Locally, higher amounts and substantial rainfall rates may occur, according to the NWSC.  

Coastal flooding is also possible and may be exacerbated by rainfall on Thursday and Friday. Wednesday night through Friday, gusty winds are anticipated, possibly to tropical storm force, which is more than 39 miles per hour, according to the NWSC. Hurricane Ian will bring significant impacts from storm surge inundation and heavy rain along with tropical storm force winds are likely across the region, and the possibility of tornadoes, the weather service said Wednesday morning. 

 “As the track of this storm remains highly variable, citizens are asked to continue to monitor reliable weather outlets, and to be prepared for significant flooding impacts from Wednesday through Saturday,” said city of Charleston Emergency Management Director Ben Almquist on Tuesday. 

Due to the potential for flooding, the city’s stormwater department has reserved temporary pumps to position in low-lying areas, the newsletter said. Stormwater and Public Service Department crews continue to clean ditches and drains in flood-prone areas. Residents can visit the city’s Adopt-a-Drain webpage for information on ways they can help. The city of Charleston Parks Department is also working to lower water levels in Lake Dotterer and Colonial Lake. 
Updates on Hurricane Ian will be released and posted to the city’s webpage as new information becomes available. 
The city of Charleston will have a limited number of free sand and bags available for residents to build their own sandbags until 6 p.m. Residents should bring their own shovels for assembly of the sandbags, and staff will be onsite to assist as needed. 
Here are the following self-serve pick-up locations in Charleston: 

Bee’s Landing Recreation Center, 1580 Ashley Garden Blvd.(West Ashley) 

Hampton Park parking lot on the corner of Ashley Avenue and Mary Murray Drive (Peninsula) 

Seven Farms Drive behind Governor’s Park Dog Park, under Interstate 526 (Daniel Island) 

Grace Bridge Street parking lot between America and East Bay streets (Peninsula) 

Here is the sandbag location with the town of James Island: 

James Island Town Hall, 1122 Dills Bluff Road  

There is a limit of 10 sandbags per residence. To purchase additional sandbags, residents should contact a local home hardware store. 

Sandbags for North Charleston residents can be picked up from 2-6 p.m. or until supplies are exhausted at the following locations with proof of residency: 

Gussie Greene Community Center, 2008 Success St. 

North Charleston Athletic Center, 5600 Casper Padgett Way 

North Charleston Aquatics Center, 8610 Patriot Blvd. 

Up to six filled sandbags will be provided to residents, and the city of Charleston said businesses are not allowed to participate in picking up these sandbags, according to a Tuesday afternoon press release. 

Additional information on emergency operations for the city of North Charleston will be provided in coordination with its agency partners and will be announced at a 3 p.m. press conference at the Charleston County Emergency Operations Center. 

In accordance with guidance from the Charleston Emergency Management Division, the following city-scheduled events have been canceled or rescheduled: 

West Ashley Farmers Market, Sept. 28-canceled . 

Coffee with the Mayor, Sept. 29 from 8-9 a.m. at Local Works, 1859 Summerville Avenue, Suite 800-canceled . 

MOJA Opening Parade, Sept. 29-canceled . 

MOJA Visual Arts reception, Sept. 29 from 5-7 p.m. at City Gallery-rescheduled to a later date. 

MOJA Reggae Block Dance, Sept. 30 6 p.m. at Brittlebank Park-canceled . 

Charleston Farmers Market, Oct. 1-canceled . 

Operation Neighborhood, Oct. 1 from 8:30-10:30 a.m. at Hampstead Square Park, Columbus and America Streets-rescheduled to a later date. 

Black Biz on the Block, Oct. 1 from 1-5 p.m. at Philip Simmons Park, 64 Columbus Street–rescheduled to Oct. 22. 

Cooper River Bridge Run Kids Run, Oct. 2 from 2-6 p.m. at Stoney Field-rescheduled to a later date. 

The city’s emergency management division will continue to review events and update this list as necessary. 
For the most accurate and up-to-date weather forecasts, residents should stay tuned to the National Hurricane Center and National Weather Service Charleston websites, as well as local media and the FEMA app. Additional hurricane preparedness information can be found at www.scemd.org.