Charleston facing hurricane-level water surge, flood warning
.png "A bulletin from the National Weather Service indicated that there would be a potential for flooding throughout the weekend due to rainfall and winds coming from the northeast.")
Charleston is seeing a major surge in water as the National Weather Service issued a flood warning on Friday.
Coastal areas of Charleston and Colleton counties could see water inundation of one to two feet above ground level, the NWS Charleston said in issuing the warning.
“Significant saltwater inundation will render numerous roads impassable,” the warning reads. “Properties may also flood.”
“Take the necessary actions to protect flood-prone property. If travel is required, do not drive around barricades or through water of unknown depth.”
The risk of flooding is greatest in the morning, the weather service said. High tide was about 8:48 a.m. Friday.
Low lying coastal areas in and around the city of Charleston are at risk of some of the worst effects as climate change raises sea levels around the world. Last year, Charleston saw a record number of high-tide flooding and is currently in the process of building a sea wall to keep out storm surge.
This week, Roper St. Francis Healthcare announced it would move its Roper Hospital off the peninsula after 165 years because of the growing risk of flooding.
Meteorologists say the flood risk is exacerbated by a combination of already higher-than-normal tides and a developing storm system off the coast, CNN reported. The news network reported the surge of water is equivalent to what the region would normally see during a hurricane.
The city warns that flooding risks will continue during high tides Saturday, when water levels could top out at 8.8 feet. That would tie a record for a non-tropical event set in 1987.
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