Hurricane Irma Notice - September 7 - 10:00 A.M.

Hurricane Irma is still a very strong Category 5 storm and continues to move through the islands towards Florida. 

 

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) forecast has Irma making an expected turn to the North and heading toward South Carolina. 

The accompanying photo showing wind speeds provides you with some idea of when we could feel the impacts of 40mph tropical storm force winds associated with Irma, IF the storm adheres to the currently forecast track. We know Irma will turn north but exactly when remains uncertain, and there is still significant spread as to where it might travel after making its turn to the north. 

Don’t forget that the track that is emphasized is a snapshot of one tracking model. Please do not focus solely on the black dots as there is a lot of room to either side within the error cone. While the forecast has a possible landfall at the Georgia/South Carolina line, a high chance remains for a direct landfall in our area.  

The one bit of better news is that the NHC forecast has Irma weakening as it moves north due to possible interaction with land. However, if Irma moves over the open water further away from Florida that could change. 

Our best advice is repetitive but necessary: Make preparations to leave. That way, if the storm does become more threatening to us and an evacuation is determined to be necessary, you will only have to jump in the car and go.

PLAN AHEAD

If you do not have a plan, we recommend that you visit www.ready.gov which offers good advice on how to prepare for a hurricane. The storm is still far enough out that you do have time to effectively prepare for it, should it head this way.

KNOW YOUR "ZONE"

IF an evacuation is ordered in the future (none has been ordered at this time), the order will refer to Zones. If you are not familiar with the Zone in which you reside in Horry County or North Myrtle Beach, you can access the information via this link: https://tinyurl.com/y9nj6mlb If the link does not work for your, visit www.HorryCounty.org. 

As we learn more, we will post information that pertains to our area on www.nmb.us, Facebook/cityofnmb and Twitter @cityofnmb. We will also continue to use our Email News Groups.

Hurricane Irma Notice - Sept. 6 - 4:00 P.M.

S.C. Governor Henry McMaster declared a “state of emergency” today, September 6, following information from state forecasters who warned Hurricane Irma could be a “major hurricane” when and if it reaches South Carolina.

The executive order permits state agencies to coordinate their efforts if a weather emergency arises.

OVERVIEW FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE

While a turn to the north is looking more and more likely by later this weekend, the uncertainty with the track and subsequent impacts remains high, especially for the Carolinas.

IMPACTS

It’s too early to tell what specific surge, wind, rainfall, and tornado impacts could occur. However, regardless of the ultimate track of the storm the combination of above normal astronomical tides and large wave action is likely to cause beach erosion, which can further damage vulnerable coastal infrastructure previously damaged by Matthew.

KEY POINTS

-- People should ensure they have their hurricane plan in place. The time for initial preparations is now. Please monitor official and credible sources for further information.

-- Ensure that your supplies are in order and know what your family would do if evacuations are ordered.

-- Remember that there are large track errors in long-range hurricane predictions. Also, the error cone is not an impact cone. Impacts can occur outside of this cone.

PLAN AHEAD

If you do not have a plan, we recommend that you visit www.ready.gov which offers good advice on how to prepare for a hurricane. The storm is still far enough out that you do have time to effectively prepare for it, should it head this way.

KNOW YOUR "ZONE"

IF an evacuation is ordered in the future (none has been ordered at this time), the order will refer to Zones. If you are not familiar with the Zone in which you reside in Horry County or North Myrtle Beach, you can access the information via this link:https://tinyurl.com/y9nj6mlb If the link does not work for your, visitwww.HorryCounty.org.

As we learn more, we will post information that pertains to our area on www.nmb.us, Facebook/cityofnmb and Twitter @cityofnmb. We will also continue to use our Email News Groups.

Hurricane Irma - Sept. 6 10:00 A.M. Update

Irma remains a deadly hurricane.

At this point in its history, most tracking models show Irma interacting with the U.S. Exactly where that first contact will occur is still unknown. At this point what is known is that contact with the South Carolina coast is still a viable possibility.

Remain alert to this storm. Make preparations now, so that IF the storm does head our way, and IF an evacuation order is given, you are not running around taking care of business at the last moment.

If you do not have a plan, we recommend that you visitwww.ready.gov which offers good advice on how to prepare for a hurricane. The storm is still far enough out that you do have time to effectively prepare for it, should it head this way.

IF an evacuation is ordered in the future (none has been ordered at this time), the order will refer to Zones. If you are not familiar with the Zone in which you reside in Horry County or North Myrtle Beach, you can access the information via this link:https://tinyurl.com/y9nj6mlbIf the link does not work for your, visitwww.HorryCounty.org.

As we learn more, we will post information that pertains to our area on www.nmb.us, Facebook/cityofnmb and Twitter @cityofnmb. We will also continue to use our Email News Groups.

Hurricane Irma Notice - Sept. 5, 10:30 A.M.

Hurricane Irma is now a Category 5 on the Saffir-Simpson scale with maximum sustained winds of 175 mph with higher gusts.

Irma is a deadly storm, and the final track that it will take is still very unclear. The latest model runs (see photo) have been consistent with the storm moving to the West-North-West and then making a rather abrupt turn to the North in about five days.

When reading tracking projections, don't just focus on the black dots that represent the hurricane but also the broader area defined by, in this case, the white lines. This is the "cone of uncertainty"-- the hurricane has the potential to track toward any area encompassed by this cone. Normally, as the days progress, this "cone" will shrink as the many tracking models begin to agree on more specific landfall information. But that does not always happen. Hurricane Matthew was a good example of that.

Our best advice at this point in time is to develop your plan-- where will you go if it is finally determined that the storm will head this way? Do you have gas in your car? Do you have your valuable papers (insurance, etc.) collected so that you can take them with you? If you take medications, do you have a supply to last you at least two weeks? What will you do with your pets? And more.

If you do not have a plan, we recommend that you visitwww.ready.gov which offers good advice on how to prepare for a hurricane. The storm is still far enough out that you do have time to effectively prepare for it, should it head this way.

As we learn more, we will post information that pertains to our area on www.nmb.us, Facebook/cityofnmb and Twitter @cityofnmb. We will also continue to use our Email News Groups.

September North Myrtle Beach Tree of the Month

The North Myrtle Beach Tree City Board has selected a pink Flowering Dogwood located at the home of Wayne and Pinky Wilson, 703 9th Avenue South, as its Tree of the Month for September.

The Dogwood is native to the southeastern United States. It grows well in sandy soil and has few serious pest problems. It does best in partial shade like the under-story of large Pines and Oaks.

The Dogwood’s April flowers range in color from white to ruby red, depending on the variety of the tree, but nearly all have scarlet leaves and red berries in the fall of the year. 

Though difficult to transplant, Flowering Dogwoods make excellent landscape specimens once established.

Property owners and developers who are interested in finding out more about how they can preserve trees on their property are invited to contact the North Myrtle Beach Tree City Board at nmbtreeboard@nmb.us.

The Tree of the Month program began in 2010 as a way to recognize trees within the city that have been preserved over the years. It also provides a platform to remind people of the benefits and importance that trees offer in our everyday lives.

If you think you have the biggest, prettiest, or most unusual tree in North Myrtle Beach, or that your tree has a unique story attached to it, the Tree City Board encourages you to contact Parks & Grounds Superintendent Jim Grainger at (843) 280-5571 or via email atnmbtreeboard@nmb.us.

North Myrtle Beach Fire Battalion Chief Mike Davis Deploys to Texas as Part of Type 3 Incident Management Team

North Myrtle Beach Fire Battalion Chief Mike Davis (see photo) is headed to Texas as part of a Type 3 incident management team. He will leave from Florence, SC at noon today and will be deployed for 14 to 19 days.

When Mike's team is assembled, they will find out where they are going in Texas and the exact nature of their mission, and we will share that with you.

A Type 3 incident management team is a multi-agency/multi-jurisdictional team used for extended incidents. It is formed and managed at the local, state or tribal level and includes a designated team of trained personnel from different departments, organizations, agencies and jurisdictions.

Several days ago North Myrtle Beach Firefighter/EMT Thomas Brady deployed to Houston, Texas and is working as part of the South Carolina Helicopter Aquatic Rescue Team.