Aug
23
2023
From The Blog
Tropics Still Hold Potential for Storm Development After Season’s Peak
Historically, we’re just past peak time for tropical activity, a six-week period from mid-August through late September. An August update to the season’s forecast predicts “14-21 named storms (winds of 39 mph or greater), of which 6-11 could become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or greater). Of those, 2-5 could become major hurricanes (winds of 111 mph or greater).” Since the update on Aug. 10, we’ve been through peak season and seen a substantial increase in storm activity.
During the season, Director of Security Mark Ruppel and his team get updates from the Charleston office of the National Weather Service, join Emergency Management Division conference calls, and participate in round table planning with Kiawah-specific entities.
No matter what’s in the tropics right now, there’s still time for you to put together a hurricane plan. The season isn’t officially over until Nov. 30.
- Stay informed – KICA and the Town of Kiawah Island work together to provide the important information you need during a storm event.
- Verify that your contact information is current with KICA in your member account, and you will automatically receive association communications.
- If you are not subscribed to Town of Kiawah Island emails or weather alerts through CodeRed, sign up here.
- Make a plan. This is a good time to solidify what you and your family will do in the event of a storm. Make plans for things like how you will evacuate and where you will go. Consider the care of any pets as well.
- Three websites to help with your hurricane plan are the South Carolina Emergency Management Division (SCEMD) (www.scemd.org/), SCEMD’s virtual hurricane guide at hurricane.sc and the National Weather Service (www.weather.gov/safety/hurricane). Visit the Charleston County Emergency Management Division for county-level planning information.
Download the SC Emergency Manager App (App Store | Google Play) for interactive checklists, your evacuation zones, and more.