Hurricane Isaias gains strength ahead of expected landfall north of Myrtle Beach

Hurricane Isaias lumbered up the South Carolina coast Monday, bringing some wind and rain to the Charleston area but potential danger to the Grand Strand. The Myrtle Beach area braced for storm surge and flooding ahead of the Category 1 hurricane’s expected landfall in southern North Carolina late Monday or early Tuesday.  Storm surge from Isaias has emerged as the biggest threat to the region, said Tim Armstrong, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service’s Wilmington, North Carolina office. By late Monday, Isaias brought the third-highest tide on record to the area.  At 9.89 feet, the tide was surpassed only by those during Hurricane Hugo in 1989 and Hurricane Matthew in 2016, Armstrong said.  While wind was still a concern, the highest winds are expected in southeastern North Carolina as the storm inches closer to its expected landfall in Brunswick County, he said.  The first named hurricane of the season, Isaias caused little panic for Charleston residents. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, some locals even used the opportunity to venture out and see some unusual weather.  Residents, like Melissa Townsend, made their way to the Battery by walking around police barricades to watch the waves and wind of the strong storm that regained Category 1 hurricane status late in the day. Unlike many named storms that have forced locals to stay inside, many saw it as an excuse to leave their homes. “We are a little stir crazy,” Townsend said. “It’s a different time now. It’s always uncertain, but we just wanted to get out of the house.” And water sport enthusiasts like Daniel Bonthius, clad in a blue wetsuit and with a yellow inflatable kayak in tow, took to Folly Beach amid 50 mph wind gusts to catch waves. People watched the ocean from balconies and searched for shells in Myrtle Beach ahead of Isaias. John Combs was in his 10th-floor condo when he heard a bang outside. He thought it was just thunder, but when he looked out the window he saw the roof of Apache Pier being ripped off. “We peeked out and you see it flapping in the wind,” Combs said. Seeing the pier damaged like that was shocking for him and he quickly pulled out his camera to film the roof flapping in the heavy winds. Combs, from Columbia, typically comes to Myrtle Beach every time this year and has visited Apache Pier on numerous occasions. “It was a surprise to see it,” Combs said. “You hope it doesn’t get any worse through that night.” As far as Combs can tell, there was no way to secure the roof during the storm. Horry County Fire Rescue spokesperson Tony Casey said the department has not been contacted to assist Apache Pier. Casey said there haven’t been any calls for assistance due to wind damage yet either. Combs has never been in Myrtle Beach for a hurricane before, but figured he’d be safe on the 10th floor. At 9 p.m., he reported seeing water rushing up to the dunes and even reaching some beach chairs tied up by lifeguards earlier in the day. Lifeguards held their posts until 5 p.m., the regular time for them to pack up for the day, blowing whistles when people tried swimming deeper than their ankles. The city issued double red flags to warn beachgoers of hazardous conditions and to stay out of the ocean. “Honestly, it’s relaxing,” said Dara Applebaum, a lifeguard on the southern end of Myrtle Beach. She said although there were significantly fewer people on the beach Monday, things “should be back to normal” Tuesday. Rain and wind began to pick up about 4:30 p.m. in the Grand Strand as Isaias approached the area.  The threat for coastal flooding in the Charleston area “diminished considerably” Monday evening, the National Weather Service said. Tide levels in the Charleston Harbor were not expected to reach a dangerous level. As of 11 p.m., the storm was about 25 miles east northeast of Myrtle Beach, according to the National Hurricane Center. Its winds were 85 mph. “The center of Isaias will make landfall in southern North Carolina during the next hour or two, then move across eastern North Carolina for the rest of the night,” the Hurricane Center said.