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Are you building something on your property?
Let's say you have a property where you would like to build something... Read More
Let's say you have a property where you would like to build something... Read More
Emergency Permit Procedures
Charleston District Regulatory Division recognizes that conditions... Read More
Charleston District Regulatory Division recognizes that conditions... Read More
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successfully completed the long term erosion control project... Read More
successfully completed the long term erosion control project... Read More
Charleston District Completes Lake Marion Water Treatment Plant
The first tap was turned at the Lake Marion Regional Water Treatment Plant on April 28... Read More
The first tap was turned at the Lake Marion Regional Water Treatment Plant on April 28... Read More
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The (ASBPA) named the top seven restored beaches for 2007 .... Read More
The (ASBPA) named the top seven restored beaches for 2007 .... Read More
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The Charleston Technical Services Division is partnering with the (DoE)... Read More
The Charleston Technical Services Division is partnering with the (DoE)... Read More
Charleston District's Emergency Management Division
Hurricane Information
National Hurricane Center http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/
The 2007 forecast calls for:
- 14 named tropical storms; an average season has 9.6.
- 7 hurricanes compared to the average of 5.9.
- 3 major hurricanes with winds exceeding 110 mph; average is 2.3.
Though these statistical predictions cannot portend when any of the storms will form or where they will go, Klotzbach, Gary and colleagues calculate an 64 percent chance that at least one major hurricane will come ashore.
| How the 2007 forecast compares: | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | Avg. | |
| Tropical Storms | 26 | 17 | 14 | 9.6 |
| Hurricanes | 13 | 9 | 7 | 5.9 |
| Major Hurricanes | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2.3 |
| SOURCES: CSU, NOAA | ||||
Sources: CSU, NOAA
The current series of busy seasons is part of a long-term cycle that climatologists had predicted years ago. The Atlantic is in its 12th year of heightened activity. It is expected to continue for the next decade or perhaps longer. The cycle typically involves two or more decades of lull and two or more decades of high activity.
Hurricane Categories
(Hurricane season officially begins 1 June and ends 30 November each year)
Category 1
- winds of 74-95 miles per hour (mph)
- damage primarily to shrubbery, tree foliage and unanchored mobile homes
- no real damage to other structures
- some damage to poorly constructed signs
- storm surge 4 to 5 feet above normal
- low lying coastal roads inundated
- minor pier damage
- small craft in exposed anchorages torn from moorings
Category 2
- winds of 96-110 mph
- considerable damage to shrubbery and tree foliage
- some trees down
- major damage to exposed mobile homes
- extensive damage to poorly constructed signs
- some damage to roofing
- storm surge 6 to 8 feet above normal
- coastal roads and low lying inland escape routes blocked by rising water 2 to 4 hours before arrival of hurricane eye (center)
- considerable damage to piers
- marinas flooded
- small craft in unprotected anchorages torn from moorings
Category 3
- winds of 111-130 mph
- foliage torn from trees, large trees blown over
- almost all poorly constructed signs down
- some damage to roofing; some window and door damage
- some structural damage to small buildings
- mobile homes destroyed
- storm surge 9 to 12 feet above normal
- serious flooding at coast and many smaller structures near coast and many smaller structures near coast destroyed
- larger structures near coast damaged by battering waves and floating debris
- low lying inland escape routes blocked by rising water 3 to 5 hours before hurricane eye (center) arrives
- flat terrain 5 feet or less above sea level flooded inland 8 mile or more
- evacuation of low-lying residences within several blocks of shoreline possibly required
Category 4
- winds of 121-155 mph
- shrubs and trees down, all signs down
- extensive damage to roofing, windows, and doors
- roof collapse
- complete destruction of mobile homes
- storm surge 13 to 18 feet above normal
- flat terrain 10 feet or less above sea level flooded inland as far as 6 miles
- major damage to lower floors of structures near shore due to flooding, waves, and floating debris
- low lying inland escape routes blocked by rising water 3 to 5 hours before hurricane eye (center) arrives
- major erosion of beaches
- massive evacuation of all residences within 500 yards of shore possibly required, and of single-story residences on low ground within 2 miles of shore
Category 5
- winds greater than 155 mph
- shrubs and trees down; considerable damage to roofing; all signs down
- severe and extensive damage to windows and doors
- complete roof collapse
- destruction of glass in windows and doors
- some complete building failures
- small buildings overturned or blown away
- complete destruction of mobile homes
- storm surge higher than 18 feet above normal
- major damage to lower floors of all structures less than 15 feet above sea level within 500 yards of shore
- low lying escape routes inland cut off by rising water 3 to 5 hours before hurricane eye (center) arrives
- massive evacuation of residential areas on low ground within 5 to 10 miles of shore possibly required
Reserved Atlantic Storm Names
| 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andrea | Arthur | Ana | Alex | |
| Barry | Bertha | Bill | Bonnie | |
| Chantal | Cristobal | Claudette | Colin | |
| Dean | Dolly | Danny | Danielle | |
| Erin | Edouard | Erika | Earl | |
| Felix | Fay | Fred | Fiona | |
| Gabrielle | Gustav | Grace | Gaston | |
| Humberto | Hanna | Henri | Hermine | |
| Ingrid | Ike | Ida | Igor | |
| Joyce nu | Jerry | Josephine | Joaquin | Julia |
| Kirk nu | Karen | Kyle | Kate | Karl |
| Leslie nu | Lorenzo | Laura | Larry | Lisa |
| Michael nu | Melissa | Marco | Mindy | Matthew |
| Nadine nu | Noel | Nana | Nicholas | Nicole |
| Oscar nu | Olga | Omar | Odette | Otto |
| Patty nu | Pablo | Paloma | Peter | Paula |
| Rafael nu | Rebekah | Rene | Rose | Richard |
| Sandy nu | Sebastien | Sally | Sam | Shary |
| Tony nu | Tanya | Teddy | Teresa | Tomas |
| Valerie nu | Van | Vicky | Victor | Virginie |
| William nu | Wendy | Wilfred | Wanda | Walter |
Contact the "Emergency Management Division" in the Charleston District Office
843.329.8108 (Telephone)
Email point of contact for Charleston's Emergency Management Division
Mailing Address:
US Army Corps of Engineers
Emergency Management Division
69A Hagood Ave.
Charleston, South Carolina 29403-5107
