Charleston Reporter

As Hurricane Helene approaches, the City of Charleston has activated its Active Flooding Mitigation Plan to address potential flood risks and heavy rainfall. Mayor Cogswell announced these measures in response to forecasts from the National Weather Service.

The National Weather Service Charleston has outlined the expected timing, conditions, and impacts of Hurricane Helene. The city will face adverse weather starting Thursday noon into early Friday morning. The period of greatest concern for tornadoes, heavy rain, and high winds is between 2:00-7:00 p.m. on Thursday. Conditions are expected to continue through early Friday.

Flooding may result from 0.5-1.25 inches of rain expected today, coinciding with a high tide at 4:13 p.m. measuring 7.3 feet. Additional flooding is possible on Friday with anticipated rainfall of 1-1.75 inches and another high tide at 4:36 a.m., reaching 7.1 feet.

Gusty winds up to 40 mph are forecasted, with tropical storm force winds nearby. Charleston and Berkeley Counties are under a Tropical Storm Warning.

The risk of tornadoes in Charleston has been upgraded from Moderate to Enhanced, with threats beginning at noon today and peaking between 2:00-7:00 p.m., continuing into early Friday morning.

In light of these forecasts, the City of Charleston has taken several preventive measures under Mayor Cogswell’s plan:

Emergency staffing includes partial activation of the Municipal Emergency Operations Center (MEOC) from Thursday night into Friday morning with key city staff monitoring conditions and responding to storm-related issues. The Charleston Police Department (CPD) will have additional officers on duty during this period.

Stormwater management officials have deployed four temporary pumps in flood-prone areas to control water levels. Water levels at Lake Dotterer have been lowered as a precautionary measure, with similar actions planned for Colonial Lake if needed based on updated forecasts.

City staff have pre-deployed barricades near intersections prone to flooding. Residents can monitor street closures using the TIDEeye app.

All public meetings scheduled for today will proceed as planned and can be viewed on the City of Charleston’s YouTube page.

Currently, there are no changes or delays in trash or debris pick-up services; however, residents will be notified via the CHS Trashtracker app if cleanup efforts become necessary.

Residents can contact the Citizens Services Desk for non-emergency inquiries at 843-724-7311 or citizenservices@charleston-sc.gov. Spanish-speaking services are available through Charleston County Government at 843-746-3909.

Residents are encouraged to stay informed through local media and follow official updates from the City of Charleston via Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or by signing up for newsletters.