GARDEN CITY BEACH, SC (WBTW) – While the worst of Hurricane Michael hit Florida, coastal areas of South Carolina are keeping an eye on what the storm will bring Thursday.
The Atlantic Ocean near The Pier at Garden City started to look more vicious Wednesday night, as Hurricane Michael made its way from the Florida panhandle to southern Georgia. During high tide in Garden City, the waves were slightly bigger than usual, but the amount of time between each wave breaking got faster.
The Grand Strand isn’t forecasted to have any storm surge from Michael. It also isn’t expected to see other severe conditions like during Hurricane Florence last month. Flash flooding could be an issue, however, in coastal communities like Garden City on Thursday.
Quick rain showers caused minor flooding on some roads in Garden City. There were also some winds on Wednesday, but neither the rain nor wind came from Hurricane Michael.
The Murrells Inlet-Garden City Fire Department says its main concern during Michael is potential street flooding during high tide. The department is particularly focused on causeways like on Atlantic Avenue.
Even though Michael was less than 24 hours away, many people in Garden City said they weren’t too worried about the storm. Some surfers decided to go out and take advantage of the waves a little after low tide Wednesday afternoon.
One man who owns a vacation home in Garden City says how Michael is forecasted to move through South Carolina should keep the community safe.
“This time, it’s actually not coming in off the ocean,” said Brad Eddins. “It’s actually coming up from behind, so the winds should be in a different direction. We have some possible heavy rains, but I’m not too concerned about any storm damage.”
High tide at The Pier at Garden City is forecasted for 9:42 a.m. Thursday.
