Winds gusts above 50 mph are causing power, traffic and phone problems Thursday ahead of a cold front that is dropping temperatures more than 30 degrees almost instantly — and as of 4:30 pm was starting to hit the Grand Strand.
A boy was hit by a falling tree in the Murrells Inlet area of Horry County around 4:30 pm, officials told WBTW. The incident, which injured the boy, happened in the area of Newberry Trail.
The boy managed to free himself from under the tree by the time rescue crews arrived, officials said.
Also a tree went down on northbound lanes of I-95 in Dillon County around 3:40 pm, but was removed by 5 pm, officials said.
Meanwhile, some customers in Darlington County are experiencing power outages from downed power lines in Hartsville, where lines are down along Brookwood Drive and Highline Street, officials said. (Full list of reported downed trees listed below)
Nearly all Darlington County Schools lost power on Thursday and afternoon and evening events at schools were canceled, officials said.
Power is also out in Lake City and parts of Cheraw and Marion, according to reports. There was a report of a 56 mph gust at the Florence Airport at 3:30 pm.
In Florence County, the normal phone line to the Florence City Center was down and officials advised residents to call 843-495-0216 for after hours needs. The 911 service is functioning normally.
Frank Johnson, Chief News13 Meteorologist, also said that the cold front — which is headed toward the coast — is dropping temperatures at an extremely rapid rate.
In Laurinburg NC earlier Thursday, where it was 78 degrees, just minutes later it was 45 degrees — a drop of 33 degrees, Johnson said.
For the next few hours, sustained winds of 30-40 mph can be expected with gusts of 40-50 mph as this front moves offshore, the National Weather Service said.
Johnson said that an earlier ice threat is not likely Thursday night. Rain will move out of the area before there is any drop in temps below freezing, he said.
List of trees down
— TREE ACROSS ROAD ON OAK ST EXTENSION AT FOUR MILE RD
— TREE ACROSS ROAD ON EFFINGHAM CHURCH ROAD AT WATER MORE ROAD
— TREE DOWN AT 4227 POOLE LOOP NEAR W MARION STREET
6 MILES WSW OF BROWNSVILLE — A tree was reported in the roadway along Highway 34… just before the Pee Dee River bridge.
— A COUPLE TREES WERE REPORTED DOWN AT THE INTERSECTION OF I-95 AND CATTLE FARM ROAD. ONE OF THE TREES WAS REPORTEDLY BLOCKING THE ROADWAY.
— TREE DOWN ON CHRISTMAS TREE ROAD NEAR HIGHWAY 401
— TREE DOWN ON HIGHWAY 41 NEAR FORK
— A COUPLE TREES WERE REPORTED DOWN NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF ACADEMY ROAD AND BENNETTSVILLE FIRE TOWER ROAD.
1 MILE W OF FLOYD — TREE DOWN ON FLOYDS ROAD
1 MILE NE OF CLYDE –TREE DOWN ALONG OLD CAMDEN ROAD
— TREE DOWN ON BERMUDA ROAD NEAR STATE ROAD 9 IN FORK
– TREE DOWN ALONG THE CARTERSVILLE HIGHWAY
