Below, you will discover our COMPLETE listing of South Carolina cruising news/postings from fellow cruisers, arranged in chronological order, based on publication date. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO NARROW YOUR SELECTION of SC cruising news to those messages which pertain to a specific geographic sub-region, locate the RED, vertically stacked menu, on the right side of this, and all Cruisers’ Net pages. Click on “South Carolina.” A drop down menu will appear, with a blue background, Now, click on “SC Regional Cruising News.” A sub-drop-down menu will now appear, listing 11 South Carolina geographic sub-regions. Select your waters of interest, and after clicking on your choice, a list of messages will appear, confined to the sub-region you have picked!
We’re in what’s usually the most active part of the Atlantic hurricane season, but the tropical Atlantic is a ghost town right now.
The above loop of visible satellite imagery above shows several features of interest across the North Atlantic and eastern U. S.:
Tandem tropical waves along 82° west and 77° west in the western Caribbean and one more wave over the tropical Atlantic along 38° west.
A band of clouds associated with a front stretching from Arkansas and Missouri to the Delmarva Peninsula and over the western Atlantic.
A blob of clouds over South Alabama and the Florida Panhandle associated with an upper-level disturbance.
Image Source: University of Wisconsin RealEarth
Today, we move into record territory for lack of hurricanes. Since 1960, when weather satellites became available, the latest hurricane development came on September 11, a record held by Gustav of 2002 and Humberto of 2013, with an honorable mention for Diana in the leap year of 1984; Diana’s formation on September 10 was on the 254th day of the year, the same as Gustav and Humberto. The last time we went this deep into the season with no hurricanes was in 1941. Two years, 1907 and 1914, had no known hurricanes, and 1914 had only one known tropical storm.
A few tropical waves are crossing the deep tropics, but none show significant thunderstorm activity.
The Atlantic is likely to remain calm for another week or so. In fact, the deep tropics could remain calm much longer because the El Niño-driven vertical wind shear in the region is unlikely to subside. We’re also likely to see a continuing feed of dry air from Africa; blame El Niño for that, too.
However, the subtropical Atlantic (the area between the Tropic of Cancer and 35° north) could turn active as we approach the end of the month. As we head into late September and October, we start to see cold fronts edge further south again, and they usually turn stationary over the Gulf and subtropical Atlantic. Stationary fronts over warm waters can become a breeding ground for tropical cyclones. Our computer models are picking up the risk, with some showing development in 10-14 days, but they disagree on exactly where and when. There’s no strong signal for any area to be on high alert, just an indication that vigilance is necessary.
Quiet times continue in the Atlantic, but there’s still a lot of hurricane season left (yesterday was halftime), so stay prepped. If you need prep advice, hit up hurricane.sc.
SC Weather Highlights For the Next Week:
We’ll be turning unsettled this weekend as an upper-level trough moves in and a cold front to our north sags southward. This afternoon will bring scattered showers and thunderstorms, primarily over the northern half of the state. Stronger storms can cause locally damaging winds, and isolated flash flooding is also a concern. Most of the state will reach the 90s.
Saturday should be our most active day, as a disturbance now along the Gulf Coast tracks through ahead of the approaching front. This moisture-laden disturbance will trigger widespread showers and thunderstorms, and isolated damaging winds and isolated flash flooding remain a risk. Clouds and rain will keep temperatures in the 80s in the Upstate with low 90s elsewhere.
Sunday looks less active, with afternoon thunderstorms more focused along the Coastal Plain. Most of the state will reach the low 90s.
Monday looks hotter as a second front approaches. This will be one of those ‘backdoor fronts’, moving in from the northeast. The front won’t produce many afternoon and evening storms. Highs will be in the low to mid-90s; hotter spots could get to the upper 90s.
A cooler, drier air mass will move in behind the front. A little cooler, lower humidity will be the real relief. Tuesday could bring a shower or thunderstorm to the Lowcountry before the front pushes south, but otherwise, Tuesday through Friday all look rain-free. Highs will be in the upper 80s to low 90s Tuesday and Wednesday, then mainly low 90s later in the week. We’ll have to wait until the week after next for any real taste of fall.
Frank Strait Severe Weather Liaison S.C. State Climate Office
The latest Marine Weather Briefing can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0O1y0n3a_Vo
Key Messages: • Fresh to strong east winds, locally near gale-force offshore NW Colombia, will continue in the south-central to SW Caribbean through the weekend. • Rough to locally very rough seas will accompany these winds. • No significant marine hazards are expected for the Gulf or western Atlantic through early next week. Have a safe weekend! — Tropical Analysis and Forecast Branch National Hurricane Center National Weather Service Miami, Florida, USA
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*** THIS DIV IS AUTOMATICALLY HIDDEN WHEN DISPLAYED – INFO FOR DEBUGGING PURPOSES *** ***MANUALLY DO: FIX TITLE, EXPIRE DATE, CATEGORIES, ENABLE SOCIAL POST *** 0: llnr: 0 District: 07 lat/lon: 38.517803333333,-79.06959 Desc: NWS Tropical Atlantic Marine Weather Briefing -September 10-15 , 2026 17:45
1. FOLLY RIVER LIGHTED BUOY 2 (LLNR 3734) IS REPORTED OFF STATION. ALL MARINERS ARE REQUESTED TO TRANSIT THE AREA WITH CAUTION.
CANCEL AT//211323Z SEP 26//
BT
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*** THIS DIV IS AUTOMATICALLY HIDDEN WHEN DISPLAYED – INFO FOR DEBUGGING PURPOSES *** ***MANUALLY DO: FIX TITLE, EXPIRE DATE, CATEGORIES, ENABLE SOCIAL POST *** 0: llnr: 3734 District: 07 lat/lon: 32.628550,-79.988912 Desc: Folly River Lighted Buoy 2
FOLLY RIVER BUOY 4 (LLNR 3735.1) IS OFFSTATION. ALL MARINERS ARE REQUESTED TO TRANSIT THE AREA WITH CAUTION. CANCEL AT//191734Z SEP 26//
BT
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*** THIS DIV IS AUTOMATICALLY HIDDEN WHEN DISPLAYED – INFO FOR DEBUGGING PURPOSES *** ***MANUALLY DO: FIX TITLE, EXPIRE DATE, CATEGORIES, ENABLE SOCIAL POST *** 0: llnr: 3735.1 District: 07 lat/lon: 32.630829,-79.988365 Desc: Folly River Buoy 4
FOLLY RIVER LIGHTED BUOY 2 (LLNR 3734) IS OFFSTATION. ALL MARINERS ARE REQUESTED TO TRANSIT THE AREA WITH CAUTION. CANCEL AT//191731Z SEP 26//
BT
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*** THIS DIV IS AUTOMATICALLY HIDDEN WHEN DISPLAYED – INFO FOR DEBUGGING PURPOSES *** ***MANUALLY DO: FIX TITLE, EXPIRE DATE, CATEGORIES, ENABLE SOCIAL POST *** 0: llnr: 3734 District: 07 lat/lon: 32.628550,-79.988912 Desc: Folly River Lighted Buoy 2
1. ASHEPOO – COOSAW CUTOFF DAYBEACON 172 (LLNR 35170) IS DESTROYED AND ADRIFT. ALL MARINERS ARE REQUESTED TO TRANSIT THE AREA WITH CAUTION. CANCEL AT//182348Z SEP 26//
BT
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*** THIS DIV IS AUTOMATICALLY HIDDEN WHEN DISPLAYED – INFO FOR DEBUGGING PURPOSES *** ***MANUALLY DO: FIX TITLE, EXPIRE DATE, CATEGORIES, ENABLE SOCIAL POST *** 0: llnr: 35170 District: 07 lat/lon: 32.518523,-80.466636 Desc: Ashepoo-Coosaw Cutoff Daybeacon 172
NWS Tropical Atlantic Marine Weather Briefing – September 3-8, 2026
Good Afternoon Mariners,
The latest Marine Weather Briefing can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uiqv7IC2KVg
Key Messages: – No significant marine hazards through the weekend. – Winds and seas across the Caribbean will increase early next week.
Have a safe weekend! — Tropical Analysis and Forecast Branch National Hurricane Center National Weather Service Miami, Florida, USA
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*** THIS DIV IS AUTOMATICALLY HIDDEN WHEN DISPLAYED – INFO FOR DEBUGGING PURPOSES *** ***MANUALLY DO: FIX TITLE, EXPIRE DATE, CATEGORIES, ENABLE SOCIAL POST *** 0: llnr: 0 District: 07 lat/lon: 38.517803333333,-79.06959 Desc: NWS Tropical Atlantic Marine Weather Briefing – September 3-8, 2026 15:30
1. STONO RIVER DAYBEACON 9 (LLNR 3795) HAS BEEN TEMPORARILY REPLACED BY AN UNLIGHTED BUOY AND IS SET OFF STATION TO MARK SHOAL WATER IN POSITION 32-41-19.586N 079-59-46.825W (32°41.3264N / 079°59.7804W, 32.688774 / -79.996340) . ALL MARINERS ARE REQUESTED TO TRANSIT THE AREA WITH CAUTION. CANCEL AT//152348Z SEP 26//
BT
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*** THIS DIV IS AUTOMATICALLY HIDDEN WHEN DISPLAYED – INFO FOR DEBUGGING PURPOSES *** ***MANUALLY DO: FIX TITLE, EXPIRE DATE, CATEGORIES, ENABLE SOCIAL POST *** 0: llnr: 3795 District: 07 lat/lon: 32.688785,-79.996343 Desc: Stono River Daybeacon 9
SAFETY/SOUTH CAROLINA – PORT ROYAL SOUND /ATON/SEC CHS BNM 0187-26
1. PORT ROYAL SOUND CHANNEL LIGHTED BUOY 10 (LLNR 4120) IS REPORTED EXTINGUISHED. ALL MARINERS ARE REQUESTED TO TRANSIT THE AREA WITH CAUTION. CANCEL AT//151912Z SEP 26//
BT
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*** THIS DIV IS AUTOMATICALLY HIDDEN WHEN DISPLAYED – INFO FOR DEBUGGING PURPOSES *** ***MANUALLY DO: FIX TITLE, EXPIRE DATE, CATEGORIES, ENABLE SOCIAL POST *** 0: llnr: 4120 District: 07 lat/lon: 32.146435,-80.589557 Desc: Port Royal Sound Channel Lighted Buoy 10
Harbour Town Yacht Basin, A CRUISERS NET SPONSOR, is ready for your reservation with newly renovated docks, upgraded electrical service and onSpot WiFi, also a CRUISERS NET SPONSOR. And, as always, numerous activities at the Sea Pines Resort are offered for your enjoyment, as you will see in the Event Schedule below. Hilton Head Island is absolutely marvelous any time of year.
SAFETY/D7 – SOUTH CAROLINA – STONO RIVER/ATON/SEC CHS BNM 0185-26
STONO RIVER DAYBEACON 9 (TRUB) (LLNR 3795) IS REPORTED OFF STATION AND AGROUND. ALL MARINERS ARE REQUESTED TO TRANSIT THE AREA WITH CAUTION. CANCEL AT//141802Z SEP 26//
BT
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*** THIS DIV IS AUTOMATICALLY HIDDEN WHEN DISPLAYED – INFO FOR DEBUGGING PURPOSES *** ***MANUALLY DO: FIX TITLE, EXPIRE DATE, CATEGORIES, ENABLE SOCIAL POST *** 0: llnr: 3795 District: 07 lat/lon: 32.688785,-79.996343 Desc: Stono River Daybeacon 9
1. MT PLEASANT REAR RANGE LIGHT (LLNR 2460) IS EXTINGUISHED. ALL MARINERS ARE REQUESTED TO TRANSIT THE AREA WITH CAUTION, CANCEL AT//140417Z SEP 26//
BT
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NWS Tropical Atlantic Marine Weather Briefing: August 30, 2026
Dear Blue Water Mariners,
The latest Tropical Atlantic Marine Weather Briefing is available for viewing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzIBsEPQ_HA
No Tropical Storms, Gales, or Very Large Swell expected… …However- Remnants of Tropical Storm Dolly might reform Invest AL97 in the Gulf could form into a Tropical Depression
Be Safe! Tropical Analysis and Forecast Branch/National Hurricane Center
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*** THIS DIV IS AUTOMATICALLY HIDDEN WHEN DISPLAYED – INFO FOR DEBUGGING PURPOSES *** ***MANUALLY DO: FIX TITLE, EXPIRE DATE, CATEGORIES, ENABLE SOCIAL POST *** 0: llnr: 42795 District: 07 lat/lon: 28.381722,-80.660083 Desc: Shore Drive Channel Daybeacon 6
South Carolina Wildlife magazine September-October 2026 front cover: juvenile great horned owls by Phillip Jones
We are delighted to share the fall issue of South Carolina Wildlife magazine, brimming with stories perfect for curious minds of all ages. In this edition, writers wax poetic on topics ranging from owling, to hunting memories and younger years on the farm.
We are also excited to feature the SCDNR canine conservation team in a new SCW segment, K-9 Tracks!
This season’s collection invites you to deepen your connection with the natural world around you. So, let’s settle in and get ready to explore what makes our natural heritage so worth protecting.
Check out two excerpts from articles featured in the upcoming fall issue!
“Fright Night: Owling and Prowling”
by Will Mundhenke, SCDNR State Naturalist
Barred owl, photo by Ted Borg
If you have ever spent the early morning hours in the turkey woods or climbing into a deer stand well before the sun rises, you may have heard a haunting sound. Experienced sportsmen will know the call as one from a friend, but anyone unfamiliar with the twilight hours will feel a chill in their bones. The ominous and drawn-out tones ring throughout the hardwood bottoms of the Palmetto State. If you are fortunate, or unfortunate depending on your disposition, there will be a cackling and a pair or more “hootin’ it up” as you wait for daybreak. “Who-cooks-for-you-who-cooks-for-you-all” is the question of the morning when a barred owl makes their presence known.
There are numerous strange sounds when you find yourself alone in a dark forest. The alien-like yelps and howls from the coyote sends chills down your spine. The non-stop chants from the Eastern whip-poor-will and chuck-will’s-widow that are reminiscent of the infamous goatsuckers. This family of nocturnal birds called nightjars earn that name due in part to their freakishly large mouth and the ancient Greek myth that they could blind animals. The rustling of treetops and eerie crunching of leaves in the distance from an unsightly armadillo or voracious raccoon. Perhaps, even, the stealthy bobcat with razor sharp claws waiting to pounce on its next victim. All these denizens of our South Carolina woods call the night home, but none are more prominent than the haunting hoots of the barred owl (Strix varia).
Read the full story in the upcoming SCW September-October 2026 issue!
If you are scouting out locations to hear or see an owl, look no further than Congaree National Park! The following is another excerpt from the SCW September-November issue! In her story, Alden Zerkle ventures deep into the woods and waters of Congaree National Park to show readers what makes it unique.
“The National Park Everyone Gets Wrong: Why Congaree National Park matters to all of us.”
by Alden Zerkle, SCDNR intern
The boardwalk trail winds throughout Congaree National Park. Photo by Alden Zerkle
A Different Kind of National Park
Congaree isn’t a landscape park. It’s a biological one.
Beneath its seemingly ordinary canopy lies one of the largest remaining old-growth bottomland hardwood forests in North America — a place where seasonal floodwaters still shape the land, where wildlife thrives in ancient ecological rhythms, and where some of the tallest trees east of the Rockies rise into the sky.
In fact, Congaree contains the highest concentration of champion-sized trees in the United States. Some tower more than 170 feet overhead, roughly the height of a seventeen-story building. Standing beneath them is a humbling experience. Photos don’t quite capture it, statistics don’t either. Only when you crane your neck upward and watch the canopy disappear into the sky do you begin to understand what survives here. Much of the southeastern United States once looked like this. Vast floodplain forests stretched across river valleys, shaped by seasonal flooding and untouched by development.
Today, most of those forests are gone, but Congaree remains. And the deeper you venture into it, the more remarkable that fact becomes.
The moon from Congaree National Park. Photo by Alden Zerkle
The Forest Most People Never See
So how do you actually experience Congaree?
For starters, discover extensions of the boardwalk. Some of the park’s earthen trails offer an excellent introduction to the forest, winding beneath towering hardwoods and across pockets of swampy terrain. But stopping there is a little like visiting the beach and never touching the water. The real adventure begins beyond the wooden planks. A short walk from the visitor center, you can find Cedar Creek flowing quietly through the heart of the park. Its tea-colored water reflects the forest so perfectly that the trees seem to continue beneath the surface. Here, visitors can kayak, canoe, or paddleboard through one of the most unique landscapes in South Carolina. Bald cypress rise from the water on fluted trunks wider than compact cars, Tupelo trees lean over the creek’s edge, turtles slide from fallen logs as your paddle passes, and bright yellow prothonotary warblers flash through the canopy like sparks of sunlight. Around every bend, the forest seems larger, older and quieter, and you are pleasantly surprised how quickly civilization disappears.
Within minutes of launching a kayak, Columbia feels impossibly far away. The noise of traffic vanishes, there are no crowds waiting for photos and no lines of tourists at scenic overlooks. For students accustomed to constant notifications, crowded schedules and endless deadlines, that kind of silence feels almost foreign. And yet it might be exactly what we need.
Congaree offers much more than first meets the eye. Photo by Alden Zerkle
Read the full story in the upcoming SCW September-October 2026 issue!
Press check!
A stack of SCW covers fresh off the press. Photo by Cade McCants
The September-October issue of South Carolina Wildlife magazine is hot off the press! And with the creation of each new edition, our magazine staff have the opportunity to visit the print shops where the physical magazine comes to life. It is awe-inspiring to witness the speed and quality at which the magazine is produced.
We visit the printers to ensure that the finished product matches our vision for the magazine. The original file passes across many screens and through a variety of machines to fine-tune the pages.
SCW Art Director Kathryn Badal Diaz plays a vital role in ensuring consistency and high quality. At the printer, as pages pass quickly through the machine, she compares the output with our original prints. She works in real time with machine operators to adjust color levels to get the right match.
SCW art director Kathryn Badal Diaz inspects pages for color accuracy. Photo by Cade McCants
The machines that print South Carolina Wildlife magazine are truly impressive. The web press, which produces the inner pages, is capable of printing around 21,000 pages an hour and spans nearly the entire length of the warehouse. Each page begins its life as part of a giant roll of paper. As the paper zips through the press, black, cyan, magenta and yellow ink are applied in stages. Then a glossy coating is applied, baked on at 300 degrees and rapidly cooled. Then it’s off to another machine for cutting and binding. This entire process happens in just a matter of seconds!
The web press prints and finishes pages at incredible speed. Photo by Cade McCants
We are proud to present the fall issue of South Carolina Wildlife magazine, arriving in mailboxes soon. It is not too late to subscribe and receive the September-October edition.
The holidays will be here before you know it! You can wrap up your gift shopping today with a 2027 SCW subscription! South Carolina Wildlife is a wonderful, lasting gift that reconnects us with nature during every season of the year.
Thank you for your support!
South Carolina Wildlife
September-October 1995
South Carolina Wildlife, September-October 1995
Thank you for supporting South Carolina Wildlife magazine, the flagship publication of the S.C. Department of Natural Resources.
An American alligator sunbathes at Santee Coastal Reserve (Photo: Emma Berry/SCDNR).
Welcome to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources Coastal Updates newsletter!You are receiving this email because you attended one of our public programs or signed up for updates from our agency. In this monthly newsletter, you’ll find the latest outdoors news, volunteer opportunities, useful career information and more. We hope it will help you enjoy and protect our state’s beautiful coastline.
What’s happening outdoors along the coast in September?
Water temperatures remain high. Consider avoiding fishing for adult or ‘bull’ red drum until temperatures drop and spawning ends in October.
Advanced Pier Fishing (Myrtle Beach) | Wednesday, September 9th, 6PM – 8PM | This clinic builds on the introductory class to pier fishing. We will teach you how to tie your own rig, advanced knots and more technical aspects to pier fishing, such as using spoons or lures. Kids ages 6+ and adults are welcome. You must RSVP here to attend.
ACE Basin Property Tour (Edisto Island) | Friday, September 11th, 9AM – 12PM | Join SCDNR Staff on a tour of the ACE Basin where we explore the cultural and natural resources found throughout Botany Bay Plantation Heritage Preserve and Wildlife Management Area! Register here.
ACE Basin Fun Day (Edisto Island) | Saturday, September 12th, 10AM – 1PM | This free event will have hands-on activities, booth, scavenger hunts and a chance to ride on the E/V Discovery for an educational boat ride in the ACE! You must register here for the boat ride.
SCORE MWR Fabrication w/ Casual Crabbing with Tia (Charleston) | Wednesday, September 16th, 9AM – 12PM | Volunteers will help cut, bend, and fasten galvanized wire to form a reef structure and then shovel recycled oysters into shaped wire. These reefs will be used to attract oyster larvae to their new forever home! You must register here to attend.
Mackerel Pier Fishing (North Myrtle Beach) | Saturday, September 19th, 8AM – 11AM | This clinic will teach you how to tie fishing knots, rig a rod and reel for targeting mackerel, cast and more! Kids ages 6+ and adults are welcome. You must RSVP here to attend.
SCORE Trash Picking w/ Charleston Waterkeeper (North Charleston) | Tuesday, September 29th, 1PM – 3PM | Volunteers will use trash grabbers to pick trash out of recycled shells. Recycled oyster shell will be used to replant various State Shellfish Grounds and for various restoration projects. You must register here to attend.
Mommy & Me Saltwater Fishing Clinic (Georgetown) | Friday, October 2nd, 10AM – 1PM | Fishing Clinic for moms and kids! Join SCDNR, North Inlet NERR Staff and SCDNR certified instructors to learn the basics of saltwater fishing. You must RSVP here to attend.
SCORE Trash Picking w/ Charleston Waterkeeper (North Charleston) | Tuesday, October 6th, 1PM – 3PM | Volunteers will use trash grabbers to pick trash out of recycled shells. Recycled oyster shell will be used to replant various State Shellfish Grounds and for various restoration projects. You must register here to attend.
SCORE MWR Fabrication (Charleston) | Thursday, October 8th, 9AM – 12PM | Volunteers will help cut, bend, and fasten galvanized wire to form a reef structure and then shovel recycled oysters into shaped wire. These reefs will be used to attract oyster larvae to their new forever home! You must register here to attend.
Take A Kid Fishing Day (Horry County – multiple locations) | Saturday, October 17th, 8AM – 11AM | Join SCDNR & partnered Horry County Fishing Piers for the annual Take a Kid Fishing Day. This event will take place over multiple piers. Kids over the age of 3 and one adult guardian will get to fish for free! Participating children must RSVP to attend and be a SC resident.
Interested in saltwater fly fishing clinics? You can keep an eye out on our calendar at www.saltwaterfishing.sc.gov for upcoming clinics. Fly fishing clinics will only advertise for a short window and have limited capacities.
We’re hiring!
Wildlife Biologist I | Georgetown County, SC | The employee will conduct face-to-face interviews with marine recreational anglers following protocols established by the NOAA Fisheries Marine Recreational Informational Program.
Building/Grounds Specialist | Charleston, SC | This employee will be responsible for groundskeeping, landscaping, minor repairs and maintenance duties for the research and administration facilities of SCDNR, Marine Resources Division at Fort Johnson.
Natural Resource Technician II | Charleston County, SC | This employee will be responsible for assisting with habitat development work on the Upper Coastal Waterfowl Project.
Landscape at Samworth Wildlife Management Area (Photo: SCDNR).
Partner Opportunities
Training Program Coordinator | North-Inlet Winyah Bay NERR | Georgetown, SC | This highly collaborative role strengthens science-informed management, builds stakeholder capacity, and supports the Reserve’s mission to protect and sustain South Carolina’s coastal resources through education, engagement, and applied science.
Executive Director | Open Land Trust | Beaufort, SC | The Open Land Trust seeks an experienced and community-minded Executive Director to lead South Carolina’s first and oldest land trust into its next chapter of conservation impact across the southern Lowcountry.
August and September are peak spawning months for red drum in South Carolina!
August and September are peak spawning months for red drum in South Carolina, and successful spawning activity is critical to producing the next generation of red drum, like the fingerling seen below.
If you’d like to help the population rebound, give these adult (or bull) drum a break from fishing pressure during these months. They’ll still be around when temperatures dip and spawning ends in October – after they’ve had a chance to contribute to next year’s crop of young fish.
An angler demonstrates fish best handling practices by keeping the red drum horizontal and in the water. (Photo: Kaitlyn Hackathorn/SCDNR).
The Atlantic tropics remain tranquil. The only two features of interest for tropical development are outside the tropics. Neither would affect South Carolina if they did develop. However, there is a potential concern in the long range.
Four tropical waves are drifting through the tropical Atlantic and Caribbean Sea, but hostile conditions persist over most of the area. Upper-level westerly winds are causing vertical shear over the Caribbean Sea and vicinity, and a dry, dusty air mass remains over much of the tropical Atlantic.
Further north, the National Hurricane Center is watching a disturbance southeast of Bermuda for possible tropical development. However, it’s a long shot, and it will move northward rather than toward us. The other disturbance of interest is an extratropical storm west of Spain and Portugal that could gain tropical characteristics in time, but it will remain too far away from us to have any impact.
The above loop of visible satellite imagery above shows several features of interest across the North Atlantic and eastern U. S.:
Tropical waves are along 78° west, over the Caribbean Sea; along 50° west, east of the Lesser Antilles; along 44° west, over the central tropical Atlantic; and along 22° west, southeast of Cabo Verde.
Dry, dusty air is present between around 15° north and 25° north over the eastern tropical Atlantic.
A disturbance southeast of Bermuda looks disorganized at the moment.
A storm west of Spain and Portugal is generating thunderstorms over the eastern Atlantic.
A band of clouds associated with a front stretches across Atlantic Canada, the East Coast, and the southeastern states.
Image Source: University of Wisconsin RealEarth
The Atlantic will likely remain quiet through at least this weekend, but things could change next week. A strong tropical wave will emerge from Africa early next week, and the computer models tell us that wave is likely to develop into a tropical cyclone. This makes sense with the Madden-Julian Oscillation becoming more favorable for Atlantic activity over the next week. The eventual track is uncertain, assuming it does become a tropical cyclone. It’s enough of a challenge to predict what a hurricane will do, and much harder to tell you what a storm that hasn’t even formed yet will do. But the signal from the models is that it could become a hurricane over the western Atlantic in early September. Such a storm would at least cause beach and boating hazards along our coast. So, there’s a chance we’re on the edge of our seats watching this feature a week or so from now.
We’re in the Atlantic hurricane season’s ‘prime time’; two-thirds of all Atlantic hurricane activity occurs between August 20 and October 10. Please ensure that your hurricane kits are fully stocked, just in case ‘that one storm’ we have this season comes our way. If you need prep advice, hurricane.sc is always the place to go.
Heavy Storms Through Tonight
The Lowcountry is stewing again today, but the heat wave is over for the rest of the state with a cold front moving in. Even the Lowcountry will return to more typical August temperatures starting Saturday. However, the front will bring us widespread thunderstorms with a risk of locally damaging winds this afternoon and tonight, and they can also cause localized flash flooding. The main area of concern is over the middle and northern parts of the state.
Top: The Storm Prediction Center’s Day 1 Severe Weather Outlook shows the entire state with some level of risk for locally damaging wind and hail with thunderstorms through tonight, with a part of the state at risk level 2 of 5.
Bottom: The Weather Prediction Center’s Day 2 Excessive Rainfall Outlook shows much of the state at level 2 of 4 risk for flash flooding from thunderstorm downpours through tonight, and most other areas at a level 1 of 4 risk.
The front and its storms will shift to our coastal areas for Saturday and Saturday evening. Once again, there can be isolated damaging wind with the storms and perhaps localized flooding as well, but the risk will be lower than with this afternoon and tonight.
On Sunday, less-humid air will filter into most of the state and bring pleasant late-summer weather to all but the immediate coast, where an isolated shower or thunderstorm could pop up. Highs will mainly be 90-94° across the state; warm, but it will be a breath of fresh air compared to this week’s heat.
Monday looks fantastic for August with low humidity and highs in the upper 80s to lower 90s; enjoy that!
After that, it looks like the front will retreat northward and become stationary over us. So, the humidity will increase again, and we’ll have daily rounds of afternoon and evening thunderstorms starting Tuesday. Clouds and rain will keep our temperatures in check; daily highs across the state will be in the upper 80s to lower 90s, with middle 90s in the usual hot spots.
Frank Strait Severe Weather Liaison S.C. State Climate Office
South Carolina Department of Natural Resources 260 D. Epting Lane West Columbia, SC, 29172
Thanks to Chris Carroll of Harborwalk Marina for this updated information regarding the recent dredging of Georgetown Harbor.
Harborwalk Marina, A CRUISERS NET SPONSOR, is only a boardwalk stroll away from Georgetown’s Historic District for history, entertainment, great food, and shopping. Harborwalk Marina is the third marina on your starboard side as you enter the very protected waters of Georgetown.
Thanks to Chris Carroll of Harborwalk Marina for this updated information regarding the recent dredging of Georgetown Harbor.
Harborwalk Marina, A CRUISERS NET SPONSOR, is only a boardwalk stroll away from Georgetown’s Historic District for history, entertainment, great food, and shopping. Harborwalk Marina is the third marina on your starboard side as you enter the very protected waters of Georgetown.
The Georgetown Channel coming to us and downtown is completely dredged. 18’ deep in some places at high tide.
Chris Carroll Operations Manager Harborwalk Marina – Georgetown Communications www.harborwalkmarina.com
Advanced Pier Fishing (Myrtle Beach) | Wednesday, September 9th, 6PM – 8PM | This clinic builds on the introductory class to pier fishing. We will teach you how to tie your own rig, advanced knots and more technical aspects to pier fishing, such as using spoons or lures. Kids ages 6+ and adults are welcome. 
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