Best Jewelry Store near Myrtle Beach, SC

As Tropical Storm Idalia first hit the Myrtle Beach area, many residents and visitors took to social media to document what they saw.

One X, formerly know as Twitter, user appeared to capture video of what looked like a potential tornado near Palmetto Road in the Myrtle Beach area.

Many users also highlighted the extreme weather and captured video of Myrtle Beach the waves as they began to flood past the sand, as people walked the beach despite the inclement weather.

People visiting the area for vacation took shelter in their hotels and took video of the rain and high winds as attempted to stay dry.

Other visitors and residents took photos and videos of the flooding in North Myrtle Beach and Cherry Grove during the night Wed., Aug. 30.

Another Facebook user took photos of the Myrtle Beach area and found a car floundering in the road.

Not everyone took to social media with tales of avoiding dangerous weather. One user posted on Facebook that a bottle of Tito’s Vodka would be their support while waiting for the storm to hit.

Some visited the beach as the storm was hitting with their families and others took photos of themselves in the ocean early Wednesday, Aug. 30 before the brunt of Tropical Storm Idalia hit the Grand Strand.

Ocean Lakes Family Campground welcomes thousands of guests and homeowners everyday. When severe weather is forecast, the team is prepared to take action.

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HORRY COUNTY, S.C. — Skies are clear along the beach on Thursday, a virtual perfect start as visitors come to town after Idalia moved out.

But for destinations like Ocean Lakes Family Campground, it’s their job to make sure thousands of guests are safe and prepared for these types of storms.

Unlike those who live at the beach, visitors can find weathering severe weather and tropical systems quite daunting.

For those who have never experienced tropical weather, it can bring a lot of questions including should we and how to prepare?

"Anyone who’s from out of state has never been to a tropical storm or hurricane, you definitely want to make them feel safe," said Barb Krumm is the Marketing Director for Ocean Lakes Family Campground.

She says when these storms are in the forecast, it’s all about communication.

"The team has a plan, we know what we’re doing. We try and be very proactive about anything they blow around, move, flood, and then it’s a lot of communication with guests. Helping them to know what to do for people have never been through a hurricane or tropical storm," said Krumm.

In years past, hurricanes have forced Ocean Lakes to close entirely.

With Idalia, they modified their hours during the peak of the storm.

Luckily, they did not experience significant damage.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the people in the path that have been impacted. We feel blessed, but it’s not over for a lot of them," said Krumm.

Krumm says they are always in touch with local emergency officials to help make the best decisions to keep guests safe, especially on a week like this, leading up to Labor Day weekend.

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Myrtle Beach, SC – Coming into Saturday night at Pelicans Ballpark on a seven-game losing streak, the Fayetteville Woodpeckers (46-61, 16-25) changed the tides on the shores of Myrtle Beach as they pummeled the Pelicans (61-45, 22-19) by a score of 15-3. The blowout victory also ended a 14-game drought against Myrtle Beach dating back to 2022.

Leading the way on offense for Fayetteville was Jackson Loftin, who hit a fourth-inning grand slam as part of a three-hit performance and drove in six runs. He became just the second Woodpecker this season to record six runs batted in, joining Zach Cole who accomplished that feat on April 15.

The Woodpeckers grabbed three runs in the first inning on a pair of bases loaded walks against Pelicans starter Drew Gray (L, 0-3) and a Dauri Lorenzo RBI single, but Myrtle got back within a run in the bottom half when Parker Chavers brought in two on a base hit. The Pelicans were inches away from tying the score in the third, but Luis Baez threw a dart home to nail Miguel Pabon at the plate to end the third.

Fayetteville took the momentum off that play into the fourth. Leosdany Molina led off with a towering solo home run to left to make it 4-2, his sixth long ball of the year. Jeron Williams pushed the lead to three when he was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Ryan Johnson scored on a wild pitch soon after to push the lead to 4. The Woodpeckers then reloaded the bases for Loftin who blasted a home run of his own for the third Fayetteville grand slam of the season and the first of his pro career, capping off a seven-run frame.

Loftin wasn’t finished with his career day at the plate. In the seventh, he singled home Garret Guillemette to get within a triple shy of the cycle and Lorenzo drove him and Williams in on a two-run single for his third hit as well. The following inning, Guillemette put a charge into one to left center and cleared the wall to earn his first Single-A home run and close the scoring for the Woodpeckers. 15 runs tied the second-most scored by a Woodpeckers lineup this season.

On the mound, Jose Fleury (W, 3-3) kept it clean over the last four innings for Fayetteville. The right-hander struck out a season-high ten batters and only gave up a single run in the eighth.

The Woodpeckers wrap up their six-game trip to Myrtle Beach on Sunday evening with RHP Andrew Taylor getting the start. Meanwhile, the Pelicans send LHP Marino Santy to the hill. First pitch is at 6:35 ET.

BOX SCORE: https://www.milb.com/gameday/727706/final/box

This report was last updated on Tuesday. For the most up to date information, click the link below.

Hurricane Idalia: Live updates for the Myrtle Beach area Wednesday

Hurricane Idalia is currently in the Gulf of Mexico, headed for the coast of Florida and is on track to bring impacts to the Myrtle Beach area beginning Wednesday.

Coastal Horry County is currently under a tropical storm warning as of Tuesday evening.

Current predictions show Hurricane Idalia making landfall along the west coast of Florida as a Category 3 hurricane, traveling through Florida, over Georgia and South Carolina before heading into the Atlantic Ocean.

Tuesday afternoon update

Both Horry County Council have the Conway City Council have declared a state of emergency during special meetings Tuesday afternoon following S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster declaring a state of emergency for South Carolina.

Randy Webster, assistant county administrator of public safety, said to expect flash flooding in low-lying areas as well as wind gusts up to 50 mph overnight Wednesday. He said a main concern is flooding in Garden City, Cherry Grove and near swashes.

The area could see a one to three foot storm surge.

The county has extra barricades in the event of flooding in Garden City and has extra staff in place if roadways flood, Webster said.

A temporary shelter will be open at the South Strand Recreation Center for Wednesday night and into Thursday morning, he said.

County offices will remain open Wednesday, though events after 5 p.m. might be canceled. County officials are expected to make a decision Wednesday about any closures on Thursday.

Calling it a quick-moving storm, Webster said it is expected to begin subsiding Thursday.

The city of North Myrtle Beach has not declared a state of emergency, according to NMB spokesperson Ryan Fabbri.

The city is also not planning on any road closures at this time. Fabbri said the main concern for the North Myrtle Beach area is coastal flooding since the storm will be coinciding with king tides.

City employees have been performing debris removal and are considering preventative measures for coastal flooding, which may be enacted by the public works director if deemed necessary, Fabbri said.

Horry County Schools will close all facilities Thursday for an eLearning day, the district announced Tuesday afternoon. Thursday will not have to be made up since HCS is approved as an eLearning district.

All athletic and extracurricular competitions for Wednesday and Thursday are canceled. Practice events may continue on Wednesday after school if weather conditions permit.

Horry-Georgetown Technical College will close Thursday and classes — as well as online classes, internships, field trips and clinicals — are canceled.

Hurricane Idalia has also canceled the fourth round of the Myrtle Beach World Am. Here's how organizers are adjusting.

Conway officials are set to hold a meeting at 4 p.m. Crews have been working since Monday morning cleaning stormwater outfalls to ensure the smooth flow of water, and taking other steps in advance of expected heavy rains and possible flash flooding.

“We are ready. We take our preparations seriously, and ask our residents to do the same,” Conway Public Information Officer June Wood said.

She said residents are asked to clear their yards of debris in advance of the storm, to monitor the weather, and to stay inside if conditions are bad. She reminded motorists not to drive through standing water if flooding, or go around barricades. Homeowners should beware of loose limbs and unsturdy trees.

Loris Mayor Todd Harrelson said the city isn’t expecting problems, but it’s "preparing for the worst.” Crews have gassed up equipment, generators have been tested and all workers are on standby.

Parts of Loris are prone to flooding, but Harrelson said city workers have been cleaning ditches and culverts in preparation.

"We have been taking the necessary precautions to make sure that water can move freely,” he said. “But we don’t expect to see any flooding.”

At the Grand Strand Water and Sewer Authority, which provides water and sewage service to a large portion of Horry County, officials and workers have been preparing for a storm — a process that’s been underway since the start of hurricane season.

Generators have been tested in the event of a power outage. Water and sewage treatment chemicals are well-stocked at all GSWSA plants. Plans are in place to deal with increased sewage flows if heavy rains develop as expected. And the agency has touched base with emergency management officials, among other steps.

“We’re absolutely in storm preparation mode,” said GSWSA Executive Director Christy Everett.

Tuesday morning update

Meteorologist Mark Bacon with the National Weather Service in Wilmington said impacts in Horry County will begin at around midnight Wednesday night and into Thursday morning.

On the beaches, it is currently estimated that winds will be around 30 miles per hour, with 40 mile per hour gusts.

Inland, winds should be less severe with 20 mile per hour winds and 30 mile per hour gusts.

There is an expected rainfall amount of four to six inches around the county. In some areas, there will be up to eight inches, Bacon said.

There is already a high rip current risk due to Hurricane Franklin, which is in the Atlantic Ocean near Bermuda and is not expected to move toward the United States coast. The rip tide risk will continue as Hurricane Idalia makes its way closer to the Grand Strand.

In addition to the impacts from the storm, tide tables show king tides through Thursday.

The 11 a.m. update from the National Hurricane Center shows that there could be a peak storm surge of three feet in the Grand Strand area. There is also a moderate (higher than 40% but less than 70%) risk of flash flooding throughout the coast of South Carolina, according to the update.

City of Myrtle Beach officials are watching the storm progress as of Tuesday morning, said city spokesperson Mark Kruea.

City workers are making sure storm drains are clear and removing trash cans and other objects that may blow around off the beach. Kruea said city officials plan to have an internal meeting about the storm later Tuesday.

City of North Myrtle Beach officials said the primary concern from Hurricane Idalia for the area is heavy rainfall and flooding. The city issued a statement stating "due to King Tides this week, areas along the coast should pay close attention to high-tide cycles.”

Surfside Beach town administrator Gerald Vincent said town departments are securing items in case of strong winds.

Vincent said the town is following the county's directions, and he received a call Tuesday morning from county emergency officials who informed him the governor will declare a state of emergency for coastal counties at 2 p.m. Tuesday.

Horry County’s emergency management department has moved into OPCON 2 as of Tuesday morning, a level 2 operating condition which means the county is operating in a “heightened state of awareness with emergency plans beginning to be implemented.” OPCON 1 signifies the most severe scenarios.

Horry County officials recommend that citizens prepare by surveying property to mitigate for potential flooding by making sure storm drains are free of debris, bringing in yard decorations and anything that could be taken by wind gusts, avoiding flooded roadways and continually monitoring local media and the National Hurricane Center to stay up to date on forecasts.

NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WMBF) - As Hurricane Idalia gets closer, North Myrtle Beach’s residents, visitors and emergency departments are busy preparing for the storm.

North Myrtle Beach visitors said hurricanes aren’t something they’re used to.

TRACKING IDALIA:

“We don’t really know what to expect, so we’re just kind of hanging out and seeing what happens,” said Mike Delin, who is visiting from New Jersey with his family.

Fire Chief Billy Floyd said his department has been preparing for Idalia for the last few days, to make sure they’re ready for the storm by the time it hits Wednesday afternoon.

“If we start seeing any of the rain starting to come in, we have our plan in place ready to go, and it’s just a sit and wait for a response if needed,” said Floyd.

Floyd said the department has a handful of high water vehicles that are staffed, as well as an inflatable boat

“As we did last year with hurricane Ian where we’re having to go evacuate people from homes that are stranded or vehicles because they drove into flooded waters,” said Floyd.

Although Idalia will not have the same effect as Ian, Floyd said flooding and high tides could still be a concern.

We’re looking at the possibilities of flash flooding from the rain coming in for our low lying areas where we typically have issue with drainage at,” he said. “And then obviously our concern we’re looking at as well is with Wednesday night being a full moon and being around the high tide cycle.”

Floyd strongly discourages residents from driving on roads that are starting to flood.

“We just ask everybody to say off the roadways to allow emergency vehicles to have clear path to move up and around, and avoid the urge to want to drive through a flooded street,” said Floyd. “Six inches of water is all it takes to move a vehicle off the road... doesn’t take a lot.”

Residents are also getting ready.

We usually put plywood over windows, board up the doors, get some sandbags out,” said Nicky Fowler Jr.

But, many of them say they’ve been through hurricanes before, and aren’t too worried.

“It may be bad, it may not be bad, you never know until it’s too late, so I go ahead and put everything up,” said Tony Warren.

Little River resident John Garcia tells me he surfs multiple times a week, and doesn’t plan for the hurricane to get in his way.

“My goal is to surf every single hurricane there is, while obviously being adequately prepared before I come out,” said Garcia.

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