Discover CharlestonHurricane Irma and Its Effect on Charleston SC: What We Know Now

Like a thief in the night it steals a little piece of our consciousness. Silent and unnoticed is the ever present threat of hurricane weather in our little corner of the world, Charleston SC.  The lowcountry truly is a beautiful place to live and work, but as with most parallels in life, with beauty comes pain from time to time. Pain this time comes in the form of Hurricane Irma, an innocuous name for the “worst Atlantic storm on record ” and it is potentially heading our way.

You can usually tell when residents start getting wary because the website for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) slows down due to heavy traffic. Just three days ago we were looking at Hurricane Irma and empathizing with the plight of those living or vacationing in the Caribbean – today we have watched the news as the many predicted storm paths have moved eastward from the Gulf, across the state of Florida and now point ominously towards Charleston. As of now, this is a Category 5 hurricane with recorded winds of above 180 mph and currently 300 miles across in size. It will track north up the coast with very little wind shear to slow its momentum. We know it will slow, we know it will weaken, but right now to be plainly honest, it’s a frightening beast and our thoughts go out to those who now sit in its path.

So there is an order to these events and it’s something like this…

First, it’s always best to find a good source of reliable information.  I can’t say that your average news channel is the best source of this, so I use the NOAA site as its based on fact not “news. ” 

Second, we look after the interests of our vacation rental homeowners and guests, both currently on vacation and those with rental properties booked.  Once the city (Charleston or Folly Beach, in our case) declares its intentions, we will make sure guests in place are fully informed, and if evacuations are ordered then we will assist in their departure as best we can. Additionally we will cancel and refund future bookings if appropriate.

Our construction teams are on alert, and all active construction sites will be locked down by Friday with any timber and sheet stock strapped down to pilings. It’s our normal practice to provide support for any damaged rental homes in our portfolio before mobilizing on build sites again after the storm has passed. We would say this is one big advantage for our clients when working with an integrated, multi-faceted management company.

Of course we’re making plans for our family and our pets as we plan ahead for what may be a mandatory evacuation. We also look after our personal homes by moving anything inside that may take flight in strong winds, moving items and furniture to higher floors to avoid damage by water should flooding occur, and preparing to board non-impact windows and close storm shutters.  We live on the Stono River and I have a hobby of collecting pre-war cars so they will be shipped to high ground in Cainhoy tomorrow in plenty of time before the storm draws near.

Check your hurricane supplies and plans – you have a plan, right? AmazonPrime, with their 2-day delivery, is a great place to buy candles, batteries and hurricane supplies and avoid “panic shopping. “

“Stay or go? ” It’s always the question that’s hardest to answer.  This is a vibrant, functioning city and one where we have invested our lives. The city has survived this before, and will again, though admittedly it will have some harrowing moments.  The outlying islands, on the other hand, can be badly hit. Last year when Hurricane Matthew hit in October 2016, we were nearly flooded at our personal home on Johns Island and lost power for about 5 days. The downtown historic district will be one of the first to receive help, and the living quarters at our office at 95 Broad Street may be a viable place to shelter in the immediate days that follow.

Note: We will keep you posted as Hurricane Irma’s path becomes more certain.  A lot can happen in the 4 days that remain. Paths can shift, but planning is key. In the meantime, if there’s anything you have questions about, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’ve had plenty of experience in this sort of preparation … you can also post your questions or comments on the blog below.