The forecasts for the 2024 hurricane season came in fast and furious, with the annual Colorado State University forecast from lead forecaster Dr. Phil Klotzbach first out of the chute. The numbers are staggering! Twenty-three named storms, 11 hurricanes and five major hurricanes. In an average season, we would expect 14 named storms, seven hurricanes and three major … [Read more...]
Search Results for: hurricane hugo
Lowcountry Hurricane Protection & Shutters: Form Meets Function
Let’s face it; we in the Lowcountry understand .the power of a hurricane. From the extreme devastation of Hugo in the 80s to the floods of Matthew in 2016, we recognize the importance of protecting ourselves and our property so that, no matter what happens, we have somewhere safe to come home. When home protection can also enhance a structure’s beauty, well, that’s what we call … [Read more...]
Beyond the Green Screen: Local ‘Big Three’ Weathermen’s Perspectives of Hurricane Season
With the 2019 hurricane season upon us and the 30th anniversary of Hurricane Hugo’s devastating hit to the Lowcountry looming in September, the time seemed right to find out a little more about the broadcast meteorologists who bring us our routine weather forecasts day in and day out, then go into high gear when potential storms are on their way. The three chief … [Read more...]
Flying the Eye: The Hurricane Hunters
Howard Elgison called Mount Pleasant home from the late 1970s through the mid 2000s. He raised his family here and was living in Snee Farm when Hurricane Hugo blew through town. Though not a journalist, he helped tell many storm stories in the Hurricane Hugo: Storm of the Century publication and interviewed Jim McFadden, a hurricane hunter who flew across the eye of Hugo as it … [Read more...]
The Story of a Hurricane Chaser
Although I didn’t realize it at the time, my longtime relationship with hurricanes started in 1969 when Camille hit the Mississippi Gulf Coast. A Category 5 storm with 190 mph sustained winds, Camille was the most powerful hurricane ever to make landfall in the United States. All the destruction and death caused by this act of Mother Nature happened one day after I left Biloxi, … [Read more...]
Don’t “Shutter” at the Thought of a Storm: Lowcountry Hurricane Protection & Shutters
It’s been nearly 27 years since a hurricane swept through the Lowcountry, but that doesn’t mean you should ignore the probability that another Hugo-like storm will visit the Charleston area sooner or later. Lowcountry Hurricane Protection & Shutters can enhance the look of your home and at the same time prepare you for the next big weather event. Established by local … [Read more...]
Chasing Hurricane Andrew
Thanks for following my story. After leaving Coconut Grove, we continued south toward Miami. It was still early, there was very little traffic and the National Guard was nowhere to be seen. It wasn't long before we were at the Miami Herald. Normally the security at the newspaper included a metal detector and security guards. It was almost like being at the airport except you … [Read more...]
The Voyage Back to an Island Rocked by Hugo: One Resident Remembers the Hardest Ride of His Life
It’s 8 a.m., Sept. 25, four days after Hurricane Hugo. Following an all-night drive from Atlanta, I’ve boarded the harbor-tour boat at Patriots Point for a return to the devastated Isle of Palms. Standing there in a gloomy downpour of rain, we’re a ragtag crowd gathered from all points of shelter. I’ve run the curfew gantlets, dodged fallen trees and avoided dangling … [Read more...]
The Masterful Chef: The Culinary Legacy of James Clark Jr.
With The Masters just around Amen Corner, many friends and neighbors from Mount Pleasant are either headed to Augusta, Georgia, to watch the tournament in-person or are planning to catch it on TV. Off the course is the inspiring story of chef James Clark Jr., who with determination and a desire to help people, became a legend not just at Augusta National but around the … [Read more...]
East Cooper Community Outreach: Gifting Help
Forged out of the devastation of Hurricane Hugo in 1989, East Cooper Community Outreach (ECCO) has grown from an emergency response effort into a steady source of help and hope for neighbors facing financial hardship in the community. Families arrive at the local nonprofit for many reasons: job loss, illness, divorce, the death of the breadwinner, an unexpected housing crisis … [Read more...]