Emily Could Be Threat to SC Coast, Experts Say

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There’s good news and bad news about Tropical Storm Emily.

The good news is that it’s a disorganized mess that is struggling to stay together, which is why is hasn’t yet become a hurricane.

The bad news is that despite all that, it could still make its way to the South Carolina coast. Still, even that’s not so bad (as long as it stays just a tropical storm) because we’re behind on rain and could use a pretty good soaking. Even though getting a soaking is pretty miserable to deal with as it’s happening.

Charleston, after all, is a glorified marshland. A heavy rain turns everything into a giant puddle, including our beautiful, historic downtown area which has battled flooding problems from the start.

Hurricanes do have a function in the grand scheme of things: they are the earth’s way of cooling ocean temperatures. Research has shown that when a hurricane moves through, water temperatures in those areas will have dropped.

I couldn’t help noticing yesterday that on our beach forecast, it listed water temperature at 86°. I hope that’s not a bad sign for our part of the world, though we’re constantly reminded that our last “direct hit” was Hurricane Hugo, and that was in September of 1989. The presumption is that we’re “due.”

Somehow, I don’t think Mother Nature looks at it quite that way. Neither, I suspect, do hurricanes. I doubt one has ever thought to itself, “Charleston’s a nice place to visit, and they are due.”

Maybe that’s just me.

If you’re one of those media hater types who remains convinced that everyone who works in television is just champing at the bit for a major hurricane to come, then I am sorry to tell you that I am singlehandedly shooting down your little theory.

I don’t mind them spinning out to their hearts’ content cooling the ocean. Just stay away from land. We’d prefer to admire you from afar.

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