North Myrtle Beach Hurricane Center
REVISED - SEPTEMBER 21 CITY COUNCIL MEETING AGENDA
(PLEASE NOTE - The agenda items remain the same In this revised edition, however, the executive session is now scheduled to begin at 6:15pm, not 6:45pm.)
On Monday, September 21, the North Myrtle Beach City Council holds a 6:15 p.m. executive session and a 7:00 p.m. meeting at City Hall.
The executive session is not open to the public. No votes are taken in an executive session.
To access the interactive Council Meeting agenda, please visit:
www.nmb.us/files/agendas/9_21_20/agenda/agenda.pdf
If the link does not work for you, please visit www.nmb.us and look under "Agendas" or "Press Releases" on the home page.
A social distancing requirement of 6 feet is in effect at City Hall and in City Council Chambers. Please wear a face-covering.
EXPLANATION OFFERED FOR SEPTEMBER 11 FISH KILL
The following information was provided to the City by Susan Libes and Danielle Viso of the Burroughs & Chapin Center for Marine & Wetland Studies at Coastal Carolina University. Except for a few instances, we have not tried to edit the information:
Based on information collected by weather and water quality sensors located at the Apache Pier and the Cherry Grove Pier, the large number of dead menhaden fish that washed ashore in North Myrtle Beach on September 11 was associated with a period of low dissolved oxygen and salinity.
The data collected suggests the following causative oceanographic phenomena were ongoing leading up to the fish kill:
-- A typical summertime episode of low dissolved oxygen (< 4 mg/L) occurred from September 10 to September 11, with very brief periods of hypoxia, a condition in which the body or a region of the body is deprived of adequate oxygen supply at the tissue level. This coincided with very brief periods of upwelling favorable southwesterly winds. Wind speeds were consistently low (< 10 mph) on both days.
-- The unusual occurrence of low salinity water at Cherry Grove also played a part. This started on September 9 and persisted, despite the lack of local rainfall. From September 5, onward, winds have been mostly out of the north. This has likely set up a southbound longshore current bringing fresher waters from Hog Inlet, Lockwood Folly, and/or the Cape Fear River to the Grand Strand. Also, significant rain fell inland from September 8 to September 11, totaling close to 2 inches. The low salinity water reached Apache Pier on September 12. The USGS sensor in the Waterway suggests significant freshwater was discharging from August 22 to September 6.
-- An algal bloom was detected in the bottom waters at both piers from September 8 to September 11.
Fish kills usually occur due to sustained periods of very low oxygen (hypoxia and anoxia) that fish cannot escape from. This may have been present offshore with the pier sensors detecting only the outer perimeter of the low dissolved oxygen zone. The algal bloom might have contributed to the low dissolved oxygen but could also contribute to a fish kill if comprised of species “toxic” to the menhaden. The freshwater carried by the southbound current could have supplied nutrients fueling the algae bloom.
Thank you so much for sharing this report. Very informative!
Thanks for the explanation. STAY SAFE if Sally comes to town
Interesting and nice to know. Thanks for enlightening us.
Um, yeah. Thats just a scientific way of saying the sied from covid-19, lol
Thank you for the scientific explanation.
Interesting, but poor fish! 🐟
Thank you for sharing the explanation.
This happens every year
Thanks for posting. Interesting.
Thank you!
Thanks for the info
Ashley Barnett
Anthony DeSantis
Margot
Pilk Lee remember all these fish we saw?
TY
Thank you.
With deforestation, wild fires, and pollution from cars and factories, this will begin happening to land creatures also, air quality indexes already tell us that the air is making people sick, if man does not change his ways people will begin dying from breathing, but hey - lets just keep building condos, destroying natural swamp lands, and driving your metal monsters in hopes people won't figure out they are about to go extinct. youtu.be/n9BFhgjZ3tI
Thank you so much for sharing such interesting analysis.
Mandatory Evacuation Procedures
IF a hurricane threatens our area and, IF the Governor issues an evacuation order, evacuation routes will be managed as follows:
— Once the Governor issues a mandatory evacuation, lane reversals automatically occur for two sections of Highway 501— U.S. Highway 501 from SC 544 to SC 378, and U.S. Highway 501 from SC 22 to the U.S. Highway 501/SC 576 split in Marion. Once you enter a lane reversal pattern, you will not be able to get back out. Never enter a lane reversal pattern unless directed to do so by law enforcement.
— The Horry County evacuation plan to which all in North Myrtle Beach are subject requires all people located north of Briarcliffe Acres to evacuate via SC 9 North to I-95 and beyond.
— These requirements stem from the South Carolina Hurricane Evacuation Study for the Northern Conglomerate released by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 2012.
Reentry Procedures
When reentering the city of North Myrtle Beach after a hurricane evacuation, property owners, renters and business owners should be prepared to show either their driver’s license, a copy of a recent water bill or property tax bill, a rental agreement, or other form of identity that proves residency or property ownership within the city.
Owners of businesses with employees who do not reside within the city limits but who are essential to business recovery should provide those employees with a letter written on company letterhead identifying them as being essential to the recovery of the business. When identifying an employee, please use their name as shown on their driver’s license so that authorities can match the two for verification.
The City of North Myrtle Beach does not require filing residency or business information prior to a storm.
The City’s goal is for the return of property owners and others to North Myrtle Beach as soon as possible following a hurricane evacuation so that all can help in the recovery process. However, some areas of the city may not be safe or essential utilities damaged, resulting in delayed reentry to the affected locations.
Be aware that other jurisdictions that you may travel through on your return to North Myrtle Beach from a hurricane evacuation (State, County, or other municipality) may have different identification requirements or different reentry priorities depending on damage that may have occurred in their jurisdictions.
Hurricane Information
The official hurricane season for the Atlantic Basin (Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico) is June 1 to November 30, but it never hurts to get a head start on preparing for the season.
Do you know your ZONE?
You may remember that different areas of Horry County, including North Myrtle Beach, have been assigned different “Zones” with respect to the potential impact of hurricane storm surge on a given land area.
IF a hurricane is to strike our area with force, and IF the Governor calls for a mandatory evacuation, he might do so by identifying the ZONES that must evacuate. The zone locations in Horry County are as follows:
Zone A
All areas east of U.S. 17 Business (Kings Highway), up to intersection with U.S. 17 (Kings Highway) and then all areas east of U.S. 17 (Kings Highway) to the northern county line.
Zone B
All areas south of S.C. 707 and Longwood Drive, including all areas in Longwood Plantation (Blackmoor) to the Waccamaw River and all areas east of U.S. 17 Bypass (Mark Garner Highway) to U.S. 17 (North Kings Highway) and all areas east of U.S. 17 (North Kings Highway) to the northern county line.
Zone C
All areas between U.S. 701 and S.C. 544, south of Brown’s Chapel Avenue and Hwy. 814, plus all areas east of S.C. 31 (Carolina Bays Parkway) to S.C. 90 and all areas east of S.C. 90 to U.S. 17 to the northern county line.
The Horry County Emergency Management Department provides an interactive Zone Map. Access County information at www.horrycounty.org.
Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale
| Category | Sustained Winds | Types of Damage Due to Hurricane Winds |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 74-95 mph 64-82 kt 119-153 km/h |
Very dangerous winds will produce some damage: Well-constructed frame homes could have damage to roof, shingles, vinyl siding and gutters. Large branches of trees will snap and shallowly rooted trees may be toppled. Extensive damage to power lines and poles likely will result in power outages that could last a few to several days. |
| 2 | 96-110 mph 83-95 kt 154-177 km/h |
Extremely dangerous winds will cause extensive damage: Well-constructed frame homes could sustain major roof and siding damage. Many shallowly rooted trees will be snapped or uprooted and block numerous roads. Near-total power loss is expected with outages that could last from several days to weeks. |
| 3 (major) |
111-129 mph 96-112 kt 178-208 km/h |
Devastating damage will occur: Well-built framed homes may incur major damage or removal of roof decking and gable ends. Many trees will be snapped or uprooted, blocking numerous roads. Electricity and water will be unavailable for several days to weeks after the storm passes. |
| 4 (major) |
130-156 mph 113-136 kt 209-251 km/h |
Catastrophic damage will occur: Well-built framed homes can sustain severe damage with loss of most of the roof structure and/or some exterior walls. Most trees will be snapped or uprooted and power poles downed. Fallen trees and power poles will isolate residential areas. Power outages will last weeks to possibly months. Most of the area will be uninhabitable for weeks or months. |
| 5 (major) |
157 mph or higher 137 kt or higher 252 km/h or higher |
Catastrophic damage will occur: A high percentage of framed homes will be destroyed, with total roof failure and wall collapse. Fallen trees and power poles will isolate residential areas. Power outages will last for weeks to possibly months. Most of the area will be uninhabitable for weeks or months. |
Hurricane Prepardness Video
Contact Information
For Non-Emergency Questions/Needs:
Dispatch-Non Emergency Line: (843) 280-5511
EOC- Non Emergency Public Line: (843) 280-5531
EOC- Non Emergency Public Line: (843) 281-3769
SCDOT – Road Conditions: (888) 877-9151
American Red Cross: (843) 477-0020
Email Questions/Concerns:
Pat Dowling: pcdowling@nmb.us
Online Resources:
SCDOT Road Conditions: View Here
Sports Park Live Cams: nmbpark.com/park-cameras/
Flood Information: city.nmb.us/flood-information/
Road Closures: horrycounty.org/gis/roadClosures/
Press Releases: NMB.us
Social Media:
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/cityofnmb
Twitter: www.Twitter.com/cityofnmb