As Hurricane Dorian is expected to have impacts on Beaufort County today (Wednesday) and overnight into tomorrow (Thursday), we urge those residents and guest—who did not evacuate—to do so. There is still time to evacuate west and away from potential impacts, but conditions are expected to deteriorate as the day progresses.
The hurricane shelter for Beaufort County residents and guests is located at the Ridgeland-Hardeeville High School, Jaguar Trail, Ridgeland, SC 29936, and there is room. It is a pet-friendly shelter, but pet owners must bring their own cages, pet foods and leashes.
After 2:00 p.m today (Wednesday), Palmetto Breeze will cease its public transportation to the Jasper County hurricane shelter.
We strongly urge those who did not evacuate to stay indoors and off of roads, especially bridges and causeways, as tropical storm conditions arrive. Roads, especially those in low lying areas, are expected to flood from storm surge and heavy rainfall, and bridges and causeways will become extremely dangerous to travel onto and over as the winds increase today. There have been reports that bridges and causeways have already become difficult to travel onto and over.
As of 12:00 p.m. today, Hurricane Dorian was located 95 miles east of St. Augustine, was moving north-northwest at 9 miles per hour, and had maximum sustained winds of 105 miles per hour.
Curfew in Effect
If you chose not to evacuate, please be safe and understand that a curfew will be in effect from 10:00 p.m. tonight (Wednesday, September 4) until 6:00 a.m. tomorrow—Thursday, September, 5. A curfew will also be in effect at 10:00 p.m. tomorrow night (Thursday, September 5) until 6:00 a.m. Friday (September 6), Anyone out and about in Beaufort County, including the Town of Bluffton, the City of Beaufort and the Town of Port Royal, will be confronted by law enforcement and investigated. The curfew was put in effect to protect the property of residents and business owners who evacuated ahead of Hurricane Dorian. .
Visit the National Hurricane Center
Until our next update, Beaufort County residents and guests are encouraged to monitor Hurricane Dorian through the National Hurricane Center https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/#dorian
Link to Important Evacuation Resources
To assist Beaufort County residents and guests in their search for resources during Hurricane Dorian, the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office posted important information and links to resources on our website http://www.bcso.net/generalinfo
Go to Official Sources-Avoid Misinformation
Throughout Hurricane Dorian, please look to federal, state, county and municipal government officials, as well as trusted print, radio and television media, for information and instruction. We urge you to avoid information and advice spread through social media, unless it comes from one of the trusted sources.
If re-entry checkpoints/;roadblocks become necessary after impacts from Hurricane Dorian, we will advise when you can return to affected areas. Residents and guests who did not evacuate are asked to stay off of the roads to allow public utility crews and first responders to assess and address infrastructure issues: roads, hospitals, etc.
We appreciate our partnerships with the City of Beaufort, the Town of Bluffton, the Town of Hilton Head Island, the Town of Port Royal and the Town Yemassee, as well as state, county and municipal elected and appointed officials, in providing a unified message during Hurricane Dorian.