A State of Emergency was declared by the City of Conway at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday. The city is now operating at Operational Condition Level (OPCON) 2 in anticipation of potential impacts from the development of Tropical Storm Imelda.
OPCON 2 is a state of enhanced awareness. According to the South Carolina Emergency Management division, at stage two a disaster or emergency is likely to affect the state. Emergency Operations Plans are implemented, and the State Emergency Operations Center is partially activated if necessary.
“We encourage everyone to stay weather-aware, make preparations and follow trusted sources for updates,” the City of Conway shared on their social media. “As the forecast becomes more certain, we will share additional information regarding city operations.”
Coastal Carolina University released a statement regarding Tropical Storm Imelda and campus operations on Sept. 27, at 2:47 p.m.
“Our area is not included in the National Hurricane Center’s five-day error cone forecast, the exact track of TD 9 and the severity of its impacts remain uncertain. Changes in the forecast track and impacts are expected over the next two days. There are no changes to campus operations at this time.”
Ed Piotrowski, a local meteorologist with WPDE, also shared updates about the storm and potential impacts on social media.
“Many people are unaware that something is brewing to our south and could be caught off guard,” said Piotrowski in a Facebook post. “Potential impacts may arrive as early as Monday, so it’s a good idea to review your hurricane plan this weekend.”
The most recent update released by CCU’s University Marketing and Communication dept. said university operations would proceed as normal on Sept. 29 unless otherwise noted.
