Charleston slammed with storm surge as Idalia continues pounding the Southeast
Powerful onshore winds of about 40 mph are pushing water from the Atlantic onto the city streets of the historic city.
Idalia floods Charleston
FOX Weather's Katie Byrne is knee deep in water in downtown Charleston, South Carolina. Rain and wind make it difficult for her to communicate with the FOX Weather New York Studio.
Storm surge from Tropical Storm Idalia flooded parts of Charleston, South Carolina Wednesday, breaching the town's seawall.
Powerful onshore winds of about 40 mph pushed water from the Atlantic onto the city streets of the historic city, according to FOX Weather meteorologist Steve Bender.
Idalia and king tides drown Charleston
A resident in a high rise had a unique perspective of the flooding across Charleston Wednesday night. Drivers wade through parking lots to get to their cars. Police cars leave a wake. Tropical Storm Idalia's storm surge and winds combined with the King Tides were no match for the seawall.
Images from Charleston show just how much the water had risen as the storm approached.
Lighthouse Point on James Island near Charleston, South Carolina.
(Danica Goff / X / FOX Weather)
The National Weather Service in Charleston stated on Wednesday evening that water has breached the Charleston Battery, the seawall in Charleston. Major coastal flooding is being reported in downtown Charleston and Edisto Beach.
They added that tide levels in the Charleston Harbor reached over 9 feet. At Edisto, the dunes were breached with water flowing under homes and onto roadways.
Flooding in Charleston, South Carolina. August 30, 2023.
(Katie Byrne / FOX Weather)
"This is a dangerous situation!" NWS Charleston posted Wednesday afternoon.
The following image taken in downtown Charleston, showing how much roads were covered by storm surge.
Flooded streets of downtown Charleston.
(@RoddyKnowles / X / FOX Weather)
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Further inland, roads were turned into impromptu rivers.
Flooding in Charleston at Wentworth & Barre.
(@toastofcoast88 / X / FOX Weather)
In addition to flooding, the powerful winds reaching gusts of 50-65 mph knocked over trees.
In Charleston, South Carolina, a downed tree at Riverland Dr. & George Griffith Blvd. has closed the roadway in both directions. The driver of the car is okay.
(@CharlestonPD / X / FOX Weather)
The water levels in Charleston are the 5th highest water levels ever reported in the city, according NWS Charleston. They added that the records date back to 1921.
The high water levels are the result of a number of factors. The FOX Forecast Center said that the combination of Idalia, swells from Franklin and the influences from the stage of the moon are creating the perfect event for flooding around Charleston and other low-lying communities in the Carolinas.
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"Tides are higher than normal right now due to the full moon," noted Greg Diamond, FOX Forecast Center senior meteorologist. "That is the main differentiator here. It's why weaker Tropical Storm Idalia is producing water levels up there with the stronger and larger Matthew and Irma."