Hurricane Season Is Here

The official Atlantic hurricane season began June 1. That’s why the month of June is Hurricane Preparedness Month. In South Carolina, the first week of June was proclaimed Hurricane Awareness Week.

Are you aware of the fact that this year is the 60th anniversary of Hurricane Hazel? Hazel, a Category 4 storm, made landfall on October 15, 1954, near the border of North and South Carolina. Her winds packed a 106-mph punch and shoved a 16.9-foot storm surge onto the land. One South Carolinian was killed and damage in the Palmetto State was estimated at $27 million. North Carolina fared much worse, with 19 deaths and $136 million in property damage; 15,000 homes and structures were destroyed and 39,000 damaged.