Bye-bye Bonnie, hello Charley

One storm moves out and another is on its way

By Kelly Davis and Charmaine Smith
Independent-Mail
August 12, 2004

The Upstate and northeast Georgia escaped much of Tropical Storm Bonnie’s wrath, but could feel a tougher blow from Hurricane Charley, which is expected to hit Florida’s coast today.

Bonnie hit Florida’s panhandle around 10 a.m. Thursday and worked her way up through the South Carolina midlands. The National Hurricane Center predicts Charley will crash into the Florida Keys around 8 a.m. today with winds as strong as 85 mph.

Once Charley reaches the coast, it should follow Bonnie’s path up the Eastern Seaboard, bringing rain to the area on Saturday and Sunday, National Weather Service meteorologist Scott Krentz said.

With Charley could come more rain and a stronger threat of flooding, he said.

"The ground is already soaked, so we may see more flash flooding," Mr. Krentz said.

On Thursday, Bonnie traveled through South Carolina’s midlands, dumping most of her rain there and in eastern North Carolina. Most of that storm skirted the Upstate, serving only as added strength to a stationary front already in the area.

The stalled front dumped significant rain on the area, causing minor flooding. Some parts of the county got 2 to 2 1/2 -inches of rain.

"We have experienced about three trees down and some minor flooding locally, in some ditches, but nothing major yet," Anderson County public works director Holt Hopkins said. "We’re in contact with (the) Public Safety (Division) trying to be alert to anything that changes. We’re kind of in a holding pattern to see what we get."

McCants Middle School saw a bit of that rain in one of its classrooms Thursday morning.

About an inch collected in one of the fine arts classrooms when the downpour pushed mulch into one of the building’s outdoor drains, school principal Jacky Stamps said. Workers cleaned the area and repaired the drain within hours, he said.

Taylor Jones, director of the Anderson County Emergency Preparedness Office, said creeks were at or near crest level Thursday. The Anderson City Fire Department’s swift water rescue team is on standby, squad leader Brian Black said.

"Everybody’s been alerted and we are on standby right now for any swift water rescues that may need to happen in the city, or for that matter, anywhere in the Upstate," he said of the 30-member team.

Each member has his or her own wet suit and personal flotation devices. The team also works with a specialized boat, throw bags and ropes, and has as a back-up the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office helicopter.

Kelly Davis can be reached at (864) 260-1277 or by e-mail at davisk@IndependentMail.com.

Ken Ruinard
Independent-Mail

A van splashes through water at Calhoun Street and Boulevard in Anderson Thursday morning.

Ken Ruinard
Independent-Mail

Anderson County road maintenance workers mow along a receding creek along Booker Street in Anderson Thursday morning.