New moon, storm to bring waves, flooding

The swells are coming, surfers say. They anticipate waves chest high or bigger starting tomorrow morning.

The cause is a combination of periodic, moon-influenced tide rise and what will soon be Hurricane Rafael far offshore.

But whether that brings much erosion and flooding is an open question.

National Weather Service forecasters in Charleston say the morning high tides, particularly, for the next few days have a decent chance of causing isolated or minor flooding downtown in the usual spots. High tide is about 9 a.m. Tuesday.

Rip tides will also be a risk. Some erosion can be expected along vulnerable beaches.

But the storm is too far away to push any more than small swells this way and a cold front working offshore will bring winds knocking down waves, the meteorologists say.

Offshore swells are forecast to rise as high as 12 feet by Tuesday.

Read more in tomorrow’s The Post and Courier.