Myrtle Beach and Grand Strand Hurricane Tracker
The Grand Strand is 60 miles of beach with 20 million visitors a year, most of whom have never seen a hurricane, and its history says the direct hits come from the south. Hurricane Hazel on October 15, 1954 crossed the coast at the North Carolina line as a Category 4 with 12 to 18 feet of surge and flattened Myrtle Beach and Garden City. Hurricane Hugo in 1989 did its worst south of here but still wrecked Pawleys and Garden City. Matthew in 2016 and Florence in 2018 put the region on the strong side of North Carolina landfalls and flooded the Waccamaw River for weeks after each storm, with Conway, Socastee, and Bucksport under water long after the beaches reopened.
Hurricane Ian made landfall at Georgetown as a Category 1 on September 30, 2022 and tore the piers off Pawleys Island and Garden City. Tropical Storm Chantal came ashore at Litchfield Beach on July 6, 2025, with 56 mph gusts at Springmaid Pier and 4 to 6 inches of rain in Horry County. The Strand's problems are its visitors, who have to be moved before residents; US-501 and SC-31, which are the only ways inland; and the Waccamaw and Intracoastal, which flood from rain days after the wind stops.
Radar
Composite radar, Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand.
Evacuation zones for the Grand Strand
Horry and Georgetown counties make up the Northern coastal region with lettered zones set by SCEMD, and the governor orders evacuation by zone. Horry County's tourism means visitors are told to leave first. When the Northern region is ordered out, SCDOT reverses US-501 so all lanes run inland from Myrtle Beach toward Conway and Marion.
Local emergency management, shelters, re-entry and outages
Horry and Georgetown counties manage evacuations, shelters, and re-entry for the Grand Strand. SCEMD and SCDOT publish the lane reversal and state evacuation map, and Santee Cooper and Horry Electric post outage maps. These are the links to watch as a storm approaches the Northern coast.
- Horry County Emergency Management
- Horry County hurricane shelters
- Horry County phased re-entry
- Georgetown County Emergency Preparedness
- SCEMD evacuation and lane reversal guide
- SCDOT emergency response and evacuation maps
- SC 511 road conditions
- Santee Cooper outage map
- Horry Electric outage map
- NWS Wilmington forecast office
What the Grand Strand should watch for
Check the Waccamaw River gauge at Conway. It crested a week after both Matthew and Florence and flooded Socastee, Bucksport, and parts of Conway for weeks. The river flood, not the wind, is the threat that keeps inland Horry County under water long after the beaches reopen.
US-501 reversal starts with the evacuation order and is the only high-capacity route inland from Myrtle Beach. Once lane reversal is in effect, all lanes run toward Conway and Marion, exits are limited, and you cannot turn back. Leave when the order is issued, not when the wind picks up.
The swing bridges and causeways to Pawleys, Litchfield, and Garden City close at sustained 40 mph. The low areas that flood first are Garden City and Surfside along the sound, the Withers Swash and downtown Myrtle Beach, Cherry Grove, and everything along the Intracoastal. Visitors in high-rise hotels are in Zone A and are emptied on the first order.
Plan for a week or more without power in the hardest-hit areas after a major storm. Run any generator at least 20 feet from any opening with a battery-operated carbon monoxide alarm inside, and keep re-entry passes information from Horry County ready if you need to return before the general public.
Frequently asked questions
Is Myrtle Beach in an evacuation zone?
The oceanfront, the Intracoastal shores, and the south Strand are Zone A, the first zone evacuated. Inland Horry County is generally not in an evacuation zone. Use the Horry County Know Your Zone lookup to confirm your address, since zones are set by surge and flooding risk, not by distance from the beach.
Where are the hurricane shelters in Myrtle Beach?
Horry County lists four baseline shelters, all inland, and adds more per storm as needed. The county posts open shelters and their status on its emergency management site when an evacuation is ordered. Coastal shelters are not opened for major hurricanes; the plan is to leave the Strand inland on US-501.
When was the last hurricane to hit Myrtle Beach?
Hurricane Ian made landfall at Georgetown as a Category 1 on September 30, 2022 and tore the piers off Pawleys Island and Garden City. Tropical Storm Chantal came ashore at Litchfield Beach on July 6, 2025, the only US landfall of that season. Hurricane Hazel in 1954 was the last direct major hit on the Grand Strand.
Why does Conway flood after hurricanes?
The Waccamaw and Pee Dee rivers drain rain from both North and South Carolina and crest at Conway five to seven days after landfall, long after the wind has stopped. Hurricane Florence's crest in 2018 set the record and flooded Socastee, Bucksport, and parts of Conway for weeks. River flooding, not wind, is the inland threat after a Grand Strand storm.
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