The Town Council has decided to hold an emergency meeting tomorrow at 4 p.m. in the Pitts Center in order to vote on the debris monitoring contract with Thompson Consulting and cancel the remainder of its previously scheduled 5:30 p.m. meeting.
The Town Council will move all other agenda items—including the draft revised recycling contract and budget amendments, outlined by The Beacon earlier today—to its 9 a.m. workshop meeting on Aug. 18, according to the emergency meeting notice issued this afternoon.
Those of you who read The Beacon’s meeting preview will know already about the debris monitoring contract—which is necessary for the Town to secure FEMA funding for storm-debris removal—and will have a jump on the workshop meeting in two weeks.
Since we posted the meeting preview, Dare County Emergency Management has issued Tropical Storm Isaias Bulletin #4, informing people that both a Tropical Storm Warning (previously reported by The Beacon) and a Storm Surge Warning are in effect for Dare County until further notice.
“In addition,” the bulletin says, “a Beach Hazards Statement has been issued and a High Surf Advisory will become effective early Tuesday morning.”
To read the Beach Hazards Statement, which is in effect until 8 p.m. today, visit https://forecast.weather.gov/showsigwx.php?warnzone=NCZ203&warncounty=NCC055&firewxzone=NCZ203&local_place1=Southern%20Shores%20NC&product1=Beach+Hazards+Statement&lat=36.1209&lon=-75.7338#.XyhiY6-SnIU.
The Town of Southern Shores has issued a warning of soundside flooding, advising people to take necessary precautions now to protect their properties.
According to the DCEM, storm surge inundation may reach 2 to 4 feet above normally dry ground. You may monitor soundside water levels at https://fiman.nc.gov.
Isaias Bulletin #4 further advises that “ocean conditions are extremely dangerous and will remain so over the next few days. Everyone should stay out of the water, even experienced swimmers.”
When we visited the East Dogwood Trail beach access this afternoon, we observed several people swimming in the ocean. Surprisingly, we did not see a red no-swimming flag posted.
To obtain updated information about forecasted conditions for our area, visit http://www.weather.gov and type in your zip code in the upper-left search window. The Outer Banks will not experience the same storm conditions as Morehead City, N.C.
Ann G. Sjoerdsma, 8/3/20
The Southern Shores Beacon 