Charleston, Berkeley and Dorchester: surge, rain, and the roofer checks that follow

Matthew, October 2016

NHC's Matthew report puts landfall just south of McClellanville, in the Cape Romain Wildlife Sanctuary, at 75 knots on October 8. The Charleston tide gauge measured a 6.20-foot storm surge, and inundation reached much of downtown, where many roads closed for high water. Several communities and businesses near the Cooper River saw saltwater more than 10 nautical miles inland, and the dune line north of the Isle of Palms pier was left with an escarpment of more than 6 feet. The report also describes widespread downed trees and power lines across Charleston County from category 1 gusts.

Next door in Colleton County, a National Weather Service survey counted at least 70 damaged beachfront homes on Edisto Beach, and NHC's figures show 16.90 inches of rain on Edisto Island. FEMA's DR-4286 covers all three of this page's counties.

Irma, September 2017: high water without a landfall

Irma made its last landfall in Florida, yet NHC reports a peak of 4.2 feet above mean higher high water at the Charleston gauge. Irma's surge was smaller than Matthew's, but higher tides and closer timing of high tide with the peak surge pushed the Charleston reading past Matthew's. The Irma report notes minor surge damage downtown and in the tidal zone, severe erosion on Folly Beach, Isle of Palms and Sullivan's Island, and an EF-1 tornado on Johns Island that damaged homes and trees along a half-mile path.

County entries dated September 11, 2017 fill in the rest: surge damaged numerous docks on the north side of the Wando River in Berkeley, and flash flooding put water into at least 31 homes along Eagle Creek in Dorchester. The federal declaration was DR-4346.

Ian in 2022 and Debby in 2024

Ian made its final landfall near Georgetown, north of here, but its report records 10.75 inches of rain in Charleston and inundation of 2 to 4 feet above ground from the Georgia coast north to Charleston. FEMA's declaration was DR-4677.

Debby came ashore as a 40-knot subtropical storm around Bulls Bay on August 8, and NHC's Debby report shows why rain, not wind, defined it:

• The state's highest total was 22.02 inches, measured southwest of Moncks Corner in Berkeley County.
• About 30 water rescues were made near Moncks Corner, and part of eastbound I-26 in Berkeley County flooded.
• Water entered some buildings in downtown Charleston, and primary road access into the city closed.
• An EF-1 tornado damaged about 29 homes in Charleston County.
• The Ashley River kept roads and neighborhoods in Dorchester County under water for about a week.

FEMA's DR-4835 declaration for Debby includes Berkeley and Dorchester.

The thunderstorm ledger, 2016 through 2025

Tropical systems are not the whole story. The table gives ten-year event counts from NOAA's Storm Events Database.

The strongest tornado in these three counties since 2000 is an EF-3 tornado just east of Moncks Corner on April 13, 2020, surveyed at 145 mph, with six injuries. On June 10, 2024, straight-line winds estimated at 80 to 85 mph ran along a path about 8.75 miles long beginning in Dorchester County, and hail up to 2 inches damaged house siding near Ladson.

Checking a roofer in the Charleston area

1. Look up the company on the Residential Builders Commission's licensee lookup. Residential roofing over $500 calls for a specialty contractor registration.
2. Search the SC Department of Consumer Affairs complaint records through its business background page, which also reminds you that cities and counties may require a local business license.
3. Use the HBA of the Lowcountry directory; its Charleston region serves Berkeley, Charleston, Dorchester and Williamsburg counties.
4. Know your rights on insurance jobs under state law, summarized on the home page.

The directory lists roofers by city for Charleston, Mount Pleasant, North Charleston and Summerville.

Frequently asked questions

Did Irma bring higher water to Charleston than Matthew?

At the Charleston gauge, yes. NHC's Irma report says Irma's surge was smaller, but higher tides and timing pushed the gauge's water level above what Matthew produced.

How much rain did Debby drop near Charleston?

The Debby report lists 22.02 inches near Moncks Corner in Berkeley County, the highest total measured in South Carolina.

Where do I check a Charleston roofer's state registration?

Use the Residential Builders Commission's licensee lookup at SC LLR. A roofing license under the general contractor law, required for jobs over $10,000, comes from the Contractor's Licensing Board.