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Weather Advisory: Hurricane Ian

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Hurricane Ian Makes Second Landfall in SC

Updated as of Friday, September 30 at 9:45 a.m. CDT

Hurricane Ian will make its final landfall today as a Category 1 storm near Charleston, SC.

After battering Florida with sustained winds of 155 mph, Ian is approaching the Carolina coast with gust of up to 66 mph.

Hurricane Ian Info Center

 

hurricane ian radar image

 

Current weather alerts in the southeastern U.S. include:

  • Hurricane warning for the entire South Carolina coast, extending northward to Cape Fear, NC.
  • Storm surge warning for moderate coastal flooding from Melbourne on Florida's east coast north to Hatteras, NC.
  • Tropical storm warning for portions of eastern GA, central and eastern SC, and NC from Charlotte all the way to the Atlantic coast.

 

These conditions are likely to create:

  • Destructive winds
  • Moderate flooding
  • Property and infrastructure damage
  • Disruptions to utility services

 

Resources to Stay Up-to-Date

 

Outlook for Shippers & Carriers

If you live or work in the path of Hurricane Ian and you have not already evacuated, please stay safe by monitoring national and local weather news updates.

According to weather.com, here's the forecasted path as Ian makes its second landfall and tracks north through the Carolinas.

hurricane ian path map

 

Although we hope for the best, please be prepared and stay informed. 

Beyond taking critical safety measures, be aware of infrastructure and transportation news updates.

It’s common for inbound and outbound capacity to be limited or disrupted during and after extreme weather events like this, and for freight costs to be potentially inflated.

 

Potential Shipping Complications Due to Ian:
  • Flooding throughout the region may result in road closures, extending transit times.
  • Many facilities in Florida may remain closed following Ian's devastating first landfall. Some facilities in Georgia and South Carolina may have closed as well in preparation for today's landfall and will be experiencing a backlog.
  • Shippers that need to get product into facilities in affected areas may be backlogged. This could disrupt sales and supply chain movement if shippers outside the impacted areas have excess product with nowhere to send it. 
  • Transportation providers may struggle to meet demand due to unavailable equipment, drivers and/or lanes.
  • Demand for disaster relief freight will spike over the next several days.

 

Severe Weather Best Practices

These are general guidelines to keep in mind whenever storms strike the nation's supply chain.

  • Confirm your customers and carriers are open.
    Don't assume facilities will be open. It's always worth a quick call to double check.
  • Prioritize your freight.
    Depending on where you’re shipping, there may not be enough capacity in the market to pick up all of your loads.
  • Get as much flexibility on pickup and delivery as possible.
    The bigger windows you are able to give your transportation providers, the better chance you’ll be able to take advantage of limited capacity.
  • Communication is key.
    The more transparency you can give to your providers, the smoother the next couple of weeks will go. Make sure your providers know which shipments are most critical to your business.
  • Anticipate rate and capacity volatility in the near-term.
    Freight markets are interconnected — what happens in the Southeast can have a ripple effect across multiple regions. You may find plenty of capacity for some of your freight, and challenges in other parts of your network.

 

Coyote Is Here to Help

Extreme weather can potentially be life-threatening.

The safety of our employees, customers, carriers and their families are always of the utmost importance. Our thoughts are with everyone who may be affected by the incoming storm.

If you have any questions, or need any assistance, please reach out to your Coyote rep.

You can also gain increased visibility to your freight in our free digital freight platform, CoyoteGO®