Coastal Flooding, High Surf Hit Hilton Head Island Sunday
Published October 25, 2026 at 7:34 am|By Bristol Ainsley, Staff Reporter
HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. — Beaufort County, including Hilton Head Island, is under a coastal flood advisory through 10 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 25, with saltwater expected to spill onto some low-lying roads around the morning high tide.
The National Weather Service office in Charleston said as much as a foot of saltwater could cover normally dry ground beside the shore and tidal creeks. The worst of it is tied to a high tide near 7:44 a.m. at the Fort Pulaski gauge, and water can linger for a couple of hours on either side of that peak.
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The ocean side is rough too. Forecasters kept a high surf advisory in place until 5 p.m. Monday for breakers of 4 to 6 feet, and the rip current risk stays high through this evening. Beach erosion is possible along exposed stretches of sand.
The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office passed the advisory along to residents on Saturday and put the biggest breakers as high as 7 feet. Across the Savannah River, Chatham County emergency managers expected the morning tide to top 10 feet and said Highway 80 may take on water.
Drivers should leave extra time, avoid barricaded roads and never drive through water of unknown depth. Swimmers are urged to stay near a lifeguard and, if caught in a rip current, float and swim parallel to the shore.
Bristol is a staff reporter for HERE Hilton Head covering local news, community stories, and developments across Beaufort County. Bristol is committed to accurate, community-first journalism.
