Roofing company in Myrtle Beach, SC

Tropical Storm Isaias formed in the Gulf early Wednesday, and it is expected to keep strengthening to a hurricane before making landfall in the northern Gulf coast.

Isaias is currently located in the Gulf near Mexico, moving northeastward toward the northern Gulf.

The National Hurricane Center is predicting the system to strengthen to a Category 1 hurricane (74 mph winds) in the early hours on Thursday, and into a Category 2 hurricane (95 mph winds) by Friday.

The cone of the system is tracking westward of the Carolinas, but it could bring a couple inches of rain to the Myrtle Beach area, according to Stephen Keebler, National Weather Service meteorologist in Wilmington, North Carolina.

The National Hurricane Center predicted a slight risk of flash flooding over the next five days, and between 2 and 4 inches of rain for the area.

Isaias would be the first hurricane to form during the historically quiet 2026 Atlantic season.

Atlantic hurricane season has been relatively quiet

Before Isaias, there have been eight tropical storms in the Atlantic, with only three making landfall in the U.S. This year breaks the record for the latest forming hurricane, which is expected to be Oct. 8. The previous record was held by Hurricane Gustav in 2002 and Hurricane Humberto in 2013, both forming on Sept. 11.

South Carolina has largely been spared from impacts from tropical storms this year. A tropical storm hits Myrtle Beach and surrounding areas every two to three years on average, The Sun News previously reported.

Emergency management officials have continuously warned to stay vigilant even during a historically quiet season.

Horry County’s Hurricane Guide

Horry County’s Hurricane Guide lists important information to know during an emergency, including essential items, evacuation zones and traffic routes.

Before a storm hits, emergency managers urge residents to create an emergency kit, including items such as water, non-perishable food, batteries, electronic chargers, a radio, a first aid kit, flashlights, identification, important documents, cash, medications, pet items, toiletries, blankets and extra clothes.

Hurricane evacuations are issued by the governor when deemed necessary and are considered mandatory. Evacuation zones (A, B and C) are determined by potential storm surge and not by category of storm. Residents outside an evacuation zone can still evacuate, and those leaving do not have to wait until the designated time begins, Hodge said.

Public shelters are available, and Coast RTA provides free transportation to shelters when evacuations are ordered. Residents should look for temporary blue and white hurricane evacuation bus stop signs to find pickup locations. All rides end at officially designated emergency shelters, and return trips only stop at the designated pickup points.

Officials say residents should be self-sufficient for the first 72 hours after a storm as it can be difficult for emergency assistance to reach certain areas of the county depending on flooding or other hazards blocking a route.

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (Aging Untold) — A tap ensemble in South Carolina is made up of adults who are returning to tap dancing after stepping away for careers and family responsibilities.

Michele Selvanto-Kowalski spent more than 45 years teaching tap in New Jersey before moving to Myrtle Beach in 2014. She teaches all ages at Coastal Dance Center.

“I get chills when I teach it, I get chills when I talk about it,” Selvanto-Kowalski said.

Selvanto-Kowalski said the adults in her classes impress and inspire her the most.

“Their passion in the tap class, they just kept going and going… and that’s when I said, ‘You know what?’ Something clicked and said, ‘Let’s do this,’” Selvanto-Kowalski said.

Selvanto-Kowalski created a group for adults called the Carolina Rhythm Tap Ensemble.

“It gives them an opportunity to get out there and maybe pursue a dream that they always had but couldn’t do,” Selvanto-Kowalski said.

Aging Untold expert Katherine Ambrose said the ensemble is proof it’s not too late to return to a passion.

“When you pause a dream for work and family, it’s so great to be able to come back to it, and doing it with a group adds connection and belonging, which is important at every stage,” Ambrose said.

Some of the dancers in the ensemble grew up tap dancing but stopped to focus on careers, family and children.

The women practice choreography once a week and take tap classes to perfect their technique before performing in the community.

Ambrose said tap dancing also provides brain-and-body fitness.

“Tap is brain-and-body fitness at the same time. We’re talking balance, coordination, rhythm and memory all working together, and it can boost stability and confidence in everyday life,” Ambrose said.

Myrtle Beach has a new destination for families to turn an ordinary shopping trip into a magical adventure! The Cloak and Wand opened at Broadway at the Beach in June 2026, offering an immersive fantasy experience for all ages. Adopt a dragon, order a potion to drink, purchase a wand with hidden powers, and browse licensed merchandise from popular franchises such as Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings, and How to Train Your Dragon.

Highlights at The Cloak and Wand

???? Magical Creature Adoptions: Choose a plush dragon, owl, housecat, or another animal, complete with an adoption certificate.???? Wand Emporium: Choose a wand and let the staff reveal its hidden power!???? Potion Bar: Build your own drink or try combinations like Wizard Beer, Liquid Gold, Mermaid Tears, and Purple People Eater. All beverages are nonalcoholic, with caffeine-free and sugar-free options available.????️ Fantasy Gifts: Browse books, notebooks, home décor, toys, figures, candy, and merchandise from popular fandoms.⏰ Hours: 10 am to 10 pm daily (may vary seasonally)???? Address: Broadway at the Beach at 1315 Celebrity Circle, Suite 109, Myrtle Beach, SC

Explore a Shop Full of Storybook Magic

The Cloak and Wand is a gift and beverage shop inspired by popular fantasies from literature and film. From floating candles to life-size creatures in the windows, you can expect floor-to-ceiling décor that puts you right into the pages of a storybook.

The owner, Ellie Greenberg, is the mom and entrepreneur behind Wonderlosity, a company committed to curating immersive shopping experiences for families. She opened the first of The Cloak and Wand stores in Mystic, Connecticut, in 2021, followed by a second location in Lahaska, Pennsylvania, just over a year later.

The store at Broadway at the Beach marks the first location in the southeastern United States. Broadway at the Beach has long been a popular hub for shopping, dining, and recreation in the area, making it an easy place to work this stop into your next Myrtle Beach vacation.

Adults and kids alike will delight in the walls of books and notebooks, home décor, toys and figures, candy, and so much more. But the fun doesn’t end there: Two special in-store experiences await those who purchase a creature companion or magic wand on their visit!

Adopt a Magical Creature

A cute, animatronic dragon oversees the corner for Magical Creature Adoptions. We found a colorful selection of plushies here, including dragons, fluffy housecats, owls, and other animals.

Each of my kids had a different favorite, and they were all so soft and huggable! If your kids have different ideas about what makes a good magical companion, they’ll have several kinds of creatures to consider. A dragon might be the obvious choice in a shop like this, but the fluffy housecats and owls deserve a look, too.

Each one comes with a special adoption certificate, making your new magical pet feel oh-so-official. That little detail gives kids something to keep alongside their animal and makes choosing a vacation souvenir feel like adopting a new companion!

Find Out Which Wand Chooses You

The Wand Emporium is a major highlight, with a moving portrait watching from the wall as you evaluate your options. Wands are available to preview inside a glass case, with designs like curled dragons, vibrant gems, and spooky ravens.

After you choose your wand, the staff will check whether the wand chooses you, too! Upon activation, a hidden power will also be revealed… Your wand will light up to reveal the red power of a phoenix aflame, the green of a dragon soaring over the earth, or the blue of a kraken deep in the sea!

Order a Drink at the Potion Bar

If you love to shop and sip, then don’t miss the Potion Bar, where you get to decide the perfect blend for your own magical drink! Drawing upon more than 60 unique flavors, you can either build your own drink or choose from popular mixes like Wizard Beer, Liquid Gold, Mermaid Tears, Hot Chocula, Rhyme and Coconut, and Purple People Eater.

All beverages are nonalcoholic, and there are hot, cold, and even carbonated options. The brew crew can give you many caffeine-free recommendations for kids, too, and there’s even a special Skinny Witch menu with a few tried-and-true sugar-free recipes!

More Storybook Shops at Broadway at the Beach

If you love the sound of immersive fantasy, then get excited for more in store. The Cloak and Wand is actually one of three immersive shopping experiences by Wonderlosity coming to Broadway at the Beach!

The Cloak and Wand was preceded in the summer by Alice’s Little Haunted Bookshop, where you’ll find nothing but the spooky, strange, and downright deranged. To take the magic even further, Wonderlosity has announced that Alice in the Village is coming to join them in 2027, offering tea and macarons inspired by Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland.

Together, these three shops will bring unique storybook worlds to life all in one place at Broadway at the Beach. Find the one that suits you best or explore them all to experience the full range of enchantment in store.

Good to Know Before You Go

Before you stop in for a potion or pick out a magical companion, here are a few details to help you plan your visit. From spooky décor to custom cloaks, these are the things families should know before exploring The Cloak and Wand.

This store goes all-in on the fantasy world of magic, encompassing both the lighthearted and the dark. The space feels designed to engage adults and children alike, but sensitive kids may find some of the decorations unsettling or scary. Alongside all the fantasy fun, we also noticed items like tarot cards, palm-reading guides, spell candles, and Ouija boards. Consider your family’s values and sensitivities when deciding whether The Cloak and Wand is right for you.

No. All beverages are nonalcoholic, with hot, cold, and carbonated options. Ask the brew crew for caffeine-free recommendations or sugar-free recipes from the Skinny Witch menu.

Although some online listings for the store mention custom cloak designs, the Myrtle Beach location does not offer custom cloaks at this time. Kids’ cloaks are sold here, but customization is not currently an option at this location.

We visited on a weekday morning and were the only people in the store, but I’d be willing to bet this place gets busy on evenings and weekends! Keep it in mind for spooky-season shopping or holiday gifts for a fantasy fan. Hours are 10 am to 10 pm daily, but may vary seasonally, so call 843-213-1617 to confirm before visiting.

The shop is located in the shopping complex at Broadway at the Beach. The store address is 1315 Celebrity Circle, Suite 109, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577.

1315 Celebrity Circle, Suite 109 Myrtle Beach, SC 29577 843.213.1617

NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WMBF) - North Myrtle Beach and Barefoot Landing area community raised safety and privacy concerns about a proposed Amazon drone delivery program during a planning commission meeting.

An Amazon representative, Tareq Wafaie, attended the meeting to answer questions about the proposal.

Residents said they are concerned that cameras on the delivery drones could be used for purposes other than picking up and dropping off packages. Residents also raised concerns about noise and the number of deliveries that could be made. Amazon is limited to 1,000 deliveries a day.

Many residents said their main concern is their families’ safety, since packages are dropped from about 13 feet in the air, which they said could cause damage.

“They are indiscriminate of where they drop packages based on maybe some type of GPS, which, as you and I both know, GPS messes up all the time, so I don’t want any packages landing on my pets or my children or my windshield on my car,” resident Lisa Watts said.

Amazon said safety is a priority. The plan calls for 12 drones that could carry packages weighing up to five pounds, about the size of a shoebox, and release them from about 13 feet above the delivery area.

Amazon said cameras help pilots check that the area is clear, similar to a backup camera, and that the video is not saved or shown to anyone.

The drones could fly up to seven-and-a-half miles from the launch pad at a minimum altitude of 100 feet, while avoiding no-fly zones.

“So we’re completely controlled by the FAA. So, if an HOA said you can’t, in our subdivision, great, you could do that, but you could not say we can’t fly within that HOA region, because that is solely the responsibility of landing,” Wafaie said.

North Myrtle Beach Planning Commission members raised questions about how well suited North Myrtle Beach is for the program.

Red areas on a map presented at the meeting show no-fly zones. Residents living in those areas would not be eligible for drone delivery.

“Not only would you not be eligible for drone delivery, but we’re not even gonna fly through that area,” Wafaie said.

Each drone also needs an 18-foot clear diameter to drop packages.

“Even though you might say I’m interested in drone delivery, if you’ve got a stand of mature trees that just would not allow us to do it, you’re not gonna be eligible as a customer,” Wafaie said.

Weather is another concern. Amazon operates drone programs in other beach towns, and some at the meeting questioned whether breezy conditions in the North Myrtle Beach area could halt deliveries.

“Anything other than very light wind, we’re not able to fly, so we have to wait for conditions to calm before we continue flights for the day,” Wafaie said.

The North Myrtle Beach Planning Commission is scheduled to vote on the proposed drone launch pad on Oct. 20.

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NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WPDE) — The North Myrtle Beach Planning Commission is considering a proposal to add a drone launchpad at the Amazon warehouse off Watertower Road, prompting questions from residents about safety, noise and potential impacts on wildlife.

Amazon has been using delivery drones nationally for nearly 10 years. Now, the service could be coming to North Myrtle Beach.

The North Myrtle Beach Planning Commission held a public input meeting Wednesday to discuss the proposed drone launchpad.

Commission Chairman Silvio Cutuli said the city needed more information about how to regulate drone operations because it did not have existing ordinances or regulations addressing the technology.

During the meeting, an Amazon representative presented a slideshow explaining how the drones operate and their proposed flight plans.

According to the representative, the drones stand 5 1/2 feet tall, can fly as high as 400 feet and can carry packages weighing up to 5 pounds.

The representative said the drones produce approximately 68 decibels of noise, comparable to a household dishwasher.

Drone delivery would be an opt-in service, meaning customers would have to request the option to receive packages by drone.

However, the warehouse would need a launchpad to support the service.

Cutuli said the Planning Commission has the authority to decide whether to approve the proposed launchpad.

"If...the...zoning administrator had determined that this was a major amendment to the PD, it would have had to do before the council...As far as the rules are written right now, it stays with the Planning Commission," Cutuli said.

Cutuli explained that the proposed launchpad is considered a minor amendment, placing the decision under the Planning Commission's authority.

During public comment, some residents asked general questions, while others raised concerns about the number of drones that could operate in the same area and whether Amazon has received noise complaints.

"Please don't open this can of worms...please don't," one resident said.

Other concerns included the potential impact on birds and what would happen if a drone fell from the sky.

One resident questioned why a representative from the Federal Aviation Administration was not present at the meeting.

"Do you feel disrespected that the FAA isn't here to ask questions? I do, and y'all should too," the resident said.

When asked whether Amazon had received approval to operate drones in the area, the commission said its understanding was that the company was still seeking FAA approval.

ABC 15 reached out to Amazon and the FAA for additional information about the approval process.

In a statement, the FAA said:

"Amazon Prime Air operates under an FAA exemption with specific conditions and limitations.

As new drone operations expand, operators and local community leaders have primary responsibility for raising awareness and addressing community concerns regarding those operations.

The FAA’s role is to ensure these operations are safely integrated into the national airspace system and comply with applicable FAA regulations."