As Tropical Storm Erin moves closer, will it impact your Myrtle Beach trip?

As Tropical Storm Erin moves closer, will it impact your Myrtle Beach trip?

With Tropical Storm Erin traveling towards the United States from across the Atlantic Ocean, many tourists are wondering if their summer vacations will be viable. As of Wednesday morning, vacationers do not need to cancel their trips. Tropical Storm Erin is not tracking to hit the South Carolina coast, said National Weather Service meteorologist Bob Bright.

Current projections show the storm heading east until it is near the Caribbean, then Erin is expected to head north and stay in the Atlantic Ocean between the United States and Bermuda, Bright confirmed. The storm has the potential to change track but that possibility does not look promising.

“It’s a good sign, but it’s still early to guarantee we will not see anything,” Bright said.

Meteorologists do not expect Erin to impact more than the surf. Bright estimated a higher chance of rip currents will start over the weekend and last into next week along with larger wave swells. The chances of coastal flooding at high tide is minimal. Erin is expected to turn into a hurricane near the Caribbean then veer north and stay in the ocean.

As for weather, vacationers can expect sunny days in the 80s.

“If the storm stays on this track and goes off shore, it might even be a little nicer during the early part of the week,” Bright said.

The first half of the week should be less humid with small chances of rain, Bright said. During the middle and end, the weather should return the normal coastal Carolina pattern of isolated afternoon storms.

“We encourage visitors to monitor alerts from the National Weather Service and Horry County Emergency Management and to consider purchasing trip insurance before their visit. Most accommodation providers will offer that coverage for weather‑related interruptions, including hurricanes,” wrote Diane Charno, EVP of Marketing and Communications, Visit Myrtle Beach in an email to The Sun News.

Ron Opher of My Journey Begins Travel encourages vacationers to think about if their trip plans, like hotel reservations and requested paid-time-off, can be cancelled. Most lodging allows customers to cancel up to a few days prior with a full refund, but others may require more time or be non-refundable.

By time vacationers know the weather, they are likely locked in on their hotel reservation. This is on purpose to keep people from canceling due to small reasons like cloudy weather, Opher said. He also encouraged visitors to think about getting vacation insurance, even if they’re driving, as that can help with unexpected emergencies. Hotels will often give refunds if there is a mandatory evacuation, Opher said, but a mandatory evacuation due to Tropical Storm Erin is unlikely. “(Hotels) are not going to make an exception for a maybe storm,” Opher said. “Storms are a fact of life on the coast.”

This article by Emalyn Muzzy, about the possibility of Tropical Storm Erin impacting Myrtle Beach, originally appeared in the Sun News on August 13, 2025

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