Comments
ABOUT THIS BLOG
WeatherMatrix
AccuWeather Meteorologist and Social Media Manager Jesse Ferrell covers extreme weather and the intersection of meteorology and social media.
Go Back
Help
Columbus, OH Weather
Today
WinterCast
Local {stormName} Tracker
Hourly
10-Day
Radar
MinuteCast®
Monthly
Air Quality
Health & Activities
Products & Services
Apps & Downloads
Subscription Services
Products & Services
Apps & Downloads
Subscription Services
© 2026 AccuWeather, Inc. "AccuWeather" and sun design are registered trademarks of AccuWeather, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Weather Blogs / WeatherMatrix
Memories of Hurricane David in 1979
Published Sep 2, 2020 7:24 PM EDT
Hurricane David made landfall as a Category 1 storm near the Georgia/South Carolina border late on Sept. 4, 1979, technically the day after Labor Day.
Hurricane David Makes Landfall on Sept. 4-5, 1979
My wife and her parents were living at a military base near Myrtle Beach then. She remembers hurricane warnings, sheltering in place, the sound of high winds, and rain coming in around the windows and doors, so I decided to research it.
The highest wind gust at Myrtle Beach was 52 mph, according to WeatherSpark.com.
Observations from Myrtle Beach, SC, during nearest approach of Hurricane David 1979 Myrtle Beach
âThe New York Times Said: "Tornadoâlike winds spun off by the passing hurricane caused major power failures for 100 miles along the soâcalled Grand Strand area, the Miami Beach of South Carolina, including the resorts of Myrtle Beach and Pawley's Island."
The New York Times Front Page September 5, 1979
It moved north, dropping 7-10 inches of rain in Myrtle Beach and over 15 inches of rain on the Outer Banks of NC.
Hurricane David 1979 Rainfall
Hurricane David had previously killed over 2,000 people in the Dominican Republic, where it made landfall as a Category 5 and flooded villages.
Report a Typo