Heavy winds and rains from an unnamed storm hit the southeastern U.S. coast, causing widespread flooding and school closures in North and South Carolina.
BollywoodFever: A powerful storm system in the Atlantic, which wasn’t organized enough to be named, brought heavy winds and rains to a stretch of the southeastern U.S. coast on Monday.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center reported that the center of the storm was near the South Carolina coast by Monday afternoon, moving inland and flooding dozens of roads.
Despite not becoming the eighth named storm of the season, the storm—referred to as Potential Tropical Cyclone No. 8—caused significant disruption.
The storm, which could have been named Helene, resulted in school closures, including at Coastal Carolina University, and dropped over a foot of rain in areas south of Wilmington, North Carolina. At Wrightsville Beach, wind gusts reached 65 mph (105 kph).
In Brunswick County, North Carolina, floodwaters reached waist height near the courthouse, while several blocks of Carolina Beach were inundated with a few inches of water.
Officials urged residents to stay home, as floodwaters submerged vehicles up to their doors.
Radar indicated that up to 18 inches of rain fell in some areas. The office of North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper reported damage to buildings and roads in Brunswick and New Hanover County, where Wilmington is located. Governor Cooper urged residents to stay off the roads through Monday night and into Tuesday.
A tropical storm warning was in effect for parts of North and South Carolina for about 24 hours but was canceled Monday afternoon as the system failed to fully develop.
The storm system was located about 100 miles northeast of Charleston, South Carolina, with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph and moving at 7 mph to the north-northwest.
Meteorologist Carl Morgan from the National Weather Service’s office in Wilmington explained that while the storm had potential to become a tropical or subtropical storm, it became less organized as it moved inland. “There are still strong winds out there, but they’re not concentrating near the center,” Morgan said.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) had predicted a highly active Atlantic hurricane season due to near-record sea surface temperatures and the possibility of La Niña.
Emergency management officials are encouraging residents to stay prepared for potential storms.
Forecasters expect the storm to dump 4 to 8 inches of rain in northeast South Carolina and southeast North Carolina, with isolated areas potentially receiving up to 10 inches.
Further inland, Virginia could see 1 to 3 inches of rain, with localized flash flooding expected through Wednesday.
The system is expected to dissipate over the Carolinas by late Wednesday.
Meanwhile, in the Atlantic, Tropical Storm Gordon weakened to a depression, swirling in open waters.
Forecasters are uncertain whether it will strengthen back into a tropical storm or dissolve in the coming days.
Also Read Other Articles, Man Accused of Plotting Against Trump Once Exposed Himself During Home Job
Young Mum Who Lost Leg in Hit-and-Run Sues Driver for £1 Million to Cover Lifetime Prosthetics
Nigeria’s Flood Crisis: Thousands Struggle for Medical Aid as Disease Outbreak Looms
Arizona Lottery: September 15, 2024 Winning Numbers
Thierry Breton Resigns as French EU Commissioner Amid Governance Dispute
