Tropical Storm Ophelia battered the mid-Atlantic coast with rain and wind, leaving more than 30,000 people without power in Virginia and North Carolina, news agencies announced. PowerOutage.us.
The storm is expected to make landfall in North Carolina early Saturday morning and move north up the coast, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC).
“It is expected to continue moving northward today and gradually turn northeastward by Sunday,” the NHC said in a public advisory. “The forecast track is for the center of Ophelia to quickly move into southeastern Virginia this evening and head across the Delmarva Peninsula tonight into Sunday.”
“Maximum sustained winds decreased to nearly 45 mph (70 kph) with increasing gusts,” the agency continued. “Further weakening is expected over the remainder of the weekend, with Ophelia likely becoming a post-tropical storm by Sunday.”
Governors of North Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland declared Storm-related emergencies. Parts of eastern North Carolina and southeastern Virginia are “expected” to receive “3 to 5 inches” of precipitation by Saturday night, with “isolated totals of more than 8 inches,” according to the NHC. That’s what it means.
“This storm could have disparate impacts in many areas of the commonwealth, so we urge all Virginians and visitors to obtain the latest forecasts for their area from trusted sources and plan accordingly. We encourage you to stand up and get your emergency kit ready. We are ready,” said Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin. I have written on friday.
Other parts of the Mid-Atlantic could see “2 to 4 inches” of precipitation “through Sunday,” the center said, and southern New York to southern New England could see “1 to 3 inches of rain through Monday morning.” An inch of rain is expected.
“This rainfall could result in significant localized flash flooding, urban, and stream flooding impacts, particularly across the Mid-Atlantic region from North Carolina to New Jersey,” the researchers added. “Isolated river flooding may occur in areas with high rainfall.”
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