Several states are on the hunt as Tropical Storm Ophelia barrels toward the East Coast, where it is expected to make landfall on Saturday with “life-threatening” storm surge, heavy rain and strong winds.
Upgraded to tropical storm status on Friday, Ophelia is expected to make landfall in North Carolina before turning north, lashing the coast with winds of 50-70 mph.
More than 7 million people are under some type of tropical weather warning from the Tarheel State to the Delmarva Peninsula, Fox Weather reports.
So far, the governors of North Carolina, Virginia and Maryland have declared states of emergency.
The effects of Ophelia could be felt on the Outer Banks on Friday, as the storm was 90 miles south of Cape Hatteras and heading north-northwest at about 12 mph.
Waves break along the pier at Rudee Inlet in Virginia Beach, Va on September 22, 2023 as Tropical Storm Ophelia approaches the area.AP
Ophelia was upgraded to a tropical storm on Friday. FOX Weather
Tropical Storm Ophelia was named hours before it was expected to make landfall in North Carolina. Fox 61
The highest storm surge levels are expected in North Carolina.
“Water [in eastern North Carolina] maybe up to 6 feet above normal dry land,” Fox News Meteorologist Greg Diamond told The Post. “Up to 4 feet of storm surge could affect the Outer Banks all the way to the Chesapeake Bay.”
“Major flooding is expected along the Virginia and Maryland coasts of the Chesapeake Bay with high tide overnight tonight,” which is between 3 and 5 a.m., Diamond said. “This water level can be life-threatening and will be the worst danger from this storm. We expect many roads and structures to be flooded.”
The storm will bring strong winds and potentially life-threatening storm surge to the East Coast. FOX Weather
The storm is expected to move out of the Tri-state area by Monday.AP
Rain could also devastate inland communities, with 3-5 inches expected along the I-95 corridor from North Carolina through Connecticut and Rhode Island, with some isolated amounts as high as 7 inches possible.
“This will lead to flash flooding in some places, especially along the coast,” Diamond said.
In the Tri-state area, rain will continue through Sunday, with up to 5 inches possible along the Jersey Shore, where gusts could approach 60 mph, he said.
A Virginia boy wades through floodwaters as Tropical Storm Ophelia approaches the area on September 22, 2023.AP
In places like Washington DC, coastal flood warnings are in effect until Saturday morning.
Ophelia will quickly weaken on Sunday and showers across the Tri-state and southern New England will end on Monday, Diamond said.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
