6 days ago
Tropical storm Chantal hurricane weakens but still poses big threat to North Carolina. NHC issues urgent travel warning
Tropical storm Chantal
made landfall on the East on Sunday, impacting millions of Carolians. The storm has prompted flash flood warnings as it brought heavy rain and winds to coastal areas.
Chantal was downgraded to a depression on Sunday after making landfall but continues to pose significant risks of flash flooding across central and eastern North Carolina, according to NewsWeek.
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Tropical storm Chantal hurricane
Flood watches were issued for central North Carolina and south-central Virginia through Monday, with total rainfall of 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 centimeters) and local amounts up to 6 inches (15 centimeters) that could lead to flash flooding, the hurricane center said. Forecasters said dangerous surf and rip currents at beaches from northeastern Florida to the mid-Atlantic states are expected to last for the next couple of days.
As the intensity of the storm lessened, heavy rainfall and dangerous surf conditions remained a threat from the coastal Carolinas as far north as the Mid-Atlantic states. Though the National Hurricane Centre (NHC) cancelled tropical storm warnings for the region but it has advised that rainfall in some pockets could reach up to 6 inches, increasing the threat for flash floods and dangerous travel conditions on Sunday and Monday.
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"The Haw River at Bynum in Chatham County is now forecast to crest near 21.2 feet at around 8 a.m. Monday morning," said Jonathan Blaes of the National Weather Service on Sunday night. "At 9:31 p.m., the river was at 17.0 feet and the river had surged up more than 4 feet during the past hour and 7.7 feet over the past two hours. This crest is just below the all-time crest or flood of record of 21.8 feet set during Hurricane Fran."
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Risk of flash floods in Carolina?
Even though Chantal has weakened, millions of people still remain in the affected zone and their lives might be at stake. Heavy rains on already saturated grounds heighten the risk of flash flooding, particularly near rivers and low-lying areas of North Carolina.
Accumulations of 2 to 4 inches—locally up to 6 inches—were forecast, potentially threatening property, infrastructure, and transportation, according to a report in NewsWeek. The Weather Prediction Center (WPC) highlighted the continued "threat of flash flooding across nearby coastal plain" as a key concern, urging residents to heed local advisories.
Chatham County, North Carolina, said on its official X account that part of NC Highway 902 near Chatham Central Rd. had collapsed. "Over 100 roads across the county are flooded, and flooding is expected to continue through tonight and tomorrow—even after the rain ends," the county said.
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As flood warnings are in effect, emergency management offices preemptively advised residents to avoid water-covered roads and monitor changing conditions, underscoring the vulnerability of the region during peak Atlantic hurricane season, now in its early active phase.
"These rainfall amounts may lead to scattered instances of flash flooding. Chantal is forecast to steadily weaken to a remnant low as it moves further inland through North Carolina by Monday morning" the WPC warned.
The remnants of Chantal are expected to continue moving northeastward through North Carolina and toward southern Virginia by Monday. The risk of isolated heavy downpours and flash flooding will persist into Monday, even as the storm weakens further.
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The warnings of flash floods in North Carolina come at a time after deadly flash floods in Texas killed at least 82 people over the Fourth of July holiday weekend and left others still missing. The devastation along the Guadalupe River, outside of San Antonio, has drawn a massive search effort as officials face questions over their preparedness and the speed of their initial actions.