Several states are sheltering in place as Tropical Storm Ophelia moves toward the East Coast, where it is expected to make landfall on Saturday with “life-threatening” storm surge, heavy rain and fierce winds.
Ophelia, upgraded to a tropical storm on Friday, is expected to make landfall in North Carolina before turning north, battering the coast with winds of 50 to 70 mph.
More than 7 million people are under some type of tropical weather alert from the Tarheel State to the Delmarva Peninsula, Fox Weather reported.
So far, the governors of North Carolina, Virginia and Maryland have declared states of emergency.
Ophelia’s impacts could be felt on the Outer Banks on Friday, as the storm was 90 miles south of Cape Hatteras and heading northwest at about 12 mph.
Ofelia 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 levels of storm surge are anticipated in North Carolina.
“Water [in eastern North Carolina] it can rise up to 6 feet above normally dry ground,” Fox News meteorologist Greg Diamond told the Post. “Up to 4 feet of storm surge can affect the Outer Banks to the Chesapeake Bay.”
“Significant flooding is expected along the Virginia and Maryland coasts of the Chesapeake Bay with tonight’s overnight high tide,” which is between 3 and 5 a.m., Diamond said. “These water levels could be life-threatening and will be the worst danger from this storm. “We expect numerous roads and structures to be flooded.”
The storm will bring high winds and life-threatening storm surge to the East Coast.FOX Weather
The storm is expected to leave the tri-state area on Monday.AP
Rain could also devastate inland communities, with between 3 and 5 inches expected along the I-95 corridor from North Carolina to Connecticut and Rhode Island, with some isolated totals of up to 7 inches possible.
“This will cause 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 possibly falling along the Jersey Shore, where wind gusts could approach 60 mph, he said.
A Virginia boy skimboards in flooded waters as Tropical Storm Ophelia approaches the area on Sept. 22, 2023.AP
In places like Washington DC, coastal flood watches are in effect until Saturday morning.
Ophelia will weaken rapidly on Sunday and rain in the tri-state area and southern New England will end on Monday, Diamond said.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn