The National Hurricane Center said Tropical Storm Ophelia strengthened after forming off the Atlantic coast Friday afternoon and threatened to bring heavy rain, storm surge and strong winds to the East Coast next weekend.
Heading toward the Mid-Atlantic region, it is expected to make landfall in North Carolina early Saturday morning. Impacts are expected to be strongest in parts of North Carolina and Virginia, where “life-threatening flash flooding” could occur.
Ophelia had maximum sustained winds of 70 mph and was moving at a speed of 13 mph, according to the Miami Center release issued Friday evening. The center of the storm was about 70 miles southeast of Cape Fear, North Carolina.
The center of Ophelia was expected to move toward eastern North Carolina, southeastern Virginia and the Delmarva Peninsula, which includes parts of Maryland and Delaware, on Saturday and Sunday. According to the hurricane center, it is expected to weaken after landfall.
The governors of North Carolina, Virginia and Maryland declared states of emergency before Ophelia’s arrival. Some schools closed early as communities prepared for the storm’s arrival, and several weekend events were canceled.
Maryland Governor Wes Moore issued a statement on Friday night saying, “We are anticipating an extended period of strong winds, heavy rainfall, and elevated tides.”
A hurricane watch was in effect for about 250 miles of North Carolina’s coast, from Surf City north to Ocracoke Inlet.
Parts of eastern North Carolina and southeastern Virginia could see up to 7 inches of rain, forecasters said. Southern New York and southern New England could see 1 to 3 inches of rain through Monday.
There are storm surge warnings in effect across several areas, with storm surges of 1 to 6 feet expected in parts of North Carolina, Virginia, New Jersey and Delaware, the storm center said.
“As the storm organizes and strengthens, it is clear from the latest forecasts that impacts to the Commonwealth are likely”; » said Youngkin. “We want to ensure that all communities, especially those most likely to be affected, have the resources they need to respond to and recover from the impacts of this storm. Because this storm could have different impacts in many locations across the Commonwealth, I encourage all Virginians and
visitors to get the latest weather forecast for your area from a trusted source, plan ahead and prepare emergency supplies.
The Virginia Department of Emergency Management said on social media Thursday that officials are working with local weather departments to monitor developments in the offshore system.
Meanwhile, Hurricane Nigel has been downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone centered about 600 miles northwest of the Azores and with maximum sustained winds of 70 miles per hour.There were no associated warnings or warnings along the coast as the storm moved northeast at 57 miles per hour, the hurricane center said in its latest system update Friday morning.