New tropical depression forms as Tropical Storm Ophelia makes landfall
Tropical Storm Ophelia made landfall early Saturday in North Carolina as the National Hurricane Center also began advisories on Tropical Depression Seventeen in the Atlantic.
The NHC said the system’s center made landfall near Emerald Isle in far eastern North Carolina around 6:15 a.m. with maximum sustained winds of 70 mph. At the time an observation in Cape Lookout, North Carolina, reported a gust to 73 mph
As of 11 a.m., Ophelia was located about 75 miles north-northwest of Cape Lookout and 125 north-northeast of Cape Fear moving north at 13 mph with winds that dropped to 50 mph. Tropical-storm-force winds extend out up to 320 miles.
“A continued northward motion is expected today, followed by a gradual turn toward the northeast by Sunday,” forecasters said. “On the forecast track, the center of Ophelia will continue moving across eastern North Carolina over southeastern Virginia over the remainder of today, and over the Delmarva
Peninsula by tonight into Sunday.”
A tropical storm warning is in effect for east of Cape Lookout, North Carolina to Fenwick Island, Delaware, Albemarle and Pamlico sounds, tidal Potomac south of Cobb Island and Chesapeake Bay south of North Beach.
A storm surge warning is in effect for Ocracoke Inlet, North Carolina to Chincoteague, Virginia, Chesapeake Bay south of Colonial Beach, Virginia, the Neuse and Pamlico rivers and portions of Pamlico and Albemarle sounds.
The NHC said storm surge could ride from 3-5 feet in the hardest hit places within the warning area.
As it moves inland, the system is expected to further weaken and become a post-tropical cyclone tonight or Sunday morning.
Although winds remain a danger along with a threat of tornadoes in the mid-Atlantic coast, rainfall will drop from 3-5 inches and some areas with up to 8 inches into Sunday in eastern North Carolina and southeast Virginia and 2-4 inches across the remaining portions of the mid-Atlantic while moving up into southern New York through southern New England into Monday.
“This rainfall may produce locally considerable flash, urban, and small stream flooding impacts, particularly across the mid-Atlantic region from North Carolina to New Jersey. Isolated river flooding is possible in areas of heavier rainfall,” forecasters said.
Elsewhere in the Atlantic, the NHC said Tropical Depression Seventeen formed, and is likely to spin up into Tropical Storm Phillipe as early as today.
As of 11 a.m., TD 17 was located about 985 miles west of the Cape Verde Islands moving west at 15 mph with sustained winds of 35 mph.
“This general motion with a slight decrease in forward speed is expected during the next few days,” forecaster said. “Very gradual strengthening is expected through early next week.”
It’s forecast to move generally westward at 10 to 15 mph for the next few days, and then turn west-northwestward or northwestward starting Tuesday gaining in strength but become a hurricane.