Sept. 21 (UPI) — The National Hurricane Center said Thursday that tropical storm conditions have the possibility of developing Friday over portions of the U.S. southeast and mid-Atlantic coasts.
Forecasters believe this season’s 16th tropical cyclone could become named Ophelia as it continues getting stronger Thursday into Friday as it heads toward the Carolinas.
According to a 2 p.m. EDT update from the NHC, the storm was located about 355 miles southeast of Charleston South Carolina and about 430 mile south of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. It was moving north at 9 mph.
Maximum sustained winds were 35 mph.
“Strengthening is expected during the next day or two, and the system is forecast to become a tropical storm as it approaches the coast of North Carolina,” the NHC statement said. “Regardless of whether the system becomes a tropical storm, the system is expected to bring tropical-storm conditions to portions of the southeast and mid-Atlantic coasts.”
A tropical storm warning is in effect for Cape Fear, N.C., to Fenwick Island, Del., Chesapeake Bay south of Smith Point and Albemarle and Pamlico sounds.
The center of the storm is expected to approach the coast of North Carolina within the warning area Friday night and early Saturday, according to the NHC.
A storm surge watch is in effect for Surf City, N.C., to Chincoteague, Va., Chesapeake Bay south of Smith Point and Albemarle and Pamlico sounds.
“A storm surge watch means there is a possibility of life-threatening inundation, from rising water moving inland from the coastline, in the indicated locations during the next 48 hours,” the NHC advised.
The system is forecast to produce 2 to 4 inches of rain, with some localized amounts as much as 6 inches across the eastern mid-Atlantic states from North Carolina to New Jersey Friday through Sunday.