The National Hurricane Center is forecasting that Tropical Depression Claudette could re-strengthen Sunday evening before exiting North Carolina’s coast on Monday.
According to an update from the agency around 5 p.m., Claudette is expected to produce heavy rainfall between 2 to 4 inches with isolated maximum totals of 6 inches across North Florida, southeastern Georgia, central and coastal South Carolina and into central to eastern North Carolina through Monday morning.
Flash, urban and small stream flooding, as well as isolated minor river flooding are also possible across these areas. The tropical storm has produced total rainfall of 5 to 10 inches with isolated 15 inch amounts observed in southeast Louisiana, southern Mississippi, southern Alabama, and the western Florida panhandle.
The NHC says the combination of storm surge and the tide will also cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline. Water levels are expected to reach as high as one to three feet between the North Carolina-Virginia border and Cape Lookout, North Carolina and one to two feet from Cape Lookout to Little River Inlet, South Carolina if the peak surge occurs at the time of high tide.
In addition, tropical winds are expected along portions of North Carolina’s coast and are possible in northeastern South Carolina late Sunday evening and Monday morning, where tropical storm watches are in effect. Isolated tornadoes are also possible Sunday evening across parts of the central and eastern Carolinas.
