Tropical Depression This next weekend, much of the East Coast is expected to be hit by Ophelia, which is predicted to bring with it intense rainfall, powerful gusts, and even tornadoes in some areas.
Tropical Depression Early Saturday morning, Ophelia made landfall in North Carolina; however, its effects are already being felt hundreds of miles away in New Jersey with gusts of wind up to 50 mph and heavy rain. (Source: AccuWeather)
Tropical Storm Ophelia Made Landfall in North Carolina
It was about 6:15 a.m. Saturday morning Eastern Time when the storm made landfall in Emerald Isle, North Carolina as a powerful tropical storm with gusts of up to 70 mph. The storm was only four mph away from reaching hurricane strength. On Friday, a hurricane watch was issued for parts of eastern North Carolina because the storm is forecast to dump up to 10 inches of rain and may potentially disrupt numerous games being played in the NFL and MLS.
According to a remark from AccuWeather analyst Bernie Rayno, residents in coastal areas should take this storm seriously. This storm is expected to be extremely dangerous and powerful, according to weather forecasters. The storm is expected to cause life-threatening storm surges, high surf, and rip currents over the Mid-Atlantic region, which stretches from North Carolina to New Jersey, according to the National Hurricane Centre. The storm is also anticipated to bring with it a lot of rain to this area.
According to the National Weather Service, the rain brought by Ophelia is still making its way westward into the Piedmont Triad, but it is forecast to become much less intense when it comes into contact with the significantly drier air over the western Piedmont region.
