Potential tropical system could bring floods, high winds to NC coast
It’s becoming more and more likely that a subtropical system will form in the Atlantic this weekend.
WRAL meteorologist Peta Sherwood said Saturday morning that the latest model updates show the system moving closer to the coast of North Carolina.
She says it will likely not make landfall in North Carolina, but coastal communities could see high winds and some flooding late into the weekend and into next week.
On Sunday night, the coast could see up to 40 mile per hour winds. That’s probably as strong as the winds will get, WRAL meterorologist Elizabeth Gardner said. But, it could still cause some severe erosion on the Outer Banks.
The system looks likey to strengthen Sunday night and into Monday and could create a high rip current danger at North Carolina beaches this weekend as it moves northeast.
Beaches near Atlantic Beach will see the highest threat for rip currents. Other beaches along the coast have a “moderate” risk for the currents.
“If you go to the beach, you need to be careful,” Gardner said.
If this system becomes a tropical storm, the first of the season, it would be named Arthur and would mark the sixth year in a row that a named system formed in the Atlantic before the official start of hurricane season on June 1.
The forecast track takes the system from the Bahamas and northeast, staying off the coast of the southeastern United States.
The system has a 70% chance of forming over the next 72 hours and a 90% change of reaching tropical storm strength by Thursday.
A cold front that will come in and push the high-pressure, subtropical system to the east could also bring some rain to North Carolina on Monday and Tuesday, Gardner said.
Because of that front, plan to see some cooler temperatures when the cold front does come in.
Even though the system is forming, we are still going to see a trend of warmer weather as we head into the weekend. Saturday’s temperatures will be inching toward the 90s.