Eastern NC, coastal towns prepare for rain, storm surge from tropical storm

Potential Tropical Cyclone 16 will strengthen into Tropical Storm Ophelia on Friday, bringing tropical storm conditions and heavy rain to our coast Friday afternoon through Saturday.

Locally, we will see rain, breezy winds and some storms before the storm makes landfall at the coast Saturday morning. Impacts in the Triangle will be isolated, but a tropical storm warning is already in effect for some counties east of Raleigh, where rain was already falling at noon.

Get a live look at conditions in Wrightsville Beach

Timeline of potential tropical cyclone

At noon rain was pushing into eastern North Carolina. Heavier rain and strong winds will arrive in the Triangle on Friday by 7 p.m., according to WRAL meteorologist Elizabeth Gardner.

A WRAL Weather Alert Day begins Friday at 7 p.m. and lasts until 3 p.m. Saturday.

Counties east of the Triangle are under a Level 1 out of 5 risk for severe storms, and a Level 2 threat is in place at the coast. Flooding and power outages will be possible east of the Triangle toward the coast both Friday and Saturday.

Fayetteville preps for heavy rain

Tropical storm warnings and flood watches are in effect for some counties east of the Triangle, including Edgecombe, Halifax, Nash, Sampson, Wilson and Wayne counties, where up to 4 inches of rain will be possible. In Fayetteville and the Triangle, we’re expected to get 1 to 2 inches of rain.

WRAL Fayetteville Reporter Gilbert Baez spoke with emergency management teams in Cumberland County, who said they are monitoring the system and will make adjustments as the weather dictates.

Forecasters are not predicting any major river flooding from the potential tropical cyclone. At the Cape Fear River, the water level was nowhere near flood stage at noon of Friday.

Gene Booth, Cumberland County’s Emergency Management Director, said flash flooding caused by heavy downpours will be the largest threat.

“The biggest concern would be your typical flash flood … low-lying areas that [experience flooding] even during a normal spring or summertime thunderstorm,” Booth said, listing areas around Ramsey Street, Martin Luther King Jr. Freeway. “Those areas typically have street-level flooding.”

Cumberland County has not yet planned to open any shelters now or its main emergency operations center, but Booth said operations are on standby and can become operational very quickly depending on the weather.

Events postponed or canceled

WRAL News is tracking a busy weekend of Triangle events, many which could be impacted by the rain.

Events happening rain or shine:

• Benson Mule Days
• Fayetteville International Folk Festival
• Party in the Peak in Apex

Events canceled:

• Morrisville International Festival
• 4th Friday’s Fiesta Latina in Fayetteville
• Emerald Isle Beach Music Festival

In eastern North Carolina, organizers of the Beaufort Pirate Invasion are closely tracking the storm.  

The annual event draws up to 15,000 people for the festival and reenactments, but Beaufort is right in the path where WRAL meteorologists predict the potential tropical storm could make landfall, bringing wind gusts up to 70 mph and 5 feet of storm surge.

Organizers said they have around 100 performers camping out at the site, and they’ve already had to postpone the start of the event to Saturday.

They’re monitoring conditions now, hoping they won’t have to cancel the event entirely.

“Typically we always get a thunderstorm, and we’re always expecting possible rainstorms,” said Carl Cannon, event CEO. “But this may be our biggest storm that we’ve ever had actually hit.”

Festival organizers said there is an evacuation plan for performers at the festival site, but they are hoping the weather allows them to start the festival by Saturday afternoon.