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Tropical Storm Chantal: When will rainfall, floods, hit Carolinas? Officials issue warning
NOAA said Chantal is likely to stay asymmetric, and its strongest winds and rainfall could take place to the right of the landfall location.
Heavy rainfall could hit parts of the Carolinas on Saturday, July 5, with tropical storm Chantal having formed off the southeast coast of the United States. The National Hurricane Center in Miami has now issued tropical storm warnings for sections of both states. The center of the storm is approximately 95 miles (150 kilometers) southeast of Charleston, South Carolina, and 165 miles (270 kilometers) south-southwest of Wilmington, North Carolina.
The storm had maximum sustained winds of 45 mph (75 kph), The Mirror reported. It moved north at 7 mph (11 kph), and its core is predicted to cross the South Carolina coast late Saturday or early Sunday, July 6. Before the landfall, some additional strengthening is expected.
What we know so far
The coastal plain of the Carolinas could see heavy rainfall through Monday, July 7. A total rainfall of 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 centimeters) is predicted, and localized amounts could reach up to 6 inches. This could pose a threat of flash flooding too.
NOAA said Chantal is likely to stay asymmetric. Its strongest winds and rainfall could take place to the right of the landfall location. Tropical storm conditions in the warning area are expected to continue through Sunday morning.
Intense downpours could persist throughout parts of the Carolinas. Flash flooding threats continue to loom, especially in metropolitan areas. Per forecasts, over the next couple of days, Chantal could generate dangerous surf and deadly rip currents along coastlines from northeastern Florida to the Mid-Atlantic states.
The NWS has assured people that the tropical storm will not intensify into a hurricane, and there is no tornado threat either. Rainfall is likely to cause the most extensive effects, stretching from Florida up to the Delmarva Peninsula. 1-2 inches of precipitation could be expected in a wide swath.
Meanwhile, 2-4 inches of rain are likely to drench areas from North Carolina's Outer Banks to northern coastal South Carolina near where the strom’s center makes landfall. A concentrated zone between Wilmington, North Carolina, and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, is expected to receive 4-8 inches of rain.
Rain showers and blustery conditions could hit the midlands starting the evening of July 5. However, the National Weather Service anticipates "minimal impact" for the region, after studying this morning's Tropical Storm Chantal bulletin from NWS Columbia, SC, local news outlet The State reported.
A Lake Wind Advisory has been issued by meteorologists, running from 9 am to 8 pm on July 5. Gusts of wind could hit 20 to 30 mph throughout the area.
No tropical threats loom over Central South Carolina and the Central Savannah River regions. The highest chance of experiencing heavy rainfall on July 6 is faced by the far eastern Midlands and Pee Dee. These areas could be hit by winds reaching up to 35 mph on the same day.
"The heavy rainfall can lead to flooding, especially in low-lying and poor drainage areas," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Tyler Roys warned.
