Tropical Storm Chantal forms, forecast to reach Carolinas by Sunday
July 5 (UPI) -- Tropical Storm Chantal formed in the Atlantic on Saturday morning and is projected to reach South Carolina and North Carolina on Sunday, the National Hurricane Center said.
Chantal, the third named storm of the season, will be the first system to impact the United States this Atlantic hurricane season, which began June 1.
"As tropical cyclones go, this storm will be relatively minor and short-lived," Frank Strait, severe weather liaison with the South Carolina State Climate Office, told the Island Packet.
In the 2 p.m. EDT update, Chantal had maximum sustained winds of 45 mph and was traveling northward at 3 mph. In the 11 a.m. update, the winds were 40 mph.
The storm became a tropical depression Friday night off the coasts of Northeast Florida and Georgia.
Chantal was about 105 miles south-southeast of Charleston, S.C., and about 185 miles south-southwest of Wilmington, N.C.
A tropical storm warning is in effect for the South Santee River, S.C., to Surf City, N.C. A tropical storm watch goes from Edisto Beach to South Santee River.
Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 105 miles east of the center.
"Chantal has barely moved since last night, but a motion to the north-northwest is expected to begin soon," NHC forecasters said. "The main steering features appear to be a mid- to upper-level low over the Gulf and a narrow mid-level ridge across the mid-Atlantic region."
Some strengthening is expected before Chantal reaches the coast, NHC said.
A turn to the northeast is forecast by Sunday night, NHC said. On the forecast track, the center of Chantal is expected to move across South Carolina's coast Sunday morning.
Chantal is expected to produce heavy rainfall in the Carolinas through Monday with 2 to 4 inches and local amounts of 6 inches. NHC said these rains could cause flash flooding
"The combination of storm surge and tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline," NHC said.
Storm surge is forecast at 1-3 feet from South Santee River to Surf City and 1-2 feet from Edisto Beach to South Santee River.
Also, isolated tornadoes are possible Saturday night into Sunday along South Carolina's eastern coast and much of North Carolina, NHC said.
"This was a classic example of homegrown development, by which a tropical storm formed close to the southeast Atlantic coast and in an area where it is typical for July," AccuWeather Lead Hurricane Expert Alex DaSilva said.
Andrea and Barry, the first two named systems of the Atlantic hurricane season, have dissipated.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
So long Chantal. Hello again, heat.
Chantal is moving away from Hampton Roads, but the heat is back. The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday for the entire region, including Hampton Roads, the Eastern Shore, Middle Peninsula and northeast North Carolina. Heat index values could reach 105 degrees or higher. Also beginning Tuesday, forecasters say we could see afternoon and evening showers and thunderstorms through the end of the week. These storms likely won't be too dangerous, but there are some low-end threats of damaging wind and flooding. These types of storms are normal for July, forecasters note. There is also a moderate threat of rip currents Tuesday across our beaches. To stay safe in the heat, health experts said, do the following: Drink water — don't just wait until you're thirsty Stay cool — try and stay inside in some air conditioning Limit physical activity — if you need to do things outdoors, trying doing them at the coolest times of day like in the early morning or evening Dress for the weather — wear loose and lightweight clothing as well as lots of sunscreen, which should be reapplied regularly Stay informed — tune into local forecasts and check the weather before activities Don't leave pets or children in cars — temperatures in cars quickly rise to being about 20 degrees warmer than outside; leave windows cracked Check on others — especially the elderly; know the signs of heat-related illness and make sure pets are attended to
UPI
2 hours ago
- UPI
Texas flooding death toll more than 100 as searches continue
1 of 4 | An aerial view shows the wreckage left in the wake of the flooding in Kerr County, Texas, on Sunday. U.S. Coast Guard MH-65 helicopters have conducted multiple flights to the flooded area, rescuing 15 campers from Camp Mystic in Hunt and aiding in the evacuation of 230 people. Photo via U.S. Coast Guard | License Photo July 7 (UPI) -- The death toll from historic flooding in Texas' Hill Country rose to 104 Monday as Camp Mystic girls summer camp confirmed 27 campers and counselors died. Several other people remain missing. In the torrential rainfall that began early Thursday, the Guadalupe River in Kerr County rose 20 feet in just two hours, 65 miles north of San Antonio and 101 miles west of Austin. Hunt, where the girls camp is located near Kerrville, received about 6.5 inches in three hours early Friday. And the area was hit with more rain over the weekend and Monday. But drier weather is forecast for Tuesday as the Guadalupe River has returned to more typical levels. The Llano River and San Saba River also dramatically rose. Eighty-four of the confirmed deaths, 56 adults and 28 children, occurred in Kerr County, Sheriff Larry Leitha said at a news conference Monday. Of the bodies, 22 adults and 10 children have not been identified. "We share our deepest condolences with all affected by this tragedy," a post by the sherif's office said. "We ask private boat owners to stay off the Guadalupe River and its tributaries at this time to allow search and rescue teams to operate without interference." Travis County, which includes the state capital in Austin, has confirmed at least seven deaths. Also, four people are dead in Burnet County, six in Kendall County, two in Williamson County and one in Tom Green County. All-out searches are continuing. "There's always hope," Jake Stovall, founder and director of Gulf Search and Rescue, told CNN about his all-volunteer crew of nine. "I've done this long enough. I've found people four days later and 20 foot up in a tree, clinging into the tree, dehydrated ... We're out here trying to find everybody alive, and if we find them deceased, then we, respectfully and with dignity, recover them." Flooding inundates campgrounds Camp Mystic, which is near the Guadalupe River, had about 750 campers when the flooding hit. At least 10 girls and a counselor are missing, Leitha said. "Our hearts are broken alongside our families that are enduring this unimaginable tragedy. We are praying for them constantly," the camp said in a statement. "We have been in communication with local and state authorities who are tirelessly deploying extensive resources to search for our missing girls. We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of support from community, first responders, and officials at every level." Buildings were destroyed, and furniture and toys were strewn on the ground. The camp opened 99 years ago, and the owner and director Dick Eastland, 74, died while trying to save girls at the camp, according to CBS News. First Lady Laura Bush was a drama counselor at Camp Mystic. A Camp Mystic counselor helped evacuate 14 of her campers early Friday morning. Emma Foltz, from Alexandria, La., was recognized by Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry in a post on Instagram. Two other summer camps on the river, Camp Waldemar and Camp La Junta, reported all their campers were safe. Gov. Jim Abbott visited the Mystic site on Saturday. "Today I visited Camp Mystic. It, and the river running beside it, were horrendously ravaged in ways unlike I've seen in any natural disaster," Abbott wrote on X. "The height the rushing water reached to the top of cabins was shocking. We won't stop until we find every girl who was in those cabins." Abbott said efforts will continue until all people are accounted for, including thoroughly searching the Guadalupe River. Disaster declaration President Donald Trump signed an emergency declaration on Sunday after Gov. Greg Abbott declared 20 counties as affected over the weekend. The declaration authorizes the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency to free up additional resources to assist with the response to the flooding. The declaration will ensure the counties "are going to have access to every tool, strategy, personnel that the state of Texas can provide to them, which will be limitless," Abbot said. More than 20 states have sent resources, including Florida, where Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered three swift-water rescue teams to the Lone Star state. A water rescue crew and two horseback riders arrived Monday from Mexico, as well. Also, 1,750 personnel and more than 975 vehicles have been deployed, the governor said in a statement. Trump told reporters Sunday he plans to visit Texas "probably on Friday." Rescue efforts More than 850 uninjured people and eight hurt were rescued in Kerr County. The U.S. Coast Guard was responsible for saving 223 people. U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem posted video of rescues. She singled out Chief Petty Officer Scott Ruskin, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer, who "saved an astonishing 165 victims in the devastating flooding in central Texas. This was the first rescue mission of his career and he was the only triage coordinator at the scene." HHS oversees FEMA. Flood alerts The National Weather Service issued flood warnings for Hill County on Thursday night. Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring Jr. told CNN that he didn't receive a warning. "The map was all the way from Kerr County to Val Verde County; hundreds of miles and we were the very edge of that map," Herring said. "And even if we were on the edge of the map, if it had hit five miles to the west, you'd be in Real County right now, because the water would have all rushed to Real County." He said he got a call from City Manager Dalton Rice around 5:30 a.m. In downtown, "it was already, our Louis Hays Park, was already inundated. That was the first time I knew." Warnings were about as reliable as expected, independent meteorologists and a former NWS official told NBC News. They said predicting extreme rain and flash flooding several hours ahead of time is challenging. "The forecasting was good. The warnings were good. It's always about getting people to receive the message," Chris Vagasky, a meteorologist based in Wisconsin. "It appears that is one of the biggest contributors -- that last mile." Though NWS offices have been understaffed because of cutbacks, the meteorologists said they didn't think it was a factor. "The original forecast that we received on Wednesday from the National Weather Service predicted 3 to 6 inches of rain in the Concho Valley and 4 to 8 inches of rain in the Hill Country," Texas Emergency Management Chief W. Nim Kidd said at a news conference Friday. "The amount of rain that fell in this specific location was never in any of those forecasts nonetheless." Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, a Republican, said that, in retrospect, people in flood-prone areas should have been evacuated. "Everyone would agree, in hindsight, if we could go back and do it again, we would evacuate," Cruz said. "Particularly those in the most vulnerable areas -- the young children in the cabins closest to the water, we would remove them and get them to higher ground, if we could go back and do it again."
3 hours ago
Why the rain that caused Texas flash flooding was so extreme
The torrential rain that turned a river in Texas into a raging wall of water was fueled by unique atmospheric conditions, according to meteorologists and climate scientists. On Friday, heavy rain pounded the region, causing the Guadalupe River in Kerr County to rise 26 feet in less than an hour -- the second-highest on record, officials said. "Extraordinary" rainfall rates of 2 to 4 inches per hour in some areas -- such as Kerr County and Mason County -- equated to up to 18 inches in some spots, Marshall Shepherd, director of the Atmospheric Sciences Program at the University of Georgia and former president of the American Meteorological Society, told ABC News. Atmospheric conditions in place over the Southern Plains at the time favored slow-moving thunderstorms, which increased the odds of heavy rain and flash flooding due to the ability for thunderstorms to remain over the same area for hours. In addition, the region favors heavy rainfall events. The atmospheric conditions were further enhanced by an abundant amount of tropical moisture coming from several sources: the Gulf, monsoonal moisture from the eastern Pacific and remnant moisture from Tropical Storm Barry, which made landfall on the east coast of Mexico on June 29. While the weak system quickly dissipated as it tracked inland, its remnant circulation continued to quietly linger up north toward the Texas-Mexico border, bringing some tropical moisture from the Bay of Campeche up to Texas. An extremely high level of atmospheric moisture over the region provided ample fuel for persistent torrential rain and extreme totals. There were "some very clear meteorological signals," such as a tilted trough and a mesoscale convective vortex, that contributed to the extreme precipitation, Shepherd said. The mesoscale convective vortex essentially spun the remnants of the tropical system, causing significant ascent or rising motion to activate that moisture into condensation and precipitation in an efficient manner, according to Shepherd. As a result, there were "very extreme" precipitable water values, which is the measure of how much water would contend to be rained out of a column. It's one of the "telltale signals" that meteorologists look for in flooding events, he noted. "Those are sort of the worst-case ingredients, from a meteorological standpoint," Shepherd said. One of the "clearest impacts" of climate change will be more frequent heavy rainfall events, like what happened in Texas over the weekend, Jennifer Francis, an atmospheric scientist at the Woodwell Climate Research Center, told ABC News. "Extra heat-trapping gases in the air that mostly come from burning fossil fuels, are warming the atmosphere and oceans," Francis said. Human-amplified climate change is causing extreme rainfall events to become more frequent and more intense, according to the U.S. Fifth National Climate Assessment, a breakdown of the latest in climate science by 14 different federal agencies, published in November 2023. More intense extreme rainfall events also increase the frequency and scale of flash flooding as the influx of water is more than our infrastructure was built to handle. Human-amplified climate change has contributed to increases in the frequency and intensity of the heaviest precipitation events across nearly 70% of the U.S., according to the climate assessment. While Texas is no stranger to heavy rains and floods, they will only worsen as heat-trapping greenhouse gases continue to be emitted into the atmosphere, Francis said. "We know that climate change is supercharging extreme rainfall and raising the risk of flash flooding events like we saw in Texas," Rachel Cleetus, policy director and lead economist for the climate and energy program at the Union of Concerned Scientists, told ABC News. As a result, the Gulf has heated up "dramatically" in recent decades, Francis said. "That warmer water evaporates more moisture into the air, providing more moisture and energy for any storms that come along," she said.
