Tropical Storm Chantal strikes Carolina coast
As of the National Hurricane Center's 11 a.m. advisory, the storm had diminished into a tropical depression with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph as it moved into eastern North Carolina. It was located about 20 miles southwest of Lumberton and 80 miles west of Wilmington, N.C., moving north at 9 mph.
"A turn toward the northeast is expected this evening and that motion should continue into Monday. On the forecast track, the center of Chantal is expected to move over eastern North Carolina through tonight," forecasters said. "Additional weakening is expected during the next 24 hours, and the system is expected to degenerate into a trough of low pressure on Monday."
The storm is forecast to drop 2-4 inches of rain, with some areas getting up to 6 inches over portions northeastern South Carolina today and across portions of North Carolina through Monday, bringing with it a threat for flooding.
"An isolated tornado or two is possible today over parts of eastern North Carolina," the NHC warned.
Rough surf and rip currents are a threat from northeastern Florida to the mid-Atlantic into Monday.
Chantal was the first storm of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season to strike the United States.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasts 13 to 19 named storms this year, of which 6-10 will become hurricanes. Three to five of those would grow into major hurricanes of Category 3 strength or higher.
Hurricane season runs June 1-Nov. 30.
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Yahoo
5 hours 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
Miami Herald
8 hours ago
- Miami Herald
In Texas, Florida and across the globe, warmer climate makes flooding ‘more unprecedented'
As the Texas flooding death toll reached 95 on Monday — at least 27 of them children — and Tropical Storm Chantal prompted dozens of water rescues in North Carolina, some Floridians were reminded of the disastrous 'rain bomb' in 2023 that hit faster and harder than any hurricane in living memory. Though no one died from the 2 feet of rain that deluged Fort Lauderdale in a single day in April two years ago, the relentless rain forced hundreds to flee to Red Cross shelters, covered airport runways, filled the tunnel that runs under the New River and turned downtown streets into raging rivers. And, despite the sheer speed with which these floods took people by surprise, they have another thing in common: Climate change made them even more catastrophic. While the tropical system stuck over Texas' Hill Country — also known as 'Flash Flood Alley' — was expected to cause flooding, 'we also know that climate change is adding just a little bit of extra rain,' Shel Winkley, who worked as a broadcast meteorologist for a CBS-affiliate in Texas, told the Miami Herald. Overall, the climate is now 1.3 degrees Celsius warmer than before humans started burning fossil fuels, which releases greenhouse gases that trap heat within the atmosphere. The warmer the atmosphere, the more moisture it can hold, and, consequently, release. Heavier rainfalls likely made the Texas flooding 'even more unprecedented,' said Winkley, who taught at Texas A&M University. 'The question is, would it have come down as fast, and would the river have risen as quickly as it did, without that climate change influence?' Using a rapid analysis to show how the floods are linked to climate change, scientists in Europe determined that warmer weather fueled the Texas disaster as overall weather conditions in that specific region had gotten wetter compared to the past. The severity of the event, they said, can't be explained by naturally occurring changes to the climate and weather. Research by Climate Central, a nonprofit science and communications group, also found that, over the past 50 years, rainfall has become heavier in cities like San Antonio, some 60 miles south of the worst flooding, with rainfalls now increased by 6 percent. In Miami, Climate Central's analysis, which is based on NOAA data, found that the hourly rainfall intensity increased by 12 percent. Both Florida and Texas are adversely affected because they lie on the Gulf of Mexico, which is currently between 2 to 3 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than the average for the beginning of July, conditions that are 10 to 30 times more likely because of climate change. This extra heat has given more water molecules the energy they need to 'escape' from the surface and evaporate into the atmosphere, where they're supplying additional moisture, which makes rainfall more intense. 'Climate change loads the dice toward more frequent and more intense floods,' Davide Farranda, an expert on extreme weather events at the French National Center for Scientific Research, said in a statement, adding that the Texas flood 'shows the deadly cost of underestimating this shift.' 'We need to rethink early warning systems, land-use planning, and emergency preparedness. And above all, we must reduce greenhouse gas emissions to limit future risks,' he said. While cutting greenhouse gas emissions is the only proven solution that can stop things from getting even worse, our atmosphere and oceans react slowly to the CO2 we're emitting. The impact of the fossil fuels burnt today will be felt in decades to come. That makes adaptation a necessity, especially in places like South Florida, where a lot of infrastructure dates back to the 1950s. 'These extreme events are likely to become more frequent,' said Ben Kirtman, an atmospheric scientist at the University of Miami, referring to the 2023 rain bomb, which overwhelmed Fort Lauderdale with such a sudden deluge that schools had to shut down for two days. A 1-in-500-year flood, he said, referring to a flood that, statistically speaking, is so devastating it occurs once every 500 years, 'that will maybe be a 1-in-a-100-year flood, or a 1-in-20-year flood,' Kirtman said. Cities, he said, need to know what to plan for, so infrastructure can be hardened, and at least some catastrophes can be avoided. Figuring out not just how much rainfall we can expect, but also the frequency and duration of rainfall is exactly what Kirtman and colleagues from across Florida, including the US Geological Service, are trying to figure out. Six inches of rainfall might not be a lot for a city like Miami, but it wouldn't be able to handle six inches of rain over three, four or five days. Within a year, he and his colleagues hope to have some preliminary data. Even with that data, keeping people and properties safe from ever heavier flooding can simply prove too costly. Miami, for example, would have had to pay $5.1 billion to upgrade its infrastructure for a 1-in-10-year storm, an extra $1.3 billion compared to adapting for a 1-in-5-year storm. The city tried to find a middle ground, upgrading some projects to higher and others to lower levels. 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New York Post
8 hours ago
- New York Post
2 missing after canoeing on lake as Tropical Storm Chantal struck North Carolina
Two North Carolinians are missing after they paddled a canoe onto a lake as Tropical Storm Chantal lashed the southern states over the weekend. The two men were seen launching their canoe from a boat ramp on Jordan Lake around 5 p.m. Sunday as the storm was dumping upward of 10 inches of rain in parts of the Tar Heel State, causing severe flooding across nearby Chapel Hill, Durham and Chatham County. The two have not yet been identified, but earlier reports indicated they may be brothers. Advertisement Chantal was south of Lake Jordan as the boaters took to the water, but headed straight toward them — and soon passed directly overhead. 4 One of numerous roads in Chatham County that was destroyed during Tropical Storm Chantal flooding on Sunday. Chatham County Sheriffs Office Their canoe was found that evening, prompting the Chatham County Sheriff's Office to launch a search-and-rescue operation, but no other sign of them has turned up since, WRAL reported. Advertisement 'We are doing everything we can to bring these individuals home,' said Chatham County Sheriff Mike Roberson in a statement. 'Our hearts are with their loved ones during this difficult time, and we are grateful for the assistance from our neighboring agencies,' he added, with officials also cautioning that Jordan Lake can quickly become dangerous. 'You can get white caps on Jordan Lake. That water can get very choppy. It looks calm now, but it's treacherous,' said CCSO Chief Deputy Steve Maynor. 'There's debris in this water. Can't see it until you hit it. It knocks your boat over, or kayak. Can damage a motorboat. We ask that you stay out of it.' The search for the missing canoers resumed Monday morning, with boats being dispatched to scan the lake for any signs of the brothers. Advertisement 4 The Chatham County Sheriff's Office dispatched boats to sweep Jordan Lake for any sign of the missing canoers. Chatham County Sheriffs Office Tropical Storm Chantal made landfall in South Carolina as a tropical depression around 4 a.m. Sunday, and spent the day barreling up the heart of the Carolinas. About two months' worth of rain was dumped in a matter of hours in some places, according to the Washington Post, leaving swaths of the unsuspecting countryside in chaos as rivers overflowed and tornadoes tore up trees and buildings. Only one death has been reported so far after 83-year-old Sandra Portnoy Hirschman was found dead in her car in Chatham County. She apparently drove into floodwaters and was swept away, with her vehicle coming to a rest about 100 feet from the road, according to WTVD. Advertisement 4 Stores and homes across Chapel Hill were swamped by the rainfall and flooding from Chantal Sunday. AP About 80 people had to be rescued from their homes by boat in Durham County when the Eno River overflowed, while dozens of evacuations were ordered throughout the region. Orange County, where Chapel Hill is located, remains in a state of emergency as roads lay ruined and rivers and creeks continue to course dangerously as the floodwaters recede. More than 100 roads have been flooded throughout the region, with many torn apart by the running waters and others covered in downed trees. 4 Chantal made landfall as a tropical depression early Sunday morning before heading toward Virginia and New Jersey. AP Chapel Hill saw severe flooding, with storefronts, homes and cars swamped in water. Chantal began moving north through Virginia on Monday toward Washington, DC, Maryland and Delaware, and officials have cautioned that more flooding could be a danger across parts of its path. New Jersey is also expected to see rainfall and winds from the storm beginning Monday, with up to 5 inches possible around Trenton and Princeton, reported. Advertisement Chantal is forecast to head out to sea over Delaware and southern New Jersey, but Long Island and Massachusetts' coast could still be struck by 40 mph winds. The storm's damage comes less than a year after Hurricane Helene caused devastating flooding and more than 100 deaths across North Carolina and Appalachia. Last week's torrential rains and flooding have left at least 95 people dead so far, officials said Monday. With Post wires
