UPDATE: The storm is now producing tropical-storm-force winds and tropical storm conditions are expected to reach the North Carolina Coast on Friday morning.
(WRIC) — Potential Tropical Cyclone 16 may turn into Tropical Storm Ophelia, but it will take a bit of time and development.
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the East Coast of the U.S. from southern North Carolina all the way to southern Delaware, as well as the Chesapeake Bay area south of North Beach and areas along the Potomac River.
A Storm Surge Warning is in effect from the northern Outer Banks to Virginia’s Eastern Shore, as well as the Chesapeake Bay area south of Windmill Point.
This storm is not expected to become an “official” tropical storm until tomorrow and the path of this system looks to be a little slower. Until the center of the system actually closes off into a circle, the timing of it will jump around a little bit.
The latest track from the National Hurricane Center brings the storm into North Carolina on Saturday afternoon and then east of Richmond and west of the bay just after midnight on Sunday.
In central Virginia, no matter what happens, we are going to get a good soaking of rain from Friday night through Saturday night. It won’t be a constant all-out deluge, but will come in surges.
We could see a break on Saturday morning before more heavy rain in the afternoon and evening. With the slower track of the storm, we could see the rains continuing for much of the night.
The rainfall forecast looks to be underdone east of us, but we are going to be in for a soaking.
