(WRIC) — Precipitation and winds from Tropical Storm Ophelia have begun to hit Virginia and the storm is expected to affect the Commonwealth for at least the next 36 hours.
As of 5 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 22, the storm was located about 120 miles southeast of the Wilmington, North Carolina area with sustained winds of up to 70 miles per hour. It is estimated that the storm is currently moving north-northwest at a speed of 13 miles per hour.
The storm is expected to strengthen and make landfall Saturday morning near Morehead City, North Carolina with winds of up to 60 miles per hour.
The system will then enter Virginia tomorrow evening and roll north through the state, more or less along I-95, crossing over us after midnight and then getting to Washington D.C. as a Tropical Depression on Sunday morning.
Tropical Storm Warnings are in effect along the bay and coastline (In orange). Much of the same area is also under a Storm Surge or Coastal Flood Warning. Inland, due to the heavy rain, a Flood Watch is in effect (green).
Wind and rain are going to be the story with system as wind could gust to around 40 miles per hour here in the Richmond area and up to 50 miles per hour or a little above along the coastline.
Rainfall amounts are expected to be 3-5 inches over much of the area. That could lead to some minor flooding, but it will be coming in waves and will be spread out over a long period of time.
Winds in the Richmond area will pick up overnight and peak at midday tomorrow, then start to drop when the center of the storm passes to our north will continue to drop Sunday.
The rain will come into the area and pass us in several waves. The first good surge will be overnight into early tomorrow morning.
Watch for a break in the morning, then the heaviest of the rain will be coming in as we head into the afternoon and evening hours. Once the storm reaches us, we will be on the drier side of the system, allowing for clouds over us.
Sunday will be mostly cloudy with lingering showers possible in the area.
