Tropical Storm Arthur to Pass Outer Banks of North Carolina

Tropical Storm Arthur

Tropical Storm Arthur is going to pass by the Outer Banks of North Carolina on Monday, May 18. Rain and gusty winds expected while the outer rainbands of the storm have already started brushing North Carolina coast.

The Tropical Storm Arthur is centered at more than 200 miles south-south of the Cape Hatteras. It is moving towards north-northeast and may create havoc. The storm is forecasted to gain strength while moving northeastward to a position close to or right at the east of the Outer Banks.

By May 19, the storm will go through a transition into the non-tropical low-pressure system off mid-Atlantic coast. The forecast has been announced by the National Hurricane Center.

Warning regarding Tropical Storm Arthur

There is a warning right for Eastern North Carolina, right from Surf City, Albemarle Sound, Pamlico, to Duck. The storm conditions higher winds that can be more than 39 mph. It can hit any time within the next 24 hours and create havoc.

The winds going over 39 mph will hit eastern North Carolina by Sunday night or early morning on Monday. It can potentially break trees and cause power outages.

The rain can total to 1-3 inches around eastern North Carolina right from Sunday night and stay all through Monday. It can also increase for the locals. The rainbands and winds from the storm can reach Virginia Tidewater and move to the Delmarva Peninsula by later Monday.

The Tropical Storm Arthur will generate swells from the eastern coast of Florida to Southeast and mid-Atlantic coasts. It will stay for a few days and can be life-threatening for surfs due to rip currents. Beach lovers are advised to keep away from the oceans until the storm passes. There is a possibility of minor flooding due to the surge of the storm around the low-lying places of eastern North Carolina.

Impacts of Arthur so far

Fort Lauderdale and Miami faced the heaviest rainfall due to the storm as the system curled around South Florida over this weekend. The rainfall was around 2 inches per hour and triggered flash flood warnings for Dade County. There was a lot of street flooding as reported by the National Weather Service. There was a severe thunderstorm, lightning, followed by gusty winds in the metro area on Saturday, May 16.

Preseason storms have become more common than before. The Tropical Storm Arthur is yet another example of how storms can come before the hurricane season that usually begins in June. This is the sixth one in a row to start early. It is advisable that you do not step out of your homes and just wait for the storm to pass. If you’re maintaining lockdown due to COVID-19 anyway, you might already be used to it. Make sure to keep away from the beaches as well.