Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

From Chris Newkirk, Beaufort County Emergency Services:

As expected, the approaching tropical system continues to develop at a very fast pace. The morning’s update expanded the forecasted impacts into our state and once again increased our expected wind conditions. Changes to forecasted conditions for Beaufort County have been highlighted below.

Rain

• Rain will continue to move into our area this morning, with widespread rain likely by 11am. These rain conditions are expected to continue through 2pm Saturday with most areas receiving 3 to 4 inches.
  • Areas along the Pungo River and east of Aurora may see locally higher amounts of 4 to 6 inches.
• Our heaviest rains are expected to occur between 2am and 2pm Saturday.

Winds

• North and Northeast winds will continue to increase this morning becoming sustained between 15 and 25 mph with frequent gust of 25 to 35 mph by noon.  These wind conditions are expected to continue 7am Saturday morning.
• Our highest winds are expected to occur between 8am and noon tomorrow, as the center of the storm approaches our area. Sustained winds are expected to increase to 25+ mph with frequent gust of 35+ likely.
  • Areas along our county’s shorelines and adjacent to vast open farmlands could experience sustained winds of 30 to 40 mph with frequent gust of 40 to 50 possible. This will be especially true for areas along the Pungo River, as well as the Terra Ceia and Hickory Point communities.
• Winds will begin to transition to the West around 4pm Saturday and remain sustain between 15 and 20 mph with frequent gust of 20 to 30 mph through 11pm Saturday night.

Storm Surge

Our waterways are forecasted to receive 3 to 5 feet of storm surge Friday night through mid-day Saturday.

 

*For anyone planning to attend ECU’s home opener in Greenville on Saturday, the current game time forecast is as follows:

• Greenville is expected to receive it’s heaviest rains between 8am and 1pm Saturday. However, rain chances will begin to diminish around 2pm, with 1 tenth of an inch expected between 2pm and 7pm.
• Sustained west winds between 10 and 20 mph with gust of 20 to 25 mph are expected between 2pm and 10pm.*

Please see below and attached briefing from the National Weather Service for additional information. You can also view a recording of this morning’s NWS briefing using the following link.

• 9 AM Webinar: https://youtu.be/x1wLD3Ooerk

This will be the final update pertaining to this storm system. We encourage everyone to monitor your local media outlets for additional information and we ask that you assist us by ensuring you, your family, friends and neighbors have a way of being alerted to any watches and / or warnings that may be issued during the overnight hours tonight.

 

From the National Weather Service, Morehead City:

Attached is the latest briefing on Potential Tropical Cyclone Sixteen. Tropical Storm Warnings have been expanded westward with this update to include Duplin County. Rainfall amounts have not changed, but we tried to highlight the greatest areas of flood risk.

Our biggest concerns remain the potential for storm surge, strong winds (especially near the coast and over the waters) and localized heavy rain. Refer to www.weather.gov/mhx/tropical for more information.

 

NWS Morehead City Briefing #5 Potential Tropical Cyclone Sixteen (1)