Potential tropical system takes aim at the Carolinas, hurricane center says

The National Hurricane Center issued a tropical storm warning for a system as it approached the Carolina coast on Monday while Tropical Depression Gordon lost steam in the Atlantic.

As of the NHC’s 2 p.m. advisory, what was called Potential Tropical Cyclone Eight, was located about 60 miles south-southwest of Cape Fear, North Carolina and 90 miles east-northeast of Charleston, South Carolina with sustained winds that had dropped to 40 mph as it headed north-northwest at 5 mph.

That’s lower than the 50 mph sustained winds recorded earlier Monday that also sent gusts up to 67 mph along the North Carolina coast. Tropical-storm-force winds still extended out up to 175 miles from the system’s center.

Chances the system would form into Tropical Storm Helene or a tropical depression before landfall were dropped to only 10% as of 2 p.m.

The NHC had issued a tropical storm warning Sunday that remained in place Monday afternoon from South Santee Island, S.C. north to Ocracoke Inlet, N.C.

It was projected to continue its northwestern, but slow march and reach the coast of South Carolina on Monday evening and then move inland across the Carolinas through Wednesday.

“Continued weakening is expected during the next day or so, especially after the system moves inland. The low is forecast to dissipate over the Carolinas by early Wednesday,” forecasters said.

The system still was forecast to bring 1-3 feet of storm surge from the South Santee River, S.C. to Oregon Inlet, N.C as well as the Neuse, Bay, Pamlico and Pungo rivers.

And 4-8 inches with some areas getting as much as 10 inches of rain is forecast across portions of northeast South Carolina into southeast North Carolina into Monday night and another 2-4 inches with some isolated areas getting up to 6 inches across the remainder of North Carolina through Tuesday.

Another 1-3 inches are forecast for Virginia through Wednesday, rainfall that could lead to flash and urban flooding as well as minor river flooding, the NHC stated.

There was also a threat of tornadoes through Monday evening across the eastern North Carolina.

Meanwhile in the Atlantic, what had been Tropical Storm Gordon lost steam, but remains a tropical depression.

As of the NHC’s 11 a.m. advisory, the system was located 9850 miles east of the northern Leeward Islands with 35 mph sustained winds as it moves west at 7 mph.

“A westward motion is expected during the next day or so, with Gordon forecast to slow down considerably through the middle of the
week,” forecasters said. “Little change in strength is forecast during the next 48 hours.”

It is no threat to land.

The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season has so far produced four hurricanes and three tropical storms with the potential for a fourth. The season runs from June 1-Nov. 30.