Loosely organized storm drenching North Carolina with rain as it comes ashore

A tropical disturbance was causing life-threatening flash flooding and tropical storm-level conditions across parts of coastal North Carolina on Monday, weather officials said.

As of Monday afternoon the National Hurricane Center had not officially designated the system a tropical storm, because it was not well-organized enough and was forecast to lose strength as it moved over land.

Tropical storm conditions were nonetheless forecast for parts of North Carolina. A tropical storm warning was enacted Monday from South Santee River, South Carolina northward to Ocracoke Inlet, North Carolina. Winds were measured as high as 40 miles per hour.

The system was roughly 90 miles east-southeast of Charleston, South Carolina, moving north-northwest at about five miles per hour. It was forecast to reach the coast of North Carolina and move inland by Monday evening.

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The National Hurricane Center forecasts the system will bring storm surge flooding of as much as three feet in places. 4 to 8 inches of rain are expected across northeast South Carolina and southeast North Carolina, with some areas potentially seeing as much as 10 inches. Parts of Virginia could get 1 to 3 inches of rain through Wednesday.

Tornadoes may occur across North Carolina through Monday evening, forecasters said.

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More than a foot of rain-driven floodwater rose in areas south of Wilmington, North Carolina Monday. Some schools closed due to inclement weather and officials asked residents to stay home.

There were no major power outages in North Carolina on Monday afternoon.