A coastal storm will come ashore in SC Monday, then aim for NC. Here’s what to expect.

An Atlantic storm off the coast of South Carolina is expected to come ashore near Charleston Monday night before tracking slowly northward into North Carolina, forecasters say .

The system will bring rain, coastal flooding and rough surf from Cape Fear to Ocracoke, but also could bring tropical storm-like conditions along a path roughly from Charlotte to Mount Airy.

The Triangle area could see more than two inches of rain and gusty winds as the storm slowly churns through.

Forecasters say showers and thunderstorms are possible through Wednesday, after the storm leaves North Carolina, but the heaviest rain and strongest winds will come Monday and Monday night.

Where is the storm now?

Monday morning, the storm was about 85 miles south of Cape Fear and drifting to the northwest at less than 3.5 mph. The National Hurricane Center still described it as a low-pressure system, not a tropical storm or cyclone, because it didn’t have all the characteristics of a tropical storm.

If it gets more organized, it could become Tropical Storm Helene .

The National Hurricane Center said the storm could strengthen slightly as it moves slowly to the north-northwest before making landfall Monday night. Forecasters say it will weaken as it moves over land, but will move slowly, dropping heavy rain as it goes.

What impact will the storm have in North Carolina?

The center of the storm won’t cross into North Carolina until midday Tuesday, according to the Hurricane Center’s forecast map.

However, the coast and the Piedmont will feel effects of the storm from Monday until Wednesday morning .

Between midnight and noon on Monday, Carolina Beach, south of Wilmington, already had received more than 8 inches of rain , according to the National Weather Service , enough to fill some streets with waist-deep water.

The National Weather Service’s Wilmington office said on Facebook that some local residents’ rain gauges showed more than 15 inches of rain from the storm.

Christina Howard, who works at Carolina Beach Realty in an office on a relatively high spot on the island, said lower-lying areas had been inundated.

“If you had a Honda Accord, the water would be pretty much up to the windows in some places,” she said. “Even here at our office, I thought it was just going to surf itself right in.”

Here are some of the rain and wind forecasts for North Carolina cities and towns:

▪ Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill : Rain likely after 12 p.m. Monday, with wind gusts up to 31 mph. Heavier rain expected Monday night , with up to 2 inches possible along with wind gusts of up to 34 mph.

▪ Wilmington : Three to 4 inches of rain possible before 7 p.m. Monday and wind gusts up to 33 mph. At New Hanover County beaches, waves are expected to run 6 to 9 feet in the surf zone through Tuesday night. Coastal flooding is possible. Minor flooding should be expected along shorelines and tidal waterways, including along the Cape Fear River downtown.

▪ Cape Hatteras : Showers and thunderstorms Monday with wind gusts up to to 37 mph. Another 1 to 2 inches of rain possible on Tuesday. High surf and coastal flooding advisories are in place through Tuesday morning.

▪ Charlotte : Rain is expected to start after 2 p.m. Monday. Heaviest rain will be Monday night with up to 3 inches possible and wind gusts of up to 44 mph.

▪ Winston-Salem : Rain likely after 2 p.m. Monday with heaviest rainfall Monday night, up to 2 inches. Wind gusts could be up to 36 mph.

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