A storm that intensified this weekend and hit Florida with strong winds and rain is tearing up the East Coast, posing a threat to travel disruptions, hazardous surf, flooding, and power outages.
The National Weather Service office in Wilmington, North Carolina, reports that there were over 12 inches of rain on Sunday in the Georgetown, South Carolina, area. Other Southeast cities that received significant precipitation were Gainesville, Florida, which received 7.3 inches; Jacksonville, Florida, received 5.70 inches; and Clemson, South Carolina, received 3.94 inches.
Just west of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, witnesses reported seeing one unconfirmed tornado, however, there were no immediate reports of casualties.
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According to the weather service, strong winds in Charleston Harbor on Sunday caused tides to reach the height of 9.86 feet and this was significantly higher than the highest tide for a non-tropical system and the fourth-highest tidal for the area on record. “Widespread dangerous flooding continues,” the agency warned.
As the storm proceeded up the coast, PowerOutage.us reports that as of 10:45 p.m. ET, over 25,000 customers in North Carolina and Virginia were without power overall.
The storm moved through Florida on Saturday before reaching the East Coast on Sunday, spreading its effects from Georgia to areas of the Northeast.
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Due to the possibility of toppled trees and power lines, the National Weather Service issued high wind advisories for parts of southern Connecticut, southeastern New York, and Boston on Sunday.
The weather agency advised against traveling through such locations and advised staying indoors during the windstorm if at all possible. "If you must drive, drive carefully."
The region was affected by the storm as it swept across a significant portion of Florida.
Expected to reach its peak strength on Monday, the storm is poised to disrupt a significant portion of the Northeast. The forecast indicates its proximity to the Northeast coast during this period, but there is also the possibility of it veering farther away.
Irrespective of its precise trajectory, the storm is anticipated to bring nor’easter-like impacts on the coastal Northeast on Monday, with the exception of snow.
The weather service also highlighted the risk of river flooding due to the storm, impacting over 60 million lives.
