Hurricane hunters are thinking about taking a couple of flights into a weather disturbance off the coasts of North and South Carolina. It’s possible that the trips will happen on Sunday morning and Sunday evening, September 15. We say “if necessary” and “tentative” because these trips won’t be necessary if the system goes away. We don’t think that will happen, though, and we do think that the storm hunters will leave on Sunday.
The area of low pressure that storm hunters are interested in is to the east of Charleston, South Carolina right now. It’s part of an old border on the surface that floats above the warm Gulf Stream water. Along these old surface lines, low pressure areas and even tropical depressions or storms can form from time to time!
In their predictions, weather models have always shown an area of low pressure off the coast of the Carolinas, with the low moving northwest into North Carolina by Monday.
From the northeast, the winds are already strong and fresh. Early Sunday, wind speeds will rise to 20 to 30 miles per hour. By Monday morning, they will have reached tropical storm force. Before the strong winds come, make sure that any loose items outside your house are safe.
It’s possible that the heavy rain from this weather system will move north as the week goes on. People in North Carolina and Virginia could get two to four inches of rain. People in South Carolina, Maryland, and Delaware could get one to three inches of rain. As things change, keep an eye on WeatherNation for the latest news.