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    • Storm approaching the Carolinas could drop up to 10 inches of rain
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    Storm approaching the Carolinas could drop up to 10 inches of rain

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    North and South Carolina are bracing for heavy winds, rain, possible flooding and tornadoes as potential Tropical Storm Eight arrives Monday.

    As of Monday morning, the “low pressure area” was not yet classified as a tropical storm, the National Hurricane Center said, but it was strengthening slightly as it moved northwest toward the South Carolina coast by 3 mph. About 100 miles east of Charleston, it was packing maximum sustained winds of 50 mph.

    The storm is expected to make landfall in South Carolina on Monday afternoon and move through both states overnight Wednesday through Wednesday, the hurricane center said in a warning Monday morning.

    If it becomes a tropical storm, it will be called Helene — the next name on the list. The chances of that have diminished as the storm’s structure became less organized in the early hours of Monday and maximum winds are expected to decrease as the storm approaches the coast, meteorologists say.

    A tropical storm warning was in effect for much of both states Monday morning, with the area expecting “gale-force winds, heavy rainfall and coastal flooding,” the National Hurricane Center said. Those areas could still experience tropical storm-force winds.

    The storm is expected to drench the hardest-hit area with 8 inches of rain, while some areas could get as much as 10 inches, the advisory said. “A few” tornadoes are also possible in eastern parts of both states through Monday night, the center said.

    The rainfall could cause “locally significant flash and urban flooding” in the Carolinas, and could put the entire Mid-Atlantic region at risk for isolated flooding, the advisory said. Rivers in southeastern North Carolina and northeastern South Carolina could also experience minor flooding through Monday night.

    More: Tropical Storm Tracker: Cyclone in Atlantic Ocean Could Hit Carolinas Monday

    Latest developments:

    ∎ The National Hurricane Center said the storm is expected to gain little strength before making landfall. It will continue to weaken as it moves inland until it dissipates on Wednesday, meteorologists said.

    ∎ Increased tides associated with the full moon, large waves and strong northeasterly winds are expected to cause high tides along the coast, leading to minor to moderate coastal flooding through early this week, the weather service said. Additional storm development could also further increase the risk of more extensive coastal flooding.

    ∎ Gordon lost its intensity in the Atlantic Ocean and weakened to a tropical depression at 5 p.m., the National Hurricane Center said. Gordon posed no threat to land, the weather service added.

    More: Firefighters making progress battling Southern California wildfires despite cooler weather

    Although the storm’s maximum sustained wind speed exceeds the 63 km/h (39 mph) required to classify it as a tropical storm, its center is too fragmented.

    “It doesn’t have a clear center yet,” AccuWeather chief hurricane expert Alex DaSilva said. To become a tropical storm, “it’s going to have to essentially form a closed center of circulation,” he said. He put the likelihood of that happening Monday morning at about 70 percent.

    But whether or not it becomes a tropical storm and gets a name, “the impacts will be the same,” DaSilva said.

    That includes potentially dangerous flash flooding from heavy rain expected overnight from the Southeast to the Mid-Atlantic and wind gusts of up to 60 mph in the Carolinas, DaSilva said. While not widespread, “there could be power outages, some trees down,” he said.

    Tornadoes can pop up at night, he said. “These tornadoes can develop very quickly, which can make them extra dangerous.”

    The storm could also cause erosion to the local beach — which is already vulnerable after Hurricane Debby hit the area last month. “The shoreline has already been weakened a little bit by previous storms, so it wouldn’t take much to cause significant problems there,” DaSilva said.

    Due to the possibility of a tropical storm on Monday, some schools in North Carolina will not open.

    Brunswick County Schools posted a message on Facebook Monday morning that students should stay home while teachers had an optional workday.

    Meanwhile, Brunswick Community College will also close its doors on Monday due to inclement weather. Classes will be held remotely where possible.

    Students in Bladen, Columbus and Whiteville counties will also receive online instruction.

    Schools in New Hanover are letting students out two hours early due to weather and “street flooding,” according to a Facebook post. Schools in Pender County are operating on a normal schedule.

    — Sherry Jones, Wilmington StarNews

    North Carolina’s Outer Banks are known for currents that can be dangerous for swimmers, and the new system increased the risk, the weather service said in an update Sunday.

    The good news: The most likely time for strong rip currents on Sunday was a few hours either side of low tide, which occurred before noon. Still, the risk of rip currents remained and the update warned inexperienced swimmers to stay out of the water.

    “Rip currents can sweep even the best swimmers away from shore and into deeper water,” the update warned. “Dangerous shoreline rip currents can throw a swimmer or surfer head first toward the bottom, potentially causing neck and back injuries.”

    Contributors: John Bacon and Thao Nguyen, USA TODAY

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