Hurricane Season

It weakened to a tropical storm but still packed 60-mph winds as it raced into Georgia and then into South Carolina. In Charleston, a surge from Idalia topped the seawall that protects the downtown, sending ankle-deep ocean water into wealthy and famous neighborhoods.

The National Weather Service says Hurricane Idalia will bring heavy rain and winds to the Triangle on Thursday. Some places south of Raleigh can expect wind gusts of up to 40 mph at times.

Idalia came ashore early Wednesday in the lightly populated Big Bend region, where the Florida Panhandle curves into the peninsula. The result could be a big blow to a state still dealing with lingering damage from last year’s Hurricane Ian.

NOAA is increasing how many storms forecasters expect, calling for between 14 to 21 named storms with six to 11 storms becoming hurricanes. Of those hurricanes, NOAA predicts two to five will become major hurricanes with winds of more than 110 mph.

There's still a lot of uncertainty about the storm's path. Emergency management officials say residents in all parts of the state should sign up for weather alerts and prepare emergency supplies.

Princeville, which stakes its claim as the first in the U.S. founded by Black Americans nearly 140 years ago, has flooded many times. Two hurricanes 17 years apart created catastrophic flooding in the town, which was built on swampy, low-lying land.

At least nine hurricanes are predicted by researchers at Colorado State University. Four of those are expected to be Category 3 or higher.

Beachgoers along the east coast of the United States should beware of life-threatening surf and rip currents this weekend as Hurricane Sam turns northward, the National Hurricane Center said Wednesday.

The city of New Bern is getting ready to release a 5-year resilience and hazard mitigation plan. Officials started working on the plan shortly after Hurricane Florence devastated the coastal town in Sept. 2018.

(Tuesday 4:30 p.m.) Haywood County declared a state of emergency as the remnants of Tropical Depression Ida pass through the region.