ALERT: Multiple States Declare State Of Emergency

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A state of emergency has been declared in North Carolina and South Carolina, with a tropical storm on the horizon.

Tropical Depression Nine became Tropical Storm Imelda this weekend.

However, Imelda isn’t expected to make landfall in the United States.

The storm is projected to move close to the Southeast coast, bringing heavy rain, high surf, strong winds, and possible coastal flooding.

More from the South Carolina Daily Gazette:

A state of emergency frees up the resources and state employees to prepare for the possibility of landfall, along with allowing state and local authorities to apply for federal emergency reimbursements if needed, according to a news release.

It also triggered the state’s anti-price-gouging law.

Meteorologists are predicting a 90% chance the disturbance, designated Friday as Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine, will become a tropical storm over the weekend. If that happens, the disturbance will be named Imelda.

South Carolina residents, especially along the coast, should prepare for high winds, potentially causing power outages, along with heavy rainfall and storm surge early next week, according to the National Weather Service.

“While the storm’s arrival, speed, and intensity remain hard to predict, we do know that it will bring significant wind, heavy rainfall, and flooding across the ENTIRE state of South Carolina,” McMaster said in a news release. “We have seen this before. Now is the time to start paying attention to forecasts, updates, and alerts from official sources and begin making preparations.”

The disturbance’s path remains uncertain, according to a mid-day National Weather Service briefing. The system could strike the Carolinas early next week or linger just over the ocean near South Carolina, dumping rain on coastal cities, meteorologists wrote.

“North Carolina, it looks like the storm developing closest to our coast is shifting directions. That’s good news. Heavy rain is still expected in eastern NC through the end of the week, so we are still making plans to be prepared, and so should you in case of flash flooding. The State of Emergency remains in effect,” North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein said.

CBS 17 noted:

Saturday night, the National Hurricane Center warned of possible flooding in eastern North Carolina with 3 to 6 inches of rain possible — but that has since been lowered significantly.

The National Weather Service issued a hazardous weather outlook for the risk of beach erosion, ocean overwash, and coastal flooding starting late Sunday for the Outer Banks and other North Carolina beaches and islands.

As of 8 a.m. Sunday, Tropical Depression 9 had 35 mph winds and was moving north-northwest at 7 mph, the National Hurricane Center said.

“North Carolinians across the state should prepare for tropical weather to bring heavy rainfall and potential flooding,” Stein said in a news release Saturday announcing the state of emergency.



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