© 2024 WFAE
90.7 Charlotte 93.7 Southern Pines 90.3 Hickory 106.1 Laurinburg
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
See the latest news and updates about COVID-19 and its impact on the Charlotte region, the Carolinas and beyond.

North Carolina Officials Caution Residents About Isaias

N.C. Department of Public Safety
/
Flickr

RALEIGH — North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper cautioned residents on Sunday not to overlook the potential threats of Tropical Storm Isaias, which has weakened from a hurricane.

Tropical-storm-force winds are expected to begin in North Carolina after dark Monday and into Tuesday morning, the governor said at a news conference. The eastern third of the state is forecast to experience gusts of 50 to 65 mph for the coastal plain and 30 to 45 mph in the central part of the state — enough wind to bring down trees and power lines.

“Over the weekend, the storm turned much more inland, which increases the threat of heavy rain, tornadoes and flash flooding in eastern North Carolina," Cooper said. "Right now, we expect the heaviest rain along the I-95 corridor, with as much 7 inches in some places.”

The forecast is calling for the storm to move quickly, and officials hope that means the rain and wind won't last as long, Cooper said. Still, a lot of rain is expected to fall at once, so he urged residents to be on alert for flash flooding and river flooding.

“We’re coordinating with utility companies, which expect widespread outages,” Cooper said.

The governor has declared a state of emergency, and he said North Carolina has received a federal emergency declaration for 25 counties so far.

Officials also urged residents not to hesitate if local officials urged them to evacuate, despite concerns about COVID-19. Cooper said shelters will be available with screening for the virus. People who have symptoms will be directed to a sheltering option where they can more easily isolate or receive medical attention, Cooper said.

“Don’t let concerns about COVID-19 prevent your prompt evacuation," said Mike Sprayberry, the state's emergency management director.

Isaias was downgraded from a hurricane to a tropical storm Saturday afternoon, but was still threatening to bring heavy rain and flooding as it crawled just off Florida’s Atlantic coast.

The Associated Press is one of the largest and most trusted sources of independent newsgathering, supplying a steady stream of news to its members, international subscribers and commercial customers. AP is neither privately owned nor government-funded; instead, it's a not-for-profit news cooperative owned by its American newspaper and broadcast members.