Tropical storm warnings have been extended up to Surf City, North Carolina, as Tropical Storm Chantal is offshore from the southeastern U.S. on Saturday, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Chantal is forecast to continue tracking north toward South Carolina later Saturday.
Tropical storm conditions are expected to begin Saturday evening for portions of the Carolina coastline from South Santee River to Surf City, where the Tropical Storm Warning is in effect.
Tropical storm conditions are possible beginning later Saturday south of the South Santee River to Edisto Beach in South Carolina where the Tropical Storm Watch is in effect.
Chantal will bring minor storm surge for parts of the Carolina coastline, with between 1 to 3 feet of storm surge possible for coastal areas under the Tropical Storm Warning.
Tropical storm Chantal is offshore from the southeast United States, and warnings of tropical storms have been issued up to Surf City, North Carolina. S. the National Hurricane Center reports, on Saturday.
The storm is heading north at only 7 mph and has maximum sustained winds of 45 mph.
Charleston, South Carolina, is roughly 95 miles southeast of the storm’s center.
On Saturday afternoon, parts of the South and North Carolina coastline are being affected by scattered showers and thunderstorms from Chantal’s outer bands, as well as an increase in dangerous rip currents and rough surf.
Later Saturday, Chantal is expected to continue her northward trajectory toward South Carolina.
It is possible that Chantal will intensify further before reaching land, most likely in the early hours of Sunday morning somewhere along the coast of South Carolina.
As it gets closer to the coast, the storm will continue to gain speed, and once it hits land, it will quickly lose strength.
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for parts of the Carolina coastline from South Santee River to Surf City, and tropical storm conditions are predicted to start Saturday evening.
A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for South Carolina, and starting later Saturday, tropical storm conditions could develop south of the South Santee River to Edisto Beach.
The coastal Carolinas are expected to experience flash flooding through Monday due to heavy rainfall. Storm total rainfall is expected to be between 2 and 4 inches, with local amounts reaching up to 6 inches.
Parts of the Carolina coastline will experience mild storm surge due to Chantal, with coastal areas under a Tropical Storm Warning potentially experiencing storm surges of one to three feet.
Over the next few days, the system is also predicted to bring potentially fatal surf and rip currents to portions of the East Coast from northeastern Florida to the Mid-Atlantic states.
On average, in August, the third named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season forms. The National Hurricane Center reports that it is 3.
