The National Hurricane Center says the slow-moving storm is expected to bring heavy rain and possible flash flooding. But it’s still bringing heavy rain and rough conditions to the Atlantic coastline, including record rainfall at St. Simons Island, where 4.43 inches fell Tuesday.
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In a rare move, the National Hurricane Center elected to recognize the formation of a tropical storm over land late Tuesday.
Julia could linger in the Lowcountry for the next couple days, depending on its path, according to Mohlins.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, expects a more active than average hurricane season, with between 12 and 17 tropical storms, of which five to eight could turn into hurricanes, with two to four major category hurricanes. She’s expected to dump less than an inch of rain across coastal parts of northeastern SC and southeast North Carolina through Friday.
A tropical storm warning is in effect for Fernandina Beach, Fla., to Altamaha Sound, Ga. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 115 miles.
“The center of this storm is over Jacksonville, Florida”.
Flood watches were dropped for the SC coast earlier Thursday, although forecasters issued a small-craft advisory for waters near the shore and said there was a danger of rip currents along the coast through Thursday evening.
The storm was forecast to meander offshore of Georgia and SC into the weekend.
Some areas from northeast Florida to SC could receive 3 to 6 inches of rainfall with isolated maximum amounts of 10 inches possible.
The National Hurricane Center issued an advisory saying the depression’s maximum sustained winds at 11 a.m. EDT Thursday were about 35 miles per hour (56 kph). The hurricane center had earlier thought it would strengthen into Tropical Storm Karl overnight, but it will have to wait a bit longer before getting a name. The storm would weaken over land, but if the storm remains slightly offshore, it could gain strength and become a hurricane.
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“As former Tropical Storm Julia pushes up and out of our way, we will see the east and west coast sea breezes coming together, mainly moving from west to east”.
