Tropical storm expected to hit North Carolina Friday

A tropical storm is expected to hit the coast of North Carolina Friday, according to the National Hurricane Center.

In a Friday morning advisory, the center said Potential Tropical Cyclone Sixteen is “expected to become a tropical storm before it reaches the coast of North Carolina.” It also said the weather system “will approach the coast of North Carolina” Friday night.

“Regardless of whether it becomes a tropical storm, the system is expected to bring tropical-storm conditions to portions of the southeast and mid-Atlantic coasts,” the center said.

A tropical storm warning is in effect for parts of the mid-Atlantic, including Cape Fear, N.C., Fenwick Island, Del., and the Albemarle and Pamlico sounds. Storm surge warnings are also in effect for areas like from Duck, N.C. to Chincoteague, Va and “Chesapeake Bay south of Windmill Point.”

“The combination of a dangerous storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline,” the hurricane center said.  The water could reach the following heights above ground somewhere in the indicated areas if the peak surge occurs at the time of high tide.”

Forecasters also said the system is expected to bring three to five inches of rainfall, but parts of eastern North Carolina and southeast Virginia could see seven inches “into Saturday.” Southern New England and other portions of the mid-Atlantic could see two to four inches of rainfall “from late today into Sunday.”

“This rainfall may produce isolated urban and small stream flooding,” according to the center.

–Updated at 9:12 a.m.