Weather forecasters were predicting that a massive storm would soon make landfall on the East Coast of the United States.
The system could reach the status of a tropical storm, according to The New York Times. If so, it would be named Ophelia.
It’s expected that its repercussions could impact the weather from North Carolina to New England, spanning roughly half of the nation’s Eastern Seaboard, starting Friday.
Imagery of Potential Tropical Cyclone #Sixteen via @NOAA‘s #GOESEast satellite shows the developing system.
Latest: https://t.co/ScLdyBaJZb https://t.co/xPhYIGMtl4 pic.twitter.com/Yf2dJrwMvR
— NOAA Satellites (@NOAASatellites) September 21, 2023
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The National Weather Service warned that the effects of the storm could prove dangerous to both life and property.
“There is a possibility of life-threatening inundation from rising water moving inland from the coastline,” it said Thursday.
“That’s especially true around Virginia Beach, the North Carolina Outer Banks and along the Chesapeake Bay.”
“That’s where a storm surge of 3 feet or more is possible, due to strong onshore flow that will pile water against the coast.”
Here is the SERFC briefing addressing potential flooding this weekend. #sixteen #Flood https://t.co/k3GzMmqlp3 pic.twitter.com/XnRdNTJ9yZ
— Southeast River Forecast Center (SERFC) (@NWSSERFC) September 22, 2023
The weather service expected that the storm soon would meet the qualification of a subtropical storm.
Satellite imagery of the brewing storm revealed thickening and growing cloud formations.
This homebrewed Frappuccino of a storm, known colloquially as Potential Tropical Cyclone 16, may look like it’s whipped cream being sprayed out of a can right now (refer to visible imagery), but in two days this likely candidate to become #Ophelia will be making landfall across… pic.twitter.com/7CfVupKupG
— Backpirch Weather (@BackpirchCrew) September 21, 2023
Meteorologists warned that storm surges ranging from 1 to 5 feet could collide with shores from New Jersey to the Carolinas.
Storm surge from Ophelia.⬇️ pic.twitter.com/1aUMfiCzdN
— FRO☀️Kristin (@afrologist) September 22, 2023
Some areas of the East Coast could see as much as five inches of rain as a result of the storm, although most major cities could expect smaller amounts.
Signage in one North Carolina county cautioned motorists about the upcoming storm, notifying them of a flood watch in effect.
Signs along NC 168 in Currituck County alerting travelers to the threat from possible Tropical Storm #Ophelia. #ncwx #obx pic.twitter.com/jcj8yvPvG5
— Sam Walker OBX🎙📻📰🥍🦓 (@SamWalkerOBX) September 21, 2023
The storm’s remnants were expected to hit Massachusetts on Sunday, with its presence fading away at the start of next week.
