Hanna Charging Towards Carolina Coast

by Amy Judd | September 5, 2008 at 02:06 pm

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Earlier this morning, Tropical Storm Hanna was about 375 miles south of Wilmington, North Carolina and is expected to hit the land tonight before going north towards Chesapeke Bay.

The storm is looking more impressive on satellite (shown above), as deep convection (i.e. thunderstorms) is forming near the center. It is possible Hanna will become a Category 1 hurricane prior to landfall. But rapid intensification is not likely and our overall impacts assessment has not changed. There is little difference between a strong tropical storm (what Hanna is now) and a weak hurricane (what Hanna may become).

First signs will be increasing cloud and then some showers, but the heaviest rain will come overnight, which is when it will start to get really windy.

We continue to believe much of the metro area will conservatively receive 2-4" of rain. The National Hurricane Center now indicates the possibility of 3-7" of rain, with isolated 10" amounts. Winds should generally be in the 25-40 mph range in the immediate metro area with gusts to 50 mph possible. Stronger winds are likely near and east of the Chesapeake Bay.

It remains to be seen how Hanna will play out.