Tropical Update: Lee’s distance to Eastern NC shores now increasing; T.D. 15 forms

GREENVILLE, N.C. (WITN) - Lee has made its closest pass to Eastern NC and will now start to slowly pull away as it continues on its northward path. It is expected to make landfall . We’re still expecting high rip current risks into the weekend and ocean over wash along Highway 12 around the high tides through Saturday morning.

Coastal Flood Warning: The warning will be in effect from the Outer Banks southward to Cape Lookout through noon Saturday. Ocean-side water level rises of 2 to 4 feet above normal will be possible at times. The greatest risk will come near Friday’s high tides around 9:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. Ocean over wash along highway 12 will be likely along a few locations.

Coastal Flood Advisory: The advisory will be in effect from Cape Lookout southward through coastal Onslow County through midnight Friday night. Water level rises of 1 to 2 feet above normal will be possible at times.

As of the 11 a.m. Friday update, Lee is moving north-northeast at 18 mph as a category 1 hurricane. Maximum sustained winds are at 80 mph and gusts up to 105 mph. Beaches will continue to see big waves, minor beach erosion and high rip current threats, but the rain and wind will be too far offshore to have any noticeable effect on Eastern NC.

The dangerous rip currents will likely stick around through Saturday, particularly for beaches north of Cape Hatteras. Rip currents are narrow channels of water, that flow away from the main shoreline. If caught in a rip current, it is important to remain calm and swim parallel to shore. Never swim against a rip current!

Tropical Storm Margot continues to see its winds fade, now down to 65 mph. Margot has started to loop around and will stay on this circular path until Tuesday/Wednesday when its path straightens out eastward towards the Azores. By then it is expected to be a post-tropical low or remnant low. We will see no impacts from Margot.

Tropical Depression 15 formed at the 11 a.m. update and is expected to become our next named storm within 24 hours. Winds as of 11 a.m. were at 35 mph with forward movement speed at 12 mph along a northwesterly track. The Hurricane Center anticipates this storm reaching major hurricane strength by the middle of next week. While it may have a direct impact on Bermuda, long range model data keeps the center of TD 15 east of Bermuda, keeping our potential impacts low. We may see an increase in waves and rips along the coast over the tail end of next week into the following weekend.

A new area of development may come together along the African coast next week as a strong tropical wave moves off the coast of Africa. The next name after Nigel will be Ophelia.

Stay with WITN and WITN.COM as we track the remaining name storms this hurricane season.

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