North Carolina has been issued a tornado warning, with N.C. now preparing for Tropical Storm Debby.
North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper warned North Carolinians of severe floods and heavy rainfall, as the state looks to be the next target for the storm. Debby made its second landfall in South Carolina as it made its way up the East Coast, after its first landfall as a Category 1 hurricane on Florida’s Gulf Coast.
“We expect this storm to continue its slow, gradual approach, bringing multiple days of heavy rainfall and the potential for widespread and severe flash flooding,” Gov. Cooper said in a press release. “We encourage all North Carolinians to closely monitor weather especially in low-lying areas, have reliable ways to receive weather alerts and information, and to have an emergency plan for your household.”
South Carolina and southeast North Carolina are expected to endure extensive flooding. Storm Debby is expected to impact the region through Friday (August 9).
Storm Debby’s heavy rainfall is reported to have already led to the deaths of at least five people in Florida and Georgia.
North Carolina counties affected by tornado warning
The National Weather Service included the following N.C. counties in its official update. These counties are included in its tornado watch, which will be in effect until 1 p.m. EDT Thursday, August 8:
- Bertie
- Camden
- Chowan
- Currituck
- Gates
- Hertford
- Northampton
- Pasquotank
- Perquimans
A tornado watch means that those in the above counties should be ready to act quickly if a tornado is approaching. When a tornado warning is released, those in the area are urged to move to the lowest floor of their building and avoid windows.
