By Catherine M. Welch
Wilmington, NC – All eyes are on the Northeast Cape Fear River this morning in Pender County where the river is expected to surpass the flood stage by five feet.
The National Weather Service says the Northeast Cape Fear River around Burgaw is predicted to reach 15-and-a-half feet Monday, more than five feet above flood stage.
Mark Bacon is a forecaster with the National Weather Service in Wilmington.
It will be a gradual crest all through Monday starting Monday morning and then only gradually come down as the week progresses. The current forecast does keep it in the moderate flood stage, which is above 12 feet, right through at least Friday.
The Duplin County town of Chinquapin saw the Cape Fear River hit its crest Saturday reaching 18.8 feet, that's the fifth highest level. The record for Chinquapin came with Hurricane Floyd at 23.5 feet.