Hurricane Isaias barreled through the Cape Fear Region earlier this week and crews and residents are continuing their cleanup efforts. But as WHQR reports, forecasters are saying it’s likely another storm might be heading our way.
At a Tuesday press conference, Governor Roy Cooper praised the efforts of state and local emergency managers and first responders:
“I’m thankful for their work and pray we don’t have to need to see it again in action anymore this year.”
But Rick Luettich, the Director of UNC-Chapel Hill’s Institute for Marine Sciences, says there’s a high probability that Isaias will not be the only hurricane this season:
“The truth is given how the conditions are set-up this year, I have to believe we’ll have at least one more of these impact our area or at least threaten our area.”
And, he says, we’re just getting started:
“Normally the high part of the season is from late August through the end of September. In fact, the peak day for hurricanes impacts is the 15th or 16th of September, so we’re a long way away from that right now.
Luettich is the co-creator of a national storm surge prediction model, and he says our coastal geography is particularly susceptible to flooding:
“Because of our coastline is shaped like crescents, the storm surge really gets tracked in those little crescent shapes.”
...which means, when it comes to major rain events:
“The coastline will catch it and hold it in that crescent area.”
So, shore up your hurricane plans, build an emergency kit, and keep an eye on the weather.
More resources:
Coastal Hazards Center of Excellence
Coastal Resilience Center of Excellence
Coastal Circulation and Hazards Research Group