Tropical Storm Chantal Loses Strength to Depression, Triggers Flood Concerns in North Carolina
**Tropical Storm Chantal Brings Heavy Rain and Flooding to North Carolina**
Tropical Storm Chantal, which made landfall near Litchfield Beach, South Carolina, early Sunday morning, has brought heavy rain and flooding to parts of North Carolina. The storm encountered southerly wind shear initially but strengthened just before landfall, with maximum sustained winds near 60 mph.
Heavy rain is forecast for North Carolina through Monday, with radar estimates showing rainfall amounts of 4 to 6 inches in a swath from northern Horry County, South Carolina, through Whiteville and into Lumberton and Red Springs in southeastern North Carolina. This rainfall has led to flash flooding, especially in central and eastern parts of the state.
The North Carolina Emergency Management division has warned residents of the possibility of isolated tornadoes along the coast and of minor coastal flooding. They have also urged drivers not to venture on water-covered roads or around road-closure signs where flooding occurred.
Impacts reported include wind gusts up to 56 mph along the Carolina coast, including Myrtle Beach. A confirmed tornado touchdown near Wilmington, North Carolina, in the Kings Grant community, caused damage to trees and roofs over more than a mile path. Flash flooding severe enough to prompt water rescues in North Carolina before the system moved into Virginia.
Tropical Storm warnings were extended in North Carolina due to these flooding and wind threats. The situation warranted active emergency responses to flooding impacts.
In addition to the flooding in North Carolina, a separate disaster is unfolding in central Texas, where deadly, catastrophic flooding has been consuming the region. The death toll has reached 78, with 11 campers still missing, according to officials.
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Dangerous surf and rip currents are also expected to last for the next couple of days at beaches from northeastern Florida to the mid-Atlantic states due to Tropical Storm Chantal. The hurricane center expects Chantal to turn to the northeast late Sunday as it weakens further.
The heavy rainfall from Tropical Storm Chantal, coupled with environmental-science factors such as flash flooding, raises concerns for the overall climate-change impact on North Carolina's environment. As the storm moves northeast, scientists should closely monitor the weather patterns and potential long-term economic impacts on the affected areas.
