Ophelia Weakens to Tropical Depression as it Moves North, Affecting North Carolina and Virginia

Residents in parts of coastal North Carolina and Virginia experienced flooding on Saturday as Tropical Storm Ophelia made landfall near a North Carolina barrier island. The storm brought rain, damaging winds, and dangerous surges. Ophelia came ashore near Emerald Isle with winds of 70 mph, but weakened as it traveled north. The center of the storm crossed into Virginia by evening and is expected to move northeast along the mid-Atlantic coast to New Jersey on Sunday.

At 7:44 p.m. EDT, Ophelia slowed down and became a tropical depression. All storm surge and tropical storm warnings were discontinued. However, videos from social media showed riverfront communities in North Carolina experiencing significant flooding. The extent of the damage was not immediately clear.

Before making landfall, the storm was treacherous enough that five people had to be rescued by the Coast Guard from a boat anchored near the North Carolina coastline. Ophelia is expected to bring windy conditions and heavy rain as it moves up the East Coast. Parts of North Carolina and Virginia can expect up to 5 inches of rain, with 1 to 3 inches forecasted in the rest of the mid-Atlantic region through Sunday.

The primary risk of the storm system over the next couple of days will be the threat of floods from the rain, according to Philippe Papin, a hurricane specialist with the National Hurricane Center. Power outages spread through more states beyond North Carolina, with tens of thousands of homes and businesses remaining without electricity across several eastern counties. Duke Energy reported scattered power outages in eastern North Carolina due to fallen tree limbs and power lines.

A storm surge warning was in effect from Ocracoke Inlet, North Carolina, to Colonial Beach, Virginia. Surges between 2 and 4 feet were forecast in some areas. Additionally, a tropical storm warning was issued from Cape Fear, North Carolina, to Fenwick Island, Delaware, including parts of the Chesapeake Bay and tidal areas of the Potomac River.

The Coast Guard conducted a nighttime rescue mission to help five people stranded on a 38-foot catamaran anchored in Lookout Bight in Cape Lookout, North Carolina. They were stuck in choppy water with strong winds.