McCrory Urges Preparation Ahead Of Heavy Rains, Hurricane

The storm picked up steam as it barreled over warm ocean waters of the Bahamas.

He urged everyone to update their emergency kits, warning that the storm could be similar to Hurricane Floyd which resulted in deadly flooding across the state. The center expected the storm to continue to grow, potentially developing sustained winds of 140 miles per hour.

North Carolina Farm Families President Ed Emory says the state’s pork industry contributes $11 billion a year to North Carolina’s economy and employs more than 46,000 people.

Governor Pat McCrory declares a state of emergency across North Carolina. The NWS says the heavy rains could move into the Triad Friday.

Total rainfall will depend on how the hurricane interacts with an upper-level low pressure system that’s expected to remain over the Southeast through the weekend.

Screen grab of precipitation predictions from the National Weather Service.

PSE&G is making preparations for a possible landfall of Hurricane Joaquin in its service area and has requested mutual aid, including 1,500 linemen and 500 tree personnel, from utilities in other parts of the country that are not expected to be affected by the storm.

Determine if you are in a flood plain or flood-prone area. Chances should fall to 50 percent by Sunday. Expect rain pretty much anytime for the next several days and look for it to be pretty windy on Thursday and Friday. The normal high this week is 77.

“Everybody is taking this one a little more seriously because of the rain we have had”, John Fletcher, Hyde County commissioner, said.

“We are closely monitoring Nassau now to see where the storm is at first light… since that is where the majority of the population is located”, said Basil Dean of the Bahamas Department of Meteorology.

Know evacuation routes for your area.

Boone said the stormwater system and creeks “are in great shape now” to handle up to 2 inches of rain in an hour.

Crews planned to inspect 60 sites Thursday, Boone said.

The cone of uncertainty does extend west to our Outer Banks, so the storm will have to be watched as the predicted path can change. McCrory said people across the state should take prudent steps such as not treading into standing water to avoid the possibility of drowning.

“Regardless of the impact of Hurricane Joaquin, North Carolina has the potential for life-threatening flooding within the next week”.

Still, many residents prepare on their own terms, aggregating the various messages to dictate their own storm plan.