More rain, flooding forecast along soggy East Coast

Rough surf will pound the beaches. It is not a place to be. “We also are anxious about downed power lines and the associated power loss that ensues”.

Moderate to major coastal flooding was expected at high tides Friday and Saturday, with high wind warnings along the Delaware coast. The Category 3 storm, with winds of 115 miles per hour, is moving northeast at 21 miles per hour.

What’s not going away is the rain for the already waterlogged region.

South Carolina could get more rain in three days than it normally gets during the entire fall.

President Barack Obama on Saturday issued an emergency declaration for South Carolina, ordering federal aid for areas affected by the flooding.

“We have already had one death associated with flooding in the Upstate”, SCEMD Director Kim Stenson said, “The heaviest rainfall is still to come”. And because Joaquin can keep funneling tropical moisture into storm No. 1 from afar, even an out-to-sea Joaquin can worsen flooding.

“The crew of the El Faro sent a mayday call about 7:30 a.m. Thursday as it was making its way from Jacksonville to Puerto Rico and lost propulsion near Crooked Island”. Heavy rain and potential flooding remains a concern, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center. Hurricane conditions to continue over the Central Bahamas tonight.

In Virginia, the governor declared a state of emergency to prepare for more rain even before Joaquin arrives. “I’ve seen it worse and I’ve seen it a lot better”.

Around the Chesapeake Bay boats are being pulled in form the water as residents brace for Joaquin.

Meanwhile, flash-flood watches extended from Atlanta to near New York City, affecting tens of millions.

Hurricane Center in Miami said.

“Of course, we don’t know what to expect this weekend”, she said, “but since the storm is moving out and not on the track that it was yesterday, we’re very relieved”.

While Samana Cays is usually uninhabited, eight to 10 people were working there, staying in temporary housing, when the storm hit, said Parliament member Alfred Gray.

This NOAA satellite image taken Friday, October 02, 2015 at 12:45 AM EDT shows powerful Category 4 Hurricane Joaquin crawling through the Bahamas.

“Residents of the Carolinas north should be paying attention and monitoring the storm. There’s no question”, said Eric Blake, a hurricane specialist with the center.

BARNWELL COUNTY:As of 12 p.m. everything is good in Barnwell county. It was between Bermuda and the Bahamas’ San Salvador Island as of midday.

Bob Turk notes that Joaquin may land in the Carolinas instead of our area. “I just pray about it”.

The violent weather system pulled away from the Bahamas on Saturday after battering the island for two days.

The latest computer models suggest two possible scenarios for the track of the storm this weekend.

Heavy rainfall has disrupted transportation in a few communities along the East Coast. Clouds, rain will hold temperatures back into the 60s and lower 70s.

Stay tuned to Time Warner Cable News and twcnews.com for the latest updates.

At least five weather-related deaths have been reported since rains began spreading over the Eastern Seaboard, which appeared to dodge the full fury of Hurricane Joaquin that’s veering out to sea.

“People are all getting ready, shuttering up their houses, going to the store for plywood”, said Chris Gosling who runs a voluntary ambulance service in Eleuthera, population 8000.

The city announced Friday that all city parking garages will be open free of charge through Sunday evening so residents can move their cars.

Bruce Terry is lead forecaster for the government’s Weather Prediction Center. State officials said Friday night they are continuing to monitor areas on the Eastern Shore and along the coastline for flooding. About 100 people had to be helped from low-lying homes in Salem, Virginia. Joaquin continues to strengthen as it moves Southwestward toward the Central Bahamas.

Data from a reconnaissance plane indicates that the maximum sustained winds remain near 125mph with higher gusts. The company described them as experienced and “more than equipped to handle situations such as changing weather”.

WJZ’s First Warning Weather Team will be following the path of Joaquin.