Heavy rainfall from Tropical Storm Sally could bring flash flooding to Hampton Roads
The National Weather Service issued a flash flood watch for Hampton Roads as the remnants of Tropical Storm Sally are expected to reach the region Thursday afternoon.
The watch will take effect at 2 p.m. Thursday and remain in effect until 8 p.m. Friday.
“There is a two-pronged threat — initially it’s with the heavy rain potential, which will be coming later tomorrow,” lead forecaster Michael Montefusco said. “Behind that, we are looking at a quick influx of some strong winds for Friday night through the weekend. Those winds, if they increase, will only exacerbate the coastal flood threat."
Sally made landfall Wednesday morning near Gulf Shores, Alabama, as a Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained wind speeds of 105 mph. The storm weakened to a tropical storm by early afternoon.
In Hampton Roads, rain totals could be between 3 to 5 inches, according to the weather service. Some areas could see additional rain. The heaviest rains are expected Thursday and should taper off to a light rain Friday.
Montefusco cautioned that areas that saw heavy rainfall last week would be at an additional risk for flooding.
As of Wednesday night, there was a low risk for tornadoes in northeast North Carolina late Thursday night into Friday morning.
“If we do have a tornado threat, it would be right along that frontal boundary,” Montefusco said in a Wednesday night phone call. “Eastern Tidewater — I would certainly still continue to monitor the forecast, but right now, the threat is quite low for much of Virginia.”
As Sally leaves the area, cooler air will be moving into the region possibly bringing strong winds for the weekend, Montefusco said.
Gusts with Sally should be around 10 to 20 mph when the storm reaches the region. For the weekend, gusts may reach around 40 mph near the coast.
There’s a gale watch in effect beginning late Friday night and lasting through the weekend. The watch is in effect predominately around the lower Chesapeake Bay near the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel and the coastal waters south of Cape Charles.
The winds may cause coastal flooding over the weekend.
“If you’re in one of those flood-prone areas, be ready for coastal flooding, certainly along the James River and the Chesapeake Bay,” Montefusco said.
Jessica Nolte, 757-247-4513, jnolte@dailypress.com
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