Tropical storm warning cancelled for Southampton

WAKEFIELD

As of 2 p.m. Friday, National Hurricane Center states that the eye of Dorian is continuing to move over the Atlantic Ocean east of the North Carolina coast with maximum sustained winds of 90 mph, maintaining the storm at Category 1, and it’s moving northeast at 21 mph. The center’s location is at 36.2N 73.7W, about 125 miles northeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, and is forecast to move away from Carolina over the next several hours.

The National Weather Service in Wakefield states at 2:47 p.m. that the tropical storm warning for Southampton County and Franklin has been cancelled. But such a warning remains for Isle of Wight County and Suffolk, which also is under a storm surge warning. That means there is a danger of life-threatening inundation, from rising water moving inland from the coastline, during the next 36 hours in the indicated locations.

The NWS also states that moderate winds continue across far eastern Virginia, Hampton Roads and northeast North Carolina. Wind gusts of up to 40 to 50 mph are expected through late this afternoon, especially close to the water. Along the immediate coast of Northeast North Carolina, gusts to 60 mph are still possible for the next few hours. There’s little to no chance tornadoes will impact Western Tidewater at this time.

Further, heavy rainfall has ended across the region; however, flooding from the earlier rainfall will continue through this afternoon.