Storm brings historic rainfall to North Carolina coast

The storm previously known as Potential Tropical Cyclone Eight brought up to 20 inches of rain to areas of the North Carolina coast after making landfall on Monday, according to the National Weather Center’s office in the coastal city of Wilmington. The southeastern coastal region experienced flooding around the Cape Fear River region, specifically New Hanover and Brunswick counties.

Brunswick County saw significant flooding that severely damaged several major highways and washed out other main thoroughfares. The Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office worked to deliver food, water, and supplies to stranded drivers. Coastal towns like Carolina Beach and Kure Beach saw extreme flooding that required first responders from around the region to lend a hand with water rescues. Carolina Beach received a historic 18 inches of rainfall in just 12 hours, according to the Wilmington NWS office. Photos showed cars at Kure Beach in standing water that reached up to the taillights, while others in Carolina Beach were completely waterlogged. The storm that caused such severe flood damage remains unnamed.

Where is the storm going? Showers will continue as the remains of Potential Tropical Cyclone Eight move across the state, but drier conditions are expected by the weekend, according to North Carolina Emergency Management. Northeastern portions of the state will see the most rain on Tuesday, with up to 6 inches of rain forecast for higher elevation regions, the office added.

Dig deeper: Read my initial report on the potential tropical cyclone before it made landfall.