Tropical Storm Debby pulled away from the Carolinas Friday morning, leaving the region soaked, but generally much better off than originally feared.
The storm, now reduced to a tropical remnant over the Mid-Atlantic states, brought localized flooding and power outages. Rainfall, however, was less than original predictions.
Fayetteville’s highest rain totals, reported by spotters in the western part of the city, topped 8 inches. Elsewhere, totals of 6-7 inches were common in southern Cumberland County, with 5-6 inch totals further north. Closer to the coast, totals reached a foot of rain.
Totals topping 5 inches around the region, as reported by the NWS in Raleigh, were: Fayetteville 8.2 inches; Harrells, 7.65, Hope Mills, 7.1; Clinton, 7.1; Roseboro, 7.0; Fort Liberty, 6.7; Raeford, 6.6; Sanford, 6.1; Cameron, 5.75; Lillington, 5.6; Hamlet, 5.5; and Rockingham, 5.2.
Wind gusts topping 50 mph at times toppled trees onto power lines through Thursday night, leaving more than 70,000 statewide without power at one point, according to Duke Power officials.
To the east and north, more than a half-dozen tornadoes were spawned by Debby, including a violent twister in Wilson County east of Raleigh that left one person dead.
Farther south, in Bladen County, rainwater inundated central Bladenboro with up to 3 feet of standing water. Roads across the region were closed, including portions of I-95, as water rose faster than it could drain or trees toppled, blocking traffic. At one point, about 170 roads statewide were closed, according to the state Dept. of Transportation.
A small dam south of Hope Mills breached, flooding several streets in a nearby development. Another earthen dam in western Harnett County breached, shutting down a portion of N.C. 27.
By Friday morning, much of the standing water around the region had drained away. But all that water has to go somewhere, and a wet July recharged the region’s groundwater, leaving the rainfall nowhere to soak in.
Now, forecasters are watching rivers and creeks swollen by that sudden surge of rainwater. The greatest risks of river flooding will come this weekend on the Lumber River in Robeson and Columbus counties. Officials anticipate the Lumber will crest in Lumberton at 20.27 feet, which is considered major flooding. Little River in Spring Lake is expected to see moderate flooding, as is nearby Tank Creek.
The Cape Fear will rise to 48 feet over the weekend in Fayetteville, considered a moderate flood level. All rivers in the region will return to normal by early next week.
Conditions this weekend will be drier, with high temperatures of about 90 in Fayetteville. Scattered afternoon showers will persist across the region, with low temperatures of about 75.
Meanwhile, tropical forecasters are watching a small system in the mid-Atlantic for development. The system is traveling along the same path Debby took, and the National Hurricane Center gives it a 60% chance of developing. If it does develop, it will be named Ernesto.
The potential development coincides with an updated Atlantic hurricane season forecast by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The organization still anticipates a hyperactive season with 17 to 24 named storms, 13 hurricanes and as many as seven Category 3 or higher storms. Beryl and Debby were already named hurricanes.
NOAA administrator Rick Spinrad noted in the forecast that “the peak of hurricane season is right around the corner, when historically the most significant impacts from hurricanes and tropical storms tend to occur.”
The updated forecast can be read here.
