Tropical Depression 8 to batter Carolinas with rough surf, downpours

By Kristina Pydynowski, Senior Meteorologist

August 30,2016; 8:33PM,EDT

 

 

Tropical Depression Eight could become a tropical storm while brushing the North Carolina coast with rough surf, downpours and locally gusty thunderstorms into midweek.
Part of the old circulation from Fiona and an old non-tropical storm system helped to spawn Tropical Depression Eight southwest of Bermuda this past weekend.
This is a closeup live loop of Tropical Depression Eight. (NOAA/Satellite)
Tropical Depression Eight was located about 70 miles south-southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, as of Tuesday midday.
Further strengthening is likely as the depression tracks near the barrier islands of North Carolina through Tuesday night.
The next tropical storm names in the Atlantic are Hermine and Ian. A system in the Gulf of Mexico, currently called Tropical Depression Nine, is in competition with Tropical Depression Eight to become the next tropical storm.
"The center of Tropical Depression Eight will pass just to the east of the Outer Banks of North Carolina Tuesday night," according to AccuWeather Hurricane Expert Dan Kottlowski.
"We believe Tropical Depression Eight will pass close enough to cause strong winds and periods of windswept rain on the North Carolina barrier islands," Kottlowski said.

Even if the system is not upgraded to a tropical storm into Tuesday night, there is room for strengthening as the system begins to pull away from North Carolina on Wednesday.
Showers, thunderstorms and surf will increase across coastal North Carolina through Tuesday evening.
Downpours along the South Carolina coast will not be directly associated with the tropical system, but can be locally heavy and gusty. The heaviest showers and thunderstorms could trigger flash flooding.

The greatest threat to people on vacation from Georgia to the Carolinas and southeastern Virginia will be for rough surf and strong rip currents.
The presence of strong rip currents forced officials to close some southern Atlantic beaches on Tuesday.
The combination of swells produced by Tropical Depression Eight and the much more distant Hurricane Gaston and Tropical Depression Nine late this week will create rough surf conditions along much of the East coast of the United States.
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Minor beach erosion could occur from the Outer Banks to the southeastern Virginia beaches.
There can also be wind gusts to 45 mph in eastern North Carolina into Tuesday night. Such winds could easily toss around beach umbrellas, canopies and chairs. Sporadic power outages are possible in the strongest squalls.
A strong push of cooler and less humid air will then likely steer the depression back into the open waters of the Atlantic Ocean on Wednesday.
Elsewhere in the Atlantic, Gaston remains a powerful hurricane but will stay east of Bermuda.
Other systems will develop over the Atlantic basin in the coming weeks.
Content contributed by Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather senior meteorologist.