Tropical Storm Chantal made landfall early Sunday morning near Litchfield Beach, S.C. The National Hurricane Center said the storm was expected to weaken to a tropical depression later on Sunday, though heavy rainfall was expected for portions of the Southeastern coast, potentially leading to flash floods, and life-threatening surf and rip currents.
Key Things to Know:
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Heavy rain, strong surf and rip currents are expected along the Southeastern coast, from northeastern Florida to the Mid-Atlantic on Sunday.
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A tropical storm warning was in effect for much of the South Carolina and North Carolina coastlines on Sunday.
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The storm was expected to weaken to a tropical depression later on Sunday.
Forecasters said they expected two to four inches of rain, with as much as six inches in some places, bringing an elevated risk of flash flooding through Monday. Forecasters also warned of a storm surge of one to two feet. Some tornadoes are possible on Sunday across portions of eastern North Carolina and the extreme northeast of South Carolina.
An Above-Average Hurricane Season
The Atlantic hurricane season started on June 1 and runs through Nov. 30. After a slow start, there have been two tropical storms so far: Andrea, which formed on June 24 and dissipated a day later, and Barry, which formed in the Gulf on Sunday just off Mexico’s coast before making landfall that night.
In May, forecasters at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted that this year would be an above-average hurricane season, with 13 to 19 named storms. Typically, the most destructive storms come later in the summer.
Experts think it is probable that a major hurricane will make landfall in the United States this season. Climate experts have warned that intense storms like these are more likely to occur, with more rapid intensification likely in a warming world.
Last year was also one of the most costly for hurricanes in the United States.
Hurricanes Helene and Milton combined caused about $113 billion in damage and more than 250 deaths. This May, the Trump administration said it would no longer maintain a database of so-called billion-dollar disasters.
The Trump administration has slashed the number of employees at many of the agencies traditionally responsible for planning for and responding to natural disasters, including NOAA, the Weather Service and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Climate change is also affecting the amount of rain that storms can produce.
In a warming world, the air can hold more moisture, which means a named storm can hold and produce more rainfall, as Hurricane Harvey did in Texas in 2017, when some areas received more than 40 inches of rain in less than 48 hours.
Researchers have also found that storms have slowed down, staying over areas for more extended periods, over the past few decades.
Judson Jones is a meteorologist and reporter for The Times who forecasts and covers extreme weather.
Nazaneen Ghaffar is a Times reporter on the Weather team.
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