Tropical Storm Idalia is dumping heavy rains across North and South Carolina on Thursday (August 31) as it continues to weaken and head out toward the Atlantic Ocean. An additional two to four inches of rain is expected to fall, with some areas seeing up to five inches.
"Areas of flash, urban and moderate river flooding, with considerable impacts, are expected from eastern South Carolina through eastern North Carolina today. Heavy rainfall is expected across the North Carolina coast through this afternoon when conditions will begin to improve," the National Weather Service said.
"A Slight Risk of Excessive Rainfall leading to Flash Flooding is in effect for much of the Outer Banks with an embedded Moderate Risk in there for portions of the central OBX. Coastal flooding is also expected within the Storm Surge Watch area in North Carolina today. Tropical-storm-force winds will affect portions of the southeastern U.S. coast through Thursday."
Florida continues to survey the damage from Idalia, which made landfall on Wednesday near Florida's Big Bend area as a powerful Category 3 storm with winds of 125 mph. It was one of the most powerful storms to hit the area in over a century.
Some areas saw flooding of several feet as thousands of homes were inundated with water.
"We obviously had really significant storm surge in both Cedar Key and Steinhatchee, and clearly the storm surge there was enough to potentially be life-threatening if people didn't take proper precautions, but I think most of the people did," Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said Wednesday.
Over 300,000 people are without power across Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas.