Hurricane Joaquin is moving through the Atlantic and will affect the East Coast of the United States in a variety of ways. I am not a meteorologist, so make sure that If you live in the East Coast to check local weather radio, media, or weather.gov for the latest information.
Over the last couple of days, I have been paying increasing amounts of attention to Hurricane Joaquin. The forecast that caused me to start digging more was last night’s forecast suggesting that the hurricane might go directly toward Washington, DC. That forecast has changed, however one aspect of alarm has not and that is the forecast of heavy rainfall in the Carolinas. The 2PM graphic shows up to 8 inches of rain in the Carolinas. As I understand it, some of this rain is from moisture being sucked onto the shore by a low pressure system approaching from the west.
The main idea for me is remind others of the potential flood emergency that may develop over the weekend.
Flooding is a key danger for this storm. In 2014, 38 deaths occurred because of flooding. It is important to be particularly careful when driving. During a flood situation, the road may look “lightly” covered by water, when the reality is that the road is washed out underneath and you and your vehicle could be swept away. Also, there is no way to know how deep the water is and the water alone could wash your car away.
Please pay attention to this storm through local media and the National Weather Service. And if you are driving remember to “Turn Around, Don’t Drown”.