As Hurricane Dorian heads up the East Coast, residents in Hampton Roads should prepare for a heavy storm.
“People should expect flooding,” said Cody Poche, meteorologist with the National Weather Service. “It’s looking especially likely toward Hampton, Newport News and Virginia Beach.”
Poche said residents in those areas should prepare for moderate to major landfall and storm surge flooding, which is the most life-threatening form of flooding, according to the NWS website. Storm surge flooding is when there is an abnormal rise in water from a storm that is greater than the predicted tides.
Before the storm hits, Poche said there is the low potential for tornado activity. He said in southern North Carolina there have already been a few tornadoes on record and that eastern Virginia will have slightly favorable conditions for tornadoes Thursday afternoon and into Friday morning.
Residents in Virginia Beach should prepare to experience the bulk of the storm. Here are the rainfall predictions across Hampton Roads:
- Virginia Beach: 8 to 10 inches
- Norfolk: 6 to 8 inches
- Newport News: 4 to 6 inches
- Williamsburg: 3 to 4 inches.
Across Hampton Roads, residents should expect wind gusts between 65 to 55 mph, with the strongest winds occurring Friday morning.
