Latest 8am update today. 125 mph, still a strong Cat 3 and expected to increase in strength slightly over the next day or so. The hurricane has slowed in speed a bit, and now would be off the SC/NC border around Saturday night/Sunday morning. After that they are expecting it to make a complete U-turn and head back to Florida possibly again later next week. After that, nobody really knows as this is not a typical path for a storm. It is possible that it may swing around for a second hit again around SC late next week. As of right now, they are just expecting some rain and it will be a little breezy in our area on Saturday and Sunday (with some other rain Friday/Tomorrow as well). We may get a good inch or two of rain in our area.
You guys are all welcome. I'm just glad this looks like its going to miss us this time. I've enjoyed amateur meteorology for many, many years. I have a few paid service products for forecasting on my laptop that the average person doesn't, including access to real time level 3 data (which is more data than you could ever imagine) from every major radar in the US. I know it's easier to look in one place than scour the internet for updates. I just hope Florida (especially the Cape Canaveral area) doesn't get hit as hard as they are predicting. Right now it looks like the eye should pass right over Kennedy Space Center as a strong Category 4.
No major update in the 2pm update from the NHC, however rainfall for our area looks more like 2-4 inches now, starting sometime overnight tonight and lasting until late Saturday night/Sunday morning.
Storm is still a strong cat 3 at 120 mph. Latest updated Rainfall Totals. Looks like we are still in the 4-5" range. We may also see some 30-40 mph wind gusts here And a nice radar image from 7:38 this morning.
2pm Update, down to 115 mph, still a Cat 3. Expected to be a Cat 1 when off the Wilmington coast before turning around and heading back to Florida. The main rain bands are around Charleston right now and moving North. The majority of the rain will be here tomorrow morning and through the day.
President Obama has just declared a Sate of Emergency for North Carolina! Folks, I hope Mathew doesn't visit you and your family, but stay safe! http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...ly-force-moves-toward-florida-coast/91710558/
Road Closures in the area as of ~330pm 10/8/16 Sanders Road, between NC 50 and Raleigh Rd (W JoCo, near West Johnston High School) is closed due to being washed out, just east of I 40 overpass. NC42 is intermittently blocked W of NC50 due to fallen trees. NC210 is closed E of I40 blocked due to fallen trees. Plainview Church Rd near NC210 is closed due to flooding. Please stay home folks unless its an emergency. Its not safe out there. Trees down across the road are not being cleared currently unless its an emergency situation (also taking down power lines or blocking access to other emergency situation). So many blocked roads are not being cleared at the moment. Never drive through flood waters, even if it is an emergency.
