Thanks for checking in—very good to learn all is well with you.
NautiNurse, thanks for doing these storm threads all these many years. Here’s an on-the-scene update from southeastern North Carolina. I’m located about 45 miles northwest of Myrtle Beach, SC. Matthew’s eye is passing by just offshore right now, and the storm is starting to breakup and diminish to a Category 1 level. Consequently, the “national level” weather media are tending to minimize the danger and adopt a “the worst is over” narrative. Nothing could be further from the truth.
While the wind damage and storm surge threat is gradually diminishing, the rain is still pouring from the sky and will continue to do so till late this evening. The greater damage will be due to the river based flooding, which is increasing and will continue to increase for several days. We have already had severe flooding here for the past several weeks, even before Matthew, and the ground was already saturated.
As the water dumped by Matthew is added to that, the hundreds of rivers, creeks, etc. throughout the region will continue to rise and flooding will become even more extensive for the next several days, long after the national media’s attention has shifted elsewhere. The damage to towns, crops and forest/trees is just getting started. While it won’t be quite as bad as what Hurricane Floyd did to us in 1999, it won’t miss it by much.
The power is blinking now, so I’ll sign off, but just thought I’d pass along this information.