From our news services
The National Weather Service out of Morehead City/Newport reports today (Sept. 26) that the storm Ian strengthened into a hurricane early this morning and is expected to rapidly intensify over the next 24 hours into a major hurricane.
Not much has changed regarding the official track forecast, though confidence is increasing that eastern North Carolina will feel impacts from this system, with the greatest threats continuing to be heavy rainfall and the potential for flash and coastal flooding.
It is still too early to give specific details regarding severity and timing of the coastal flooding impacts, but the Observer will continue to update as forecast confidence and probabilities increase.
Rainfall totals have increased slightly, and the NWS continues to expect the heaviest rainfall along the coast. However, the rainfall forecast is highly dependent on the eventual track and speed of Ian through the southeast United States, and the area of maximum rainfall may shift.
