Tropical Storm Claudette likely to form Friday, would bring rain to NC

By WRAL Severe Weather Center

Raleigh, N.C. — Potential tropical cyclone three has formed in the Gulf of Mexico and is expected to bring rain and strong storms to parts of the southeast, including North Carolina.

As of 5 a.m. on Friday, the system is still a potential tropical cyclone with no closed or defined surface circulation. Once that develops, it will most likely become a tropical depression (if wind speeds are below 39 miles per hour) or Tropical Storm Claudette.

The National Weather Service said the system is expected to produce heavy rain and flash flooding along the central Gulf coast. Tropical storm conditions are expected to start today from Intracoastal City, La. to western Florida.

WRAL meteorologist Zach Maloch said the system will likely become a tropical storm at some point on Friday. The system is moving north at 14 miles per hour and forecasts have it getting more defined as it closes in on the Louisiana coast.

The system is moving north on a path that could take it over Louisiana Saturday and across the southeast and into the mountains of western North Carolina by the end of the coming weekend.

Several models have the system going right over central North Carolina, meaning we could see heavy rain south and east of the track.

The amounts will depend on the center of the system track. The timing of the rain looks to get here on Sunday evening, so get your Fathers Day plans in early. The rain looks to stick around on Monday morning before moving out on Monday afternoon.

There should be a break in the rain Monday night, but a cold front Tuesday will deliver another round of showers and thunderstorms.

Rainfall totals could reach 1.5 inches by Tuesday in the Triangle.