Surf along East Coast remains dangerous following Memorial Day coastal storm
Though weaker, the area of low pressure will remain mostly stationary and allow for renewed scattered showers and thunderstorms through Tuesday from the Delmarva Peninsula and southern Maryland to much of West Virginia, Virginia and North Carolina.
East Coast rip current threat continues Memorial Day as coastal storm moves into mid-Atlantic
The Memorial Day weekend coastal storm has moved onshore in North Carolina, where it will begin to weaken in the coming days. Though weaker, the low-pressure system will remain mostly stationary and allow for renewed scattered showers and thunderstorms through Tuesday from the Delmarva Peninsula and southern Maryland to much of West Virginia, Virginia and North Carolina. Gusty northeasterly winds will also create dangerous rip currents and large breaking waves along beaches, especially along the Jersey Shore and Long Island beaches, where gusts could top 40 mph.
A Memorial Day weekend coastal storm has moved inland over North Carolina and will gradually weaken in the days ahead, but not before dampening beach plans in parts of the mid-Atlantic and generating dangerous rip currents along the East Coast.
This non-tropical low-pressure system brought heavy rain, gusty winds, rough surf and rip currents from portions of the Southeast coast to the Carolinas over the last few days. Winds gusted over 50 mph along the Southeast coast on Saturday as seas offshore were reported at around 20 feet at times. Between 3 and 5 inches of rain has been recorded in some areas along the coastline as well.
(FOX Weather)
Though weaker, the area of low pressure will remain mostly stationary and allow for renewed scattered showers and thunderstorms through Tuesday from the Delmarva Peninsula and southern Maryland to much of West Virginia, Virginia and North Carolina.
Meanwhile, a strong high-pressure system over the Northeast will limit the northward progression of the clouds and showers as dry air infiltrates from the north, suppressing any rain along the Interstate 95 corridor to the south of Philadelphia.
Dangerous rip current threat continues along East Coast
The combination of gusty northeasterly winds and an onshore flow continue to generate a high threat of rip currents for beaches along the Eastern Seaboard, from Jersey through the Sunshine State.
Rip currents form when waves break near the shoreline, pile up water and form a narrow stream that flows quickly away from shore, catching swimmers off guard. These hidden dangers are the No. 1 weather-related killer in the Southeast.
Dozens of ocean rescues were reported over the holiday weekend and at least one swimmer at Jacksonville Beach, Florida, remains missing following his excursion into the rough surf.
(FOX Weather)
Miserable Memorial Day weekend weather in Outer Banks of North Carolina
The North Carolina Department of Transportation reported only a small amount of sand had blown onto Highway 12 in the Outer Banks on Saturday. Officials urged drivers to slow down and turn their lights and wipers on.
On Sunday, NCDOT said Highway 12 remained open and passable but warned that periods of heavy rain would cause ponding in some areas.
The North Carolina Department of Transportation reported that Highway 12 was open and passable in the Outer Banks on Sunday, May 28, 2023. However, NCDOT warned that periods of heavy rain would cause ponding in some areas.
(NCDOT / Twitter / FOX Weather)
Tropical development concerns diminish
Both the National Hurricane Center (NHC) and the FOX Forecast Center were monitoring the area of disturbed weather for possible subtropical or tropical development last week, but because the system did not break away from its cold and warm fronts, it didn't become a subtropical or tropical depression or storm.
As a result, the NHC reduced the odds of development to around 0% over the weekend.
More than 40 million Americans traveled for the Memorial Day holiday
The American Automobile Association (AAA) projected 2.7 million more people will travel this year compared to last – a rise of 2.7% and a sign of what’s to come in the months ahead. More than 40 million Americans were expected to have traveled 50 miles or more over the Memorial Day weekend.
"This is expected to be the third-busiest Memorial Day weekend since 2000 when AAA started tracking holiday travel," said Paula Twidale, senior vice president of AAA Travel. "More Americans are planning trips and booking them earlier, despite inflation. This summer travel season could be one for the record books, especially at airports."