Winter Center
A tropical rainstorm that has been on AccuWeather’s watch for nearly a week will make landfall in North Carolina as Tropical Storm Ophelia and spread heavy rain and gusty winds northward into the Washington, D.C., area this weekend. Enough rain will fall to lead to areas of urban flooding on Saturday and Saturday night, when the strongest winds are most likely. These winds may be strong enough to break tree limbs and trigger power outages. As winds from Opehelia push on Atlantic Ocean and Chesapeake Bay waters, levels will rise on some of the tidal rivers in the region, including the Potomac, which can lead to minor to moderate flooding. On Sunday, Ophelia will be inland and will weaken, and winds and coastal flooding are forecast to subside. However, periods of rain and drizzle are likely to continue until the end of the weekend.
