UPDATE, 10:20 p.m.: The tornado watch for all counties in southeastern North Carolina has been canceled, according to Michael Caropolo, meteorologist-in-charge of the National Weather Service in Wilmington. The flash flood advisory for the area expired at 10 p.m.
UPDATE: At 6:45 p.m., the National Weather Service in Wilmington extended the flash flood advisory for all of New Hanover County and eastern Brunswick and Pender counties to 10 p.m. Friday. The original advisory was set to expire at 7 p.m.
UPDATE: As of 6 p.m., the National Weather Service in Wilmington issued a flash flood advisory for the southwestern portion of Brunswick County, which was not included in the 4 p.m. advisory.
———————————————————————
SOUTHEASTERN NORTH CAROLINA – As of 4 p.m. Friday, the National Weather Service in Wilmington issued two new advisories for the area.
All of New Hanover, Brunswick and Pender counties were placed on a tornado watch until midnight Friday, according to meteorologist Sandy LaCorte. While Brunswick County has been on a tornado watch since this morning, the advisory was new for the other two counties. The watch also affects the waters around the counties.
A flash flood warning has also been issued until 7 p.m. for all of New Hanover, most of Pender and part of Brunswick counties as rainfall continues to increase in the area. Municipalities most at risk include Wilmington, Carolina Beach, Kure Beach, Wrightsville Beach, Leland, Hampstead and Burgaw.
The NWS said highways in the area under the warning will also be prone to flooding. These include Interstate 40 between mile markers 396 and 416, Interstate 140/U.S. Route 74 between mile markers 431 and 434, and U.S. Route 17 in Brunswick County between mile markers 34 and 44.
The entire area remains under a tropical storm warning.
