Tropical storm Ophelia made landfall in the North Carolina town of Emerald Isle Saturday with sustained winds of 70 mph, officials said.
Flash flooding warnings were issued for the area and four other states from North Carolina to Maryland as the storm is forecast to bring heavy rain, coastal, and flash flooding from Carolinas to southern New England.
Storm surge of up to 5 feet is expected in North Carolina while surges of 1 to 3 feet could batter the entire region up to Jersey Shore.
The system is also set to bring up to 7 inches of rainfall to North Carolina and up to 4 inches to D.C., Philly, the Big Apple, and into southern New England.
The forecast indicates that Ophelia will weaken after the landfall to a tropical depression or a post-tropical system by Saturday night or early Sunday.
