News Flash

Sept. 17, 2020 - The remnants of Hurricane Sally are expected to bring  rain later this week and heavy winds through the weekend, according to the National Weather Service. The rain will begin Thursday afternoon and end Friday morning, with the heaviest portion in the overnight hours, for a total of 3-5 inches. Hampton is included in a flash flood watch area. 

That’s not all. According to Jeff Orrock, chief meteorologist of the weather service’s Wakefield office, we can expect to see sustained winds of 30-35 miles per hour from Friday night through Monday, along with three days of moderate tidal flooding. He compared it to the nor’easter that followed Joaquin in 2015 in duration but noted that tides are not expected to be quite as high. 

The high tides Friday at Sewells Point, at 10:30 a.m. and 10:43 p.m., are projected to be minor, around 5 feet over mean lower low water. On Saturday, however, those tides are projected to be about 6 feet over MLLW at 11:12 a.m. and 11:32 p.m., which is considered moderate.

According to the National Weather Service, "moderate flooding" means that "widespread flooding of vulnerable areas will result in an elevated threat of property damage to homes and businesses near the waterfront and shoreline. Water will be 1 to 2 feet above ground level in some areas resulting in a sufficient depth to close numerous roads and threaten homes and businesses. Flooding will extend inland from the waterfront along tidal rivers and bays resulting in some road closures and flooding of vehicles."

Hampton’s Emergency Management Office will continue to monitor the weather and provide updates.