Remnants of Ana will bring rain, gusty winds to Outer Banks

Tropical Storm Ana made landfall early this morning at 6 a.m. near Myrtle Beach, S.C., and by Sunday afternoon, the storm has been downgraded to a tropical depression.

Rain, heavy at times, and gusty winds can be expected over the Outer Banks this evening, overnight, and into tomorrow as the remnants of the storm lift very slowly north through eastern North Carolina, just about along the I-95 corridor. We can also expect heavy surf with a high threat of rip currents.

According to the National Hurricane Center, Ana was mostly stationary for much of today, but a slow northward movement is expected to resume later in the day. A turn toward the northeast and a gradual increase in forward speed is expected over the next 48 hours.  By Tuesday morning, Ana’s remnants are forecast to be off the coast of New England.

Locally heavy rainfall, with a chance of thunderstorms, is expected along the Outer Banks after midnight and into Monday morning with south winds 20 to 25 mph. Rainfall chances are 80 percent tonight and tomorrow morning, falling to 60 percent tomorrow night.

Tuesday will remain warm, muggy, breezy, and unsettled with a 40 percent chance of rain.

A cold front will move through the area Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, with a 50 percent chance of more showers or thunderstorms, followed by drier and more stable air later in the week.  Temperatures will also be slightly cooler with a high of around 70 forecast for Thursday.

Here is the long-range forecast for the Outer Banks:

TONIGHT …SHOWERS LIKELY WITH ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS THIS EVENING…
THEN SHOWERS AND SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS AFTER MIDNIGHT. LOCALLY
HEAVY RAINFALL POSSIBLE AFTER MIDNIGHT. WINDY WITH LOWS IN THE LOWER 70S. SOUTH WINDS 20 TO 25 MPH. CHANCE OF RAIN 80 PERCENT.

MONDAY …SHOWERS AND SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS IN THE MORNING…THEN SHOWERS LIKELY WITH ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS IN THE AFTERNOON. WINDY WITH HIGHS IN THE MID 70S. SOUTH WINDS AROUND 25 MPH. CHANCE OF RAIN 80 PERCENT.

MONDAY NIGHT …SHOWERS LIKELY WITH A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS IN THE EVENING…THEN A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AFTER MIDNIGHT. WINDY WITH LOWS AROUND 70. SOUTHWEST WINDS 20 TO 25 MPH. CHANCE OF RAIN 60 PERCENT.

TUESDAY …MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF SHOWERS IN THE MORNING…
THEN PARTLY SUNNY WITH A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS IN THE AFTERNOON. BREEZY WITH HIGHS IN THE UPPER 70S. SOUTHWEST WINDS 15 TO 20 MPH. CHANCE OF RAIN 40 PERCENT.

TUESDAY NIGHT …MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS IN THE EVENING…THEN PARTLY CLOUDY WITH A SLIGHT
CHANCE OF SHOWERS AFTER MIDNIGHT. BREEZY WITH LOWS IN THE UPPER 60S.
SOUTHWEST WINDS 15 TO 20 MPH. CHANCE OF RAIN 50 PERCENT.

WEDNESDAY …SUNNY. HIGHS IN THE MID 70S.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT …MOSTLY CLEAR IN THE EVENING…THEN BECOMING
PARTLY CLOUDY. LOWS IN THE LOWER 60S.

THURSDAY …PARTLY CLOUDY. HIGHS AROUND 70.

THURSDAY NIGHT …PARTLY CLOUDY. LOWS AROUND 60.

FRIDAY …PARTLY CLOUDY. HIGHS IN THE LOWER 70S.

FRIDAY NIGHT. ..MOSTLY CLOUDY. LOWS IN THE MID 60S.

SATURDAY …PARTLY SUNNY. HIGHS IN THE MID 70S.

SATURDAY NIGHT. ..MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS. LOWS IN THE MID 60S. CHANCE OF RAIN 30 PERCENT.

SUNDAY …MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. HIGHS IN THE MID 70S. CHANCE OF RAIN 30 PERCENT.