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Gov. Roy Cooper has declared a state of emergency for North Carolina ahead of Hurricane Ian.
Hurricane Ian made landfall on the southwest coast of Florida on Wednesday (September 28) as a powerful Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 155 mph and dangerous storm surges sweeping through communities. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has urged residents to "hunker down" as the storm moves through the state and up the coast.
The dangerous storm is expected to weaken as it moves up Florida and into the Carolinas by the end of the week, but it can still cause heavy rain across the state. Because of this, Gov. Cooper declared the state of emergency on Wednesday to allow for easier coordinated responses across the state in the case of an emergency caused by the storm, including waiving transportation rules to help transport fuel and other critical supplies, according to a release from the governor's office.
"A State of Emergency is needed now so that farmers and those preparing for the storm can more quickly get ready for the heavy rain that is likely to fall in much of our state," he said. "North Carolinians should stay aware, keep a close eye on the forecast and prepare their emergency supplies."
Speaking to WRAL at a groundbreaking event in Raleigh, Cooper talked about the concerns state leaders have for the potentially severe weather.
"The most serious concern that we have is flooding, particularly the more west it moves," he said. "We know the potential for landslides in the mountains, and we know from Tropical Storm Fred [in 2021] just devastation it can cause."
According to WRAL weather experts, North Carolina could feel the impact of Hurricane Ida as early as Friday with heavy rain and strong winds picking up throughout the day. Coastal communities could see up to 5 inches of rain while the Triangle could get up to 4 inches with wind gusts up to 50 mph.