The latest storm news on July 5 said that tropical depression No. 3, previously low pressure Invest 92L, is forecast to bring heavy rain to Florida, the US and the southeastern coastal areas along the Atlantic Ocean regardless of whether it strengthens into a storm or not.
The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said that the US off-southeast low pressure area has been officially classified as tropical depression No. 3, which could cause heavy rain and flooding in the Carolina area in the next few days.
A tropical storm warning has been issued for some coastal communities in South Carolina as tropical depression No. 3 is expected to strengthen into storm Chantal in the next 24 hours.
The US National Hurricane Center has issued a warning from Edisto Beach to Little River Inlet in South Carolina. This area is expected to be where the storm made landfall.
Some areas in Florida, the coasts of Georgia and the Carolina have recorded rainfall exceeding 127 mm. Significant rainfall is still forecast early next week, especially in the eastern part of North Carolina.
Because tropical depression No. 3 only has a short time active at sea, when it strengthens into storm Chantal, the storm is likely to be a weak tropical storm, with winds of about 64 80 km/h. After making landfall, Chantal will gradually weaken as it moves over the Carolina.
If officially named, Chantal would be the third storm of this year's hurricane season, earlier than usual. On average, the third storm of the season typically arrives in August.
The Atlantic hurricane season began on June 1 and runs through November 30. So far, there have been two tropical storms: Andrea, which formed on June 24 and dissipated a day later; and Barry, which formed in the Gulf of Mexico on June 29 and made landfall overnight.
In May, forecasters at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicted that this year's hurricane season would be above average, with 13 to 19 named storms. Typically, the most destructive storms will come at the end of the summer.
Meteorological experts say there is a possibility of a major hurricane making landfall in the US this season. Last year was also one of the years when hurricanes caused the most damage in the US. The total damage caused by Helene and Milton is about $113 billion and more than 250 deaths.
Climate change is also affecting the amount of rain generated by storms. When the climate heats up, the air mass can hold more humidity, allowing a storm to hold and produce more rain, as Hurricane Harvey did in Texas in 2017, with the number of areas recording up to 1,000 mm of rainfall in less than 48 hours. Researchers also found that over the past few decades, storms have also slowed down, maintaining a longer impact in the storm area.
