Chief Meteorologist Patrick Rockey's First Warning Forecast
The second half of the weekend will look nothing like the first as a mean coastal storm moves across our region.
Most of us will start the day dry and fairly calm. But rain will spread across from North Carolina through Hampton Roads as we head into the late morning and early afternoon.
The rain will become heavier and the winds will become stronger as we head into the late afternoon and evening.
We're expecting the heaviest downpours and the strongest winds on Sunday night. Along the Virginia coast, wind gusts could be in excess of 50 mph, with gusts over 60 mph on the North Carolina coast.
We're expecting 2-3 inches of rain across most of the region. But some areas could pick up even more, depending on where the strongest bands develop and how long they stick around.
Those gusty winds will likely cause some overwash flooding on the Outer Banks and some flooding of low-lying areas around the Albemarle Sound and nearby rivers.
In addition, a few strong/severe storms are possible. Most of Hampton Roads and North Carolina are under a Level 1 threat, while the southern Outer Banks is under a Level 2 threat.
Damaging winds and flooding are the top concerns. But an isolated tornado is also a possibility.
Some of the wet and windy weather stick around for early Monday morning. But the rain should be gone before lunch, with breezy conditions sticking around through the day.
