Florida Prepares For Hurricane Idalia Landfall, But What Should North Carolina Expect?

I've been in contact with some good friends who are gearing up for their first hurricane season as homeowners in the Tampa/St. Pete area of Florida. They aren't in the evacuation zone and as of this morning, the storm seems to be headed a little west of them. Despite Hurricane Idalia being in the Gulf of Mexico and not the Atlantic, North Carolina will still experience some effects of the storm. Idalia is currently a category 1 storm but can still be dangerous. According to meteorologists at WSOC-TV Charlotte should expect to see 1-3 inches of rain while closer to the coast could see up to 6 inches of rainfall. So luckily for us, Hurricane Idalia will mostly leave North Carolina alone, other than getting us good and wet. NC Governor Roy Cooper did issue a warning about the storm via social media yesterday. He warned North Carolinians to be cognisant of heavy rain and strong winds from the storm. He also encourages having emergency plans and kits ready in case of the worst. https://twitter.com/NC_Governor/status/1696205890997920012 For up to date information on Hurricane Idalia follow the National Hurricane Center on social media. As of 11am this morning the are anticipating the Big Bend area of Florida to receive a direct hit from the storm surge. As always these storms can be unpredictable and change direction within an instant. https://twitter.com/NHC_Atlantic/status/1696539974072672413 [select-listicle listicle_id="433154" syndication_name="5-types-of-natural-disasters-you-have-the-best-chance-of-experiencing-in-north-carolina" description="yes"]