RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) – North Carolina’s emergency officials say the forecast keeps improving as Tropical Storm Irma churns to the north and west, but they say residents will still feel the storm’s effects.
Gov. Roy Cooper said Monday the threat remains the greatest in the mountains, with localized flooding and power outages possible.
Cooper says the threat for rockslides in western North Carolina is greater this year because of mountain wildfires last fall.
There could also be minor flooding at the coast. Heavy rain and high winds should begin in the state Monday afternoon and continue until early Tuesday.
North Carolina remains in a state of emergency, with staging areas for recovery operations in Greensboro, Charlotte and Asheville.
Duke Energy says they have 4,500 workers stationed in the Carolinas to respond to power outages.