RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — Many in central North Carolina are dealing with the remnants of Tropical Depression Chantal, which brought heavy rain Sunday night causing significant flooding across the region.
All lanes of Interstate 85/Interstate 40 were closed both directions Monday near Durham and were expected to reopen in 24 to 48 hours, according to the North Carolina Department of Transportation. Authorities urge people to stay off the road, but if not possible, go slow and do not drive through water.
Thousands were left without power after the storms. According to the Duke Energy outage map, thousands of customers across central North Carolina are without power after several storms that sparked warnings moved through.
Several counties are under Flash Flood Warnings, Flood Advisories, and Flood Watches until later Monday morning. The highest rain totals of 8 to 10 inches were areas across Chatham, Alamance, and Orange counties. States of emergency have been declared in Alamance, Moore, and Orange Counties.
The Eno River crested early Monday at Durham at 25.63 feet (7.81 meters), surpassing the previous record of 23.6 feet (7.19 meters), according the National Water Prediction Service’s website.
The Haw River crested early Monday at 32.5 feet (9.91 meters), the second highest river stage ever recorded at the Town of Haw River. That level was only eclipsed by Hurricane Fran in 1996 when the stage reached 32.83 feet (10.01 meters), according to a post from the National Weather Service’s Raleigh office.
However, you can expect a rather dry Monday, with some spotty, isolated storms possible. See latest weather alerts here in our viewing area.
A reported Chantal-related death occurred in Chatham County, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol confirmed.
On Sunday night around 11:30 p.m., troopers responded to a vehicle submerged in water on Farrington Point Road near Hinton Road.
A 2014 Audi A4 passenger car traveling north drove into floodwater, was swept away, and came to a stop approximately 100 feet off the roadway. The driver, identified as Sandra Portnoy Hirschman, 83, of Pittsboro, was found dead inside the vehicle.
No other vehicles or individuals were involved in the incident, according to NCSHP.
As of late Sunday, there were over 100 roads in and near Chatham County flooded. A portion of NC 902 is closed after the road was washed away by heavy rain and flooding.
Sheriff Mike Roberson warned residents in a social media post that water may have subsided in some areas, but it was still dangerous to travel. Officials were searching for some missing people Monday morning, he said.
SEE ALSO: Crews search for 2 missing boaters on Jordan Lake in Chatham County
Monday morning, crews rescued 80 people by boat from homes in Durham County close to flooded Eno River. Dozens of emergency evacuations took place as well. Orange County is still under a state of emergency, which was issued Sunday night.
DRONE: Overnight storms flood Eno River
WATCH: Camelot Village after major flooding from Chantal
Chantal was expected to continue northeast through mid-Atlantic states Monday as a tropical depression before brushing the southern New England coast Monday night into Tuesday morning, according to the Weather Prediction Center.
Rainfall amounts of up to 10 inches (25 centimeters) have already been reported in portions of the interior mid-Atlantic and the possibility of 3 to 6 inches (8 to 15 centimeters) more was expected to raise flash flooding concerns, particularly to the northwest of Chantal’s path through Monday night.
Tropical Storm Chantal was downgraded to a depression Sunday after making landfall near Litchfield Beach, South Carolina, early Sunday, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said.
Forecasters warned of dangerous surf and rip currents at beaches from northeastern Florida to the mid-Atlantic states for the next couple of days.
Looking Ahead
Hot and humid weather will stick around through the end of the week, with highs in the low to mid-90s and heat index values reaching 105 to 109. A Heat Advisory is likely.
Tuesday through Friday, expect scattered showers and storms, with some areas possibly seeing heavy rain and minor street flooding.
Wednesday brings a Level 1 risk for severe storms, with damaging winds as the primary concern.
This weekend, the pattern will remain similar, with isolated to scattered afternoon and evening storms and highs near 90.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
