Two years ago, Hurricane Matthew caused serious damage in the Southeastern United States. Some officials are looking back on what made Hurricane Matthew deadly to better prepare for Hurricane Florence.
Jonathan Blaes, a science and operations officer at the National Weather Service office in Raleigh, said the biggest threat to Orange County is likely to be extremely heavy rain as the storm slowly makes its way across the region.
In the Piedmont, the threat of potential river flooding and flash flooding can be extremely dangerous when it covers main roads.
Andrew Barksdale, a spokesperson for the N.C. Department of Transportation, said North Carolina is taking the same precautions it did two years ago to prepare for Hurricane Matthew.
“Our response is the same, and unfortunately, this one looks like it might be perhaps even bigger than Matthew,” Barksdale said. “We need everyone to take it seriously and avoid flood areas and be prepared for the worst.”
During Hurricane Matthew, 28 people in North Carolina died as a result of the storm. At least 17 of those deaths were in vehicles that were swept away on flooded roads.
Blaes said Hurricane Matthew did not kill a single person in a county that touches salt water.
He said Chapel Hill could receive anywhere from 10 to 20 inches of rain from Hurricane Florence depending on the path of the storm. He said Orange County typically receives 45 to 60 inches of rain per year.
“Don’t just ignore this — use common sense, and put yourself in safe place,” Blaes said.
