RICHMOND, Va. -- Subtropical Storm Ana intensified Friday evening and is a visually impressive subtropical storm about 150 miles SE of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
The storm will likely move very slowly northwestward this weekend, making landfall near the South Carolina/North Carolina state line. Ana could make the transition to a true tropical system before making landfall, but the impacts will still be the same, with heavy surf, life-threatening riptides, flooding rains, and strong winds.
Below is a snapshot of the latest forecast track from the National Hurricane Center:
The impact to Virginia will be felt most directly on Monday, as Ana, likely a depression at the time, moves through southside Virginia and Hampton Roads.
The four snapshots below show landfall early Sunday morning, with an exit off the Virginia coast late Monday:
Locally heavy rain will be the primary threat for southern and southeastern Virginia as Ana moves through on Monday. Winds will not be an issue as the storm will have been over land for 24 hours and had plenty of time to weaken. The dynamics won't be in place for much of a hail or tornado threat.
Models show a wide range of rainfall possibilities, but as of tonight, this particular model agrees most with what I'm expecting from Ana. Any change in the track and intensity will have big implications on the realized rainfall.
Meteorologists Mike Goldberg and Mike Stone will be in the CBS 6 Weather Center over the weekend, keeping you updated with any and all changes in the track, intensity, and timing of Ana as it approaches the area. Have a great weekend, Happy Mothers' Day to all the moms, and Stay With CBS 6, The Weather Authority. -Zach
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