Storm Surge/Tide in Pamlico, North Carolina

The most significant inundation occurred in the Arapahoe area, where the Neuse River rose to a height of around 4.7 feet above ground level along China Grove Rd. Water levels peaked between 9am and noon as strong and persistent northeast winds occurred well out ahead of Ophelia. Other areas that were surveyed by a NWS survey team were Bayboro and Hobucken. In Bayboro, water levels rose to 3 to 4 feet above ground level, while Hobucken observed water level rises between 2 to 3 feet above ground level.

On Thursday, September 21st, an area of low pressure begin to develop and get more organized off the Southeast US coastline. That low continued to deepen and become more organized, eventually taking on tropical characteristics, becoming the 15th named storm of the 2023 Atlantic Hurricane Season on Friday, September 22nd. Ophelia developed into a strong tropical storm and moved north over the next couple of days, making landfall during the early morning hours near Emerald Isle, NC. Ophelia continued to march north through the heart of Eastern North Carolina on Saturday, September 23rd. Ophelia eventually weakened to a Tropical Depression Saturday evening over southern Virginia.

Ophelia brought widespread heavy rainfall, gusty winds, and significant river and storm surge flooding to portions of Eastern North Carolina, and is a reminder that it's never just a tropical storm. One of the more notable impacts with Ophelia was flooding, both from storm surge and from heavy rain / flash flooding. Significant storm surge flooding occurred along the Neuse, Pamlico, and Pungo Rivers. Inland, significant flooding occurred in the Greenville area due to flash flooding and a rapidly rising Green Mill Run.