Triple storm threat fades for N.C.

With Hanna a memory, a strike from Hurricane Ike looks unlikely, and Josephine peters out in the Atlantic

The threat of a potential one-two-three punch of tropical cyclones smacking into North Carolina faded significantly Sunday after the mostly mild passage of Tropical Storm Hanna and the westward track of Hurricane Ike toward the Gulf of Mexico.

And the third menace? What was once Tropical Storm Josephine has dissipated into a weaker tropical system far out in the Atlantic, forecasters said.

Rivers and creeks are still swelling from Hanna's much-needed rain, but the storm's quick northward march through the eastern part of the state early Saturday left scattered wind damage.

In Raleigh, Ligon Middle School will be closed today because of a power line failure related to the weekend's storm, Wake County school officials said. The school is expected to reopen on a regular schedule Tuesday.

Hurricane Ike weakened on Sunday from Category 4 to Category 3. It is expected to enter the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico later this week after making initial landfall in Cuba late Sunday or early this morning.

Depending on where the storm strikes U.S. soil, it could bring significant rainfall to North Carolina early next week, causing flooding more severe than the post-Hanna swells.

"If we get another system in the next week or so, it would set the stage for further flooding," said Phil Badgett, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Raleigh. "The ground is already moist."

For now, though, North Carolina seems safe from a direct strike from Ike. Forecasts show the hurricane will likely weaken to a Category 2 storm as it passes Cuba, then regain intensity over the Gulf.

The projected track of the storm is aimed at a landfall in Louisiana or Texas late this week. Ike's impact on North Carolina would diminish the further west it goes, said Badgett. But forecasters are also including the coasts of Mississippi, Alabama and the Florida Panhandle in their five-day outlook.

Meanwhile, Gov. Mike Easley warned residents Sunday that the flooding caused by Hanna continues.

"Everyone needs to know that currents are still strong and hazardous in many areas," Easley said in a news release.

The town of Raeford has seen major flooding, the release said, and Clayton and Smithfield have seen minor flooding.

The Neuse River, which normally runs at 4 to 6 feet through Smithfield, was expected to crest at nearly 18 feet late Sunday, potentially flooding nearby roads.

Badgett said Hanna's speedy clip saved the state from major flood damage, dropping an average of 3 to 5 inches of rain over the Triangle instead of a predicted 7 to 9 inches.