Much of the towns of Carolina Beach and Kure Beach were underwater Monday as an unnamed coastal storm dumped as much as 15 inches of rain in the southeastern corner of North Carolina over a 12-hour period.

Over 72 hours, Carolina and Kure had officially received more than a foot of rain, and the National Weather Service said some residents’ rain gauges showed more than 18 inches near 2 p.m.

Gov. Roy Cooper’s office confirmed that Ocean Boulevard in Carolina Beach had received at least 18.32 inches of rain since midnight, according to a 6 p.m. news release.

The southeastern region is under flash flood warnings through Tuesday morning. Tropical storm warnings were dropped Monday evening as forecasters said the system appeared most likely to dissipate as it moved over land.

By Monday night, only a few scattered showers remained in the area and winds had quieted down from the 60 mph gusts recorded earlier in the day to around 22 mph.

Because classes hadn’t been canceled in advance, parents sent their children to school Monday only to have the New Hanover County Schools announce early closings mid-morning. Parents complained that by then, flooded roads made it difficult to reach them.

Some students from Carolina and Kure Beach were delivered to their homes on the island from school in a military-style transport truck by fire and rescue crews from Wilmington. The students arrived home wearing life jackets.

In neighboring Brunswick County, police reported sections of several roads had collapsed Monday afternoon. Numerous roads remained closed Monday night in New Hanover and Brunswick counties, according to the N.C. Department of Transportation’s real-time traffic map.

The State Emergency Response Team is monitoring conditions along the coast and has moved the State Emergency Operations Center to “Enhanced Watch Activation,” according to Cooper’s office.

‘Wait until high tide’

Stunned island residents and visitors posted videos and photos Monday on social media showing cars, garages, patios and picket fences covered in tea-colored flood waters. Locals remarking on the pictures added, “Wait until high tide.”

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s coastal tidal charts show high tides Monday evening around 6:45 p.m.

The town of Southport, slightly further south, also had received more than a foot of rain in 72 hours by Monday afternoon, leaving roads there impassable.

Here are other rainfall totals as of 6 p.m., according to the governor’s office:

“1 mile south of Snows Cut Bridge: 14.83 inches

“Sunny Point Military Terminal: 14.59 inches

“Boiling Springs Lake: 14.16 inches

“½ mile north of Snows Cut Bridge: 14.01 inches

“Saint James (Brunswick County): 13.34 inches

“Abbington Oaks in Southport: 12.74 inches

“Mallory Creek at Leland: 6.78 inches

“Wilmington Airport: 3.61 inches”

Drivers urged to avoid travel

A low-lying section of U.S. 17 near Supply was underwater Monday afternoon, according to the N.C. Department of Transportation. Drivers were urged to avoid travel in the area.

The Southport-to-Fort Fisher ferry was closed Monday because of poor weather conditions.

This story was originally published September 16, 2024, 2:45 PM.