THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, August 29, 1995 TAG: 9508290411
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY PAUL SOUTH, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 57 lines
Heavy rains filled ditches to overflowing and left standing water on N.C. 12 Monday on Hatteras and Ocracoke islands.
Nearly 2 inches of rain fell over the weekend, said Wally DeMaurice, chief meteorologist at the National Weather Service station in Buxton. Since Sunday, 4.92 inches have fallen.
The rains left standing water on stretches of N.C. 12 near Avon and Rodanthe, and large puddles in the front yards of residences. DeMaurice summed up the month's weather in one word: ``Wet.''
About 8 1/2 inches have been reported in August, more than twice the normal rainfall, DeMaurice said.
``We had a big puddle in front of the weather station. We've had some reports of standing water on N.C. 12 around Avon.''
On Ocracoke, the story was much the same. National Park Service Ranger Dan Trexler said the precipitation came courtesy of Tropical Storm Jerry.
``We got a lot more rain from Jerry than we got from Felix,'' said Trexler. ``We've got standing water on some spots of N.C. 12, but not enough to close the road. We've also got standing puddles in front of a lot of houses.''
An occasional car slid into deep water and had to be towed out.
Officials pointed out that driving on wet pavement can be dangerous.
Trooper Ed Johnson of the Elizabeth City office of the North Carolina Highway Patrol said drivers should use common sense when driving on wet roadways.
``Drivers should slow down, and not drive through areas of water when they don't know how deep it is,'' said Johnson.
Among other safety tips:
Maintain a greater distance between your vehicle and the one in front of you. It's harder to stop on wet pavement.
If you use your wipers on a regular cycle, North Carolina law requires the use of headlights. ``If you're using your wipers on an intermittent cycle, headlights aren't required,'' Johnson said. ``But it's still a good idea to use them.''
Motorists sometimes get stuck in wet sand on roadsides. Johnson said that if heavy rains occur, and visibility decreases, drivers should pull off onto a safe, paved area, such as a beach access.
The rain is expected to decrease today, with clearing later in the day. There is a 40 percent chance of showers. ILLUSTRATION: Color staff photos by VICKI CRONIS
Above, a truck heading north Monday morning plows through water on
N.C. 12 in Avon. Below, cars in Salvo skim across the same soaked
highway. Heavy rains from Tropical Storm Jerry left standing water
along the roadway that stalled some cars.
KEYWORDS: TROPICAL STORM JERRY by CNB