Carolina Beach Mayor Lynn Barbee says so many people across the state have seen the town underwater that during a meeting on Wednesday, he was surprised to be asked when the town would be ready to re-open.

The system will bring rain, coastal flooding and rough surf from Cape Fear to Ocracoke, but also could bring tropical storm-like conditions along a path roughly from Charlotte to Mount Airy. The Triangle area could see more than two inches of rain and gusty winds as the storm slowly churns through.