AccuWeather forecasters are keeping an eye on an area close to Florida which shows some potential for tropical development July 15-18.

N.C. Department of Transportation and local officials gathered this week to celebrate the reopening of the bridge over Prices Creek on East Moore Street in Southport. The bridge officially opened to drivers Thursday afternoon.

After Tropical Storm Chantal made landfall in South Carolina over the Fourth of July weekend, the tropics are now quiet. Well, sort of. Chantal is now a post-tropical cyclone, according to the last advisory issued by the National Hurricane Center at 11 a.m. ET.

On the heels of Tropical Depression Chantal, climatologists are warning that storms like it could become more common.

Tropical cyclones (TCs) rank among the most destructive weather phenomena, often bringing intense winds, heavy rainfall, and massive storm surges.

Tropical Storm Chantal caused widespread flooding in Orange County dealing a blow to towns already squeezed by dwindling state and federal support.

We need to continue to improve the skill of hyper-localized flood forecasts because this is the main way people are dying from tropical cyclones.

Wind shear (red - strong shear; green - low shear). Shear is typically strong to start the hurricane season: