Tropical Storm Gabrielle fails to ease drought in North Carolina by Rob McElwee
Tropical storm Gabrielle, the seventh storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, buffeted the banks of North Carolina yesterday but failed to make any substantial impact. The eye of the storm made land shortly before midday on Sunday, and despite generating winds of up to 50mph (80kph), did little more than kick up the surf and produce a scattering of showers.
Much of the state is in the midst of a severe drought, and it was hoped that Gabrielle would deliver some significant rainfall to help ease the situation. Many rivers in the state are flowing at their lowest level in over 100 years, and according to the US Drought Management Advisory many communities have received less than half of their average rainfall amount for this time of year.
Officials had previously issued a number of warnings along the states coastline in anticipation of the storm, closing campsites and placing National Guard units on standby. However as the storm begins to move away from the north-east coast towards the Atlantic Ocean it appears the precautions were in vain, and Gabrielle is likely to be remembered as an inconvenience more than anything else.
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