Ida was downgraded to a tropical storm Monday morning after making landfall along the Gulf Coast as a catastrophic Category 4 hurricane.<\/b>
\nTropical Storm Ida will weaken to a tropical depression on Monday afternoon before bringing rain to North Carolina midweek, according to WRAL meteorologist Elizabeth Gardner, \u00ab\u00a0That’s good news for wind damage, but it will still bring flooding rains to many states,\u00a0\u00bb said Gardner, adding that storm surge on the coast of Alabama and on Florida’s panhandle will be between 2 and 5 feet Monday. As Ida moves away from Louisiana, parts of southern Mississippi and Alabama will see between 10 to 18 inches of rain with storm totals up to 24 inches. \u00ab\u00a0As the storm moves into northern Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee, amounts will taper down to 3 to 6 inches Tuesday and Wednesday,\u00a0\u00bb Gardner said. \u00ab\u00a0This includes the part of Tennessee where 20 people died during Fred’s remnants. There could be more flooding, but the rainfall totals won’t be as high.\u00a0\u00bb The N.C. mountains from Asheville westward will see 2 to 5 inches of rain, less than the 8 to 9 inches seen during Fred, Gardner said. The central and northern mountains will see less than two inches. Here in the Triangle, we’ll see less than an inch of rain, but the area is under a Level 1 risk for severe storms on Wednesday. After Ida passes N.C., the remnants will interact with a front to our north, and parts of Pennsylvania could see 6 to 10 inches of rain Thursday and Friday, Gardner said. Ida was downgraded to a tropical storm Monday morning after making landfall along the Gulf Coast as a catastrophic Category 4 hurricane. Ida battered Louisiana on Sunday and overnight, ripping roofs off homes and threatening flooding. Now that Ida’s winds are weakening, the main threat will be heavy rain. WRAL meteorologist Elizabeth Gardner said the storm’s winds are still dangerous but are now losing the potential to do that kind of damage as it moves away from Louisiana. \u00ab\u00a0This is a weakening system but the flooding threat continues,\u00a0\u00bb said WRAL meteorologist Peta Sheerwood. \u00ab\u00a0This system is still moving slowly. Tornado watches remain in effect today for Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.\u00a0\u00bb Ida was the fourth hurricane to make landfall in the state since last August. Tropical Storm Kate formed in the central Atlantic on Monday and is not expected to impact land, Gardner said, explaining \u00ab\u00a0it will wander around east of Bermuda without making landfall and dissipate in the north Atlantic.\u00a0\u00bb The peak of the Atlantic hurricane season is Sept.10. Historically, mid-August through October is the most active period of the Atlantic season.<\/p>\n