Storm is 2nd wettest in 70 years

WASHINGTON — A top rainfall meteorologist calculates that Hurricane Florence is the nation’s second rainiest storm in 70 years.

Ken Kunkel, a meteorologist at the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration and North Carolina State University, finds that only Hurricane Harvey last year rained more over a 14,000 square mile area than Florence during a four-day period.

Scientists say climate change likely boosted rainfall totals for both storms.

Kunkel’s preliminary analysis found more than 17.5 inches fell on average over five weather stations stretching from Fayetteville, N.C., to Florence, S.C. That amount is second to Harvey’s 25.6 inches.

The third rainiest storm was in March 2016 in northern Louisiana.

When Kunkel looked at a larger area — 20,000 square miles — Florence fell to seventh biggest rain storm.

About 400 roads across North Carolina remained closed due to the storm that’s claimed at least 46 lives since slamming into the coast Sept. 14. Crews have reopened the major highways closed in the storm. Interstate 95 was reopened to all traffic Sunday night for the first time since the floods, and Gov. Roy Cooper said Monday that a previously closed portion of Interstate 40 had reopened sooner than expected.

Power outages and the number of people in shelters also were declining. Around 5,000 people were without power, down from a peak of about 800,000, and about 2,200 people were in shelters, compared with a high of around 20,000, the governor said.

In Washington, lawmakers considered almost $1.7 billion in new money for disaster relief and recovery.