Town administrators continue to monitor the track of Tropical Storm Ernesto. As a result of current conditions, the following decision was made:

The Town Hall will be closed on Friday, September 1, 2006.

If conditions become detrimental to the safety of Town residents, further decisions will be made regarding appropriate safety precautions. Public announcements from town administrators are communicated through this web site. Residents may also find out about the status of Town operations on WNCT-9.

The Latest Forecast: Ernesto made landfall last night at 11:30 p.m. Wind gusts of 55 to 65 mph were common with some areas reporting winds over 70 mph. There were also numerous reports of flash flooding, with some areas measuring between 8 and 12 inches of rain.

As of 5 a.m., Ernesto remains a tropical storm with maximum winds of 60 mph and tropical storm warnings remain in effect. With the system now over land, weakening will continue today. Heavy rain bands will continue. Rainfall amounts on the order of 3 to 6 inches, with isolated higher amounts, may result in flash flooding as we head into the weekend.

(Posted September 1, 2006 at 7:26 am)