By Catherine Welch
Wilmington, NC – Forecasters had hoped Gabrielle would drench the parched Carolinas. Instead the storm brought scattered showers along the coast, rip currents, and wind gusts up to 50 miles per hour, but little rain.
National Weather Service Meteorologist Terrance Lebo says drought conditions that have been baking North Carolina all summer evaporated much of the storm's punch.
There's a lot of dry air and these storms need moisture and they need an environment that's favorable, and this was a very unfavorable environment as it moved into the region, so it really never had a chance.
Gabrielle did drop up to 8 inches of rain on parts of Carteret County.
National Guard and swift water units were on standby as a precaution for the state's first storm of the season.
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