Matthew No Longer a Hurricane, But Still Packs 75 mph Winds

Matthew, the deadly storm that's spread misery from the Caribbean to the Carolinas, is no longer a hurricane. But even as it heads out to sea, the storm is causing serious problems for the southeastern United States.

North Carolina is feeling the brunt. The eastern part of the state will deal with devastating flooding for several days as rivers top their banks.

One thousand people in North Carolina have been rescued, some in dramatic helicopter operations, and 3,000 people are still living in shelters, authorities said Sunday. More than 585,00 customers still lacked electricity Sunday night.

"Hurricane Matthew may be off the map, but it is still with us," North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory said Sunday.

As of 5 p.m. ET Sunday Matthew was about 200 miles east of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, and heading east at 15 mph.

The National Hurricane Center says Matthew is no longer a hurricane and is now considered a post-tropical cyclone. Despite its new title, it's still packing maximum sustained winds of 75 mph (120 kph) -- the same as a Category 1 hurricane, forecasters said.

Matthew's only change is in its "core structure," hence the change to a cyclone, CNN meteorologist Allison Chinchar said. However, she warned, the change in name does not mean it's any less dangerous.

Source: CNN