(WGHP) — Governor Roy Cooper signed an Executive Order on Monday declaring a State of Emergency ahead of severe weather expected across North Carolina.

Tropical Storm Debby has the potential for life-threatening flash flooding, riverine flooding, wind gusts up to 40 mph and catastrophic coastal flooding.

After making landfall, Hurricane Debby has now been downgraded to Tropical Storm Debby but still has the potential to have strong impacts on North Carolina.

“This weather has the potential to bring intense rain and flooding to North Carolina, and we are preparing for it,” Cooper said. “As the weather becomes more severe, I urge everyone to take precautions and stay safe.”

The order activates the State Emergency Operations Plan and allows for the North Carolina Department of Transportation and the North Carolina Department of Public Safety to take action to ensure utility vehicles move quickly to eliminate power outages and vehicles carrying essential supplies such as food, medicine and fuel or transporting livestock, poultry and crops move quickly as well.

The governor and NC Emergency Management officials are urging North Carolinians to be safe and cautious during heavy rainfall and winds and to expect flooding and power outages as a strong weather system will impact the state starting Tuesday through the end of the week.

Damaging winds and saturated soil might lead to blown-down trees and power lines, causing possible scattered to widespread power outages.