Hurricane Alex

Cars navigate through standing water on Highway 12, Aug. 4, 2004, in Avon, N.C., on the North Carolina Outer Banks. Stretches of the road remained flooded a day after Hurricane Alex hit the area.

North Carolina Gov. Mike Easley, center, and Bryan Beatty, Secretary of Crime Control and Public Safety, view the damage from Hurricane Alex aboard a Blackhawk Helicopeter, Aug. 4, 2004, over Hatteras, N.C.

Workers replace telephone poles along Highway 12 that were knocked down during Hurricane Alex, Aug. 4, 2004, in Ocracoke, N.C. The crews hoped to have all power restored to the island in two days.

Jennifer Thomas, left, and Rick Gentile rides their bikes along Highway 12 while cars slowly drive the road, which was flooded by Hurricane Alex, Aug. 3, 2004, in Buxton, N.C., on the North Carolina Outer Banks.

Vacationer Ken Spivey paddles north on Atlantic Avenue on his way back to the Ramada Hotel where he is staying in Virginia Beach, Va., Aug. 3, 2004. He wanted to go out for lunch, but since Atlantic Avenue was closed to vehicle traffic, he decided to take out his kayak instead. Atlantic Avenue was closed from 54th to 60th Streets due to flooding caused by heavy rains from the outskirts of Hurricane Alex.

A man trys to cover himself as he walks in the street during Hurricane Alex, the first Atlantic hurricane of the season, Aug. 3, 2004, in Salvo, N.C. Wind gusts reaching 100 mph were reported on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

Kristen Weaver, of New Bern, N.C., rides a nice wave, Aug. 3, 2004, at Atlantic Beach, N.C., after Hurricane Alex passed.

A surfer enjoys remnants of Hurricane Alex at Risely Pier on Onslow Beach at Camp Lejeune, N.C., Aug. 3, 2004.

Chris Midgett removes sand that built up in the driveway of the Cape Hatteras Motel during Hurricane Alex, Aug. 3, 2004, in Buxton, N.C., on the North Carolina Outer Banks.

Cars slowly manuvuer along Highway 12 as rain and wind from Hurricane Alex makes landfall, Aug. 3, 2004, in Hatteras, N.C., on the North Carolina Outer Banks.

Vacationers tread back in to the Atlantic Ocean as the tail end of Hurricane Alex's winds hit the coast, Aug. 3, 2004, in Buxton, N.C., on the North Carolina Outer Banks.

A pickup truck makes its way along Highway 12 as floodwaters from Hurricane Alex rise, Aug. 3, 2004, in Buxton, N.C., on the North Carolina Outer Banks.

United States Navy Lt. Dave Roberts tracks Alex at the Hurricane Center in Miami, Fla., Aug. 3, 2004. Upgraded from tropical storm status earlier in the day, Alex strengthened to a Category 2 hurricane.

NASA's Terra satellite captured this true-color image of Hurricane Alex, the first Atlantic hurricane of the season, at noon EDT, Aug. 3, 2004. Around that time, the Category 2 storm was pounding North Carolina's Outer Banks with winds of up to 100 mph.

Lifeguard Wes Whitaker gets a hug from Laura Warren as her son Spencer Warren watches, Aug. 2, 2004. Whitaker had just pulled Spencer, 12, out of the waters off Wrightsville Beach, N.C., after heavy rip currents forced him underneath a pier.

Surfers at Isle of Palms, S.C., head out to the rising waves caused by the first tropical depression of the Atlantic hurricane season, July 31, 2004.

A red flags waves, Aug. 2, 2004, warning swimmers of dangerous undertows at Atlantic Beach, N.C., as a result of Tropical Storm Alex heading up the coast. Alex was causing heavy surf and strong rip currents along the North and South Carolina coast.

Betty Lartigue, of Gaithersburg, Md., runs for cover and attempts to keep her umbrella from falling apart as rain from Tropial Storm Alex moves along the coast, Aug. 2, 2004, in Atlantic Beach, N.C.

Lifeguards Kimberly Dresdner, 22, right, and Geoff Handsfield, 18, whistle and motion to swimmers who have wandered too far out in the surf, Aug. 2, 2004, in Atlantic Beach, N.C. Choppy waters stirred up by the developing Tropical Storm Alex caused lifeguards to red flag the swimming areas.

Bands of storm clouds generated by Tropical Storm Alex are seen moving into Onslow County, Aug. 2 2004, in North Topsail Beach, N.C.