Flash Flooding Threat Continues, Thunderstorms and Heavy Rain Expected Overnight

The Flood Watch for our region has been extended to Thursday morning. Numerous rounds of showers and thunderstorms are forecast by the National Weather Service to cross the region as Subtropical Storm ALBERTO passes to our west over the next few days. A look at the weather overnight, a Hazardous Weather Outlook, and a copy of the 5th revision of the Flood Watch for the region, including Macon County, is posted below.

Overnight

Showers and thunderstorms. Patchy fog after 3am. Lows in the low-to-mid-60s. Winds out of the east-southeast around3 to 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. Some locations may receive more if they are hit by thunderstorms or multiple rounds of rain. In general, the Highlands Plateau and the Otto area should see more rain than the rest of the county, in the 2 to 4-inch range overnight. Minor flooding of low-lying areas is possible.



GOES-16 GeoColor - True Color daytime
Images from 11:52 am to 3:47 pm today


Hazardous Weather Outlook

In addition to the flooding threat, thunderstorms embedded within any bands of heavy rain showers may also produce cloud-to-ground lightning strikes this evening and tonight. A small chance of isolated tornadoes will also develop from the south later tonight. Please see the Public Information Statement released by the National Weather Service. [LINK]


URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Flood Watch
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
250 PM EDT Mon May 28 2018

...ABUNDANT TROPICAL MOISTURE CONTINUING ACROSS THE WESTERN CAROLINAS AND NORTHEAST GEORGIA TONIGHT...

.The broad circulation around Alberto is pumping abundant tropical moisture from the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean across the southeast. Rapidly increasing rainfall rates from tropical showers and embedded thunderstorms will continue tonight and this heavy rainfall will likely persist across much of the area into Wednesday night. The resulting heavy rainfall will impact many locations that are already saturated by heavy rain that fell over the past two weeks. This will greatly heighten the risk of flash flooding and main stem river flooding throughout the western Carolinas and northeast Georgia, as well as landslides along the steeper slopes of the mountains and adjacent foothills.

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH NOW IN EFFECT THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING...

The Flash Flood Watch is now in effect for

* portions of northeast Georgia, western North Carolina, and upstate South Carolina.

* through Thursday morning

* Abundant tropical moisture arriving across the mountains and foothills will likely persist through at least mid week. Rainfall totals from the heavy tropical showers and embedded thunderstorms should reach 3 to 6 inches by Thursday, with many locations along the eastern and southern slopes of the southern Appalachians seeing 6 to 8 inches. Locally heavier rainfall will be possible in locations that see repeated rounds of thunderstorms, where rainfall rates could reach 1 to 2 inches per hour in the heaviest downpours. This heavy rain will fall on ground already saturated by rainfall over the past two weeks.

* Flash flooding of streams and creeks may develop very quickly under these circumstances. Landslides will be quite possible, especially in mountainous terrain known to be prone to landslides, and even along some steep slopes where landslides have not occurred for many years. Main stem river flooding will be quite likely as well, especially along rivers in the southern and central North Carolina mountains such as the French Broad River, the Tuckasegee River, and the Little
Tennessee River.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A Flash Flood Watch means that conditions may develop that lead to flash flooding. Flash flooding is a very dangerous situation. Make plans now to avoid travel during the peak of the heavy rainfall. Also have plans on where to flee to higher ground if flash flooding affects your location.

Rainfall of more than five inches in similar storms has been associated with an increased risk of landslides and rockslides.
If you live on a mountainside or in a cove at the base of a mountain, especially near a stream, be ready to leave in advance of the storm or as quickly as possible should rising water, moving earth, or rocks threaten. Consider postponing travel on mountain roads during the period of heavy rainfall today through Wednesday.

You should monitor later forecasts and be prepared to take action should Flash Flood Warnings be issued.

DAY SPONSOR

Carrion Tree Service is underwriting the daily weather briefing and public safety updates for today. they are a fully licensed and insured tree service, specializing in dangerous tree removal, view clearing, pruning, and crane services with a 24 Hour emergency response.

Their phone number is 371-4718. They are located at 120 Depot Street.

They can handle all your tree removal needs in good or bad weather.

WEATHER SPONSOR



Adams Products, a Division of Oldcastle is underwriting the daily weather briefing & public safety updates for the month.

Open 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM, M-F, located at 895 Hickory Knoll Road, Franklin, NC. Visit our Facebook page at:
https://www.facebook.com/Adams.Oldcastle.Franklin.NC/

All your masonry needs are available. Our phone number is 828.524.8545, the public is welcome, we’ll help you with your with your next project.

  Published at 4:20 pm on Memorial Day, Monday, May 28, 2018