Flood warning on one side, threat on the other as York County wet weather continues.
Wet weather, recent and still coming, continues to threaten both sides of York County.
A flash flood watch for western North Carolina and the Piedmont area of South Carolina ended at 8 a.m. Thursday. York and Chester counties were included. Still, the National Weather Service warns of prolonged threats from several days of rain.
“A few thunderstorms are possible again today,” reads a hazardous weather outlook issued early Thursday. “Any storm that develops will have cloud to ground lightning and heavy downpours, and could have wind gusts that would be capable of knocking down trees weakened by the heavy rain and saturated soil.”
Thunderstorms are expected to develop across the region on Friday. Some will have potential for large hail and damaging winds, according to the advisory.
Meanwhile, the weather service has a flood warning issued for the Broad River. York County has rivers — the Catawba and Broad — respectively on both its eastern and western borders. Three to five inches of rainfall in the upper Broad River watershed since Monday created a floodwave that continues to the North Carolina and South Carolina state line. A second and final crest is expected early or late Thursday.
Early Thursday morning the river rose above 13 feet, its action stage for flood monitoring. Minor flood stage is 16 feet. The river is expected to rise to about 15 feet.
The flood warning could last until Friday afternoon.
At least one instance of road flooding occurred. The York County Office of Emergency Management tweeted Thursday morning Wilson Chapel Road was closed due to flooding of Bullock Creek.
Experts also have an eye toward flooding on the Catawba.
Early Thursday morning five of the 11 lakes on the Catawba were above their flood levels. Lakes James, Rhodhiss, Lookout Shoals Lake and Mountain Island Lake upstream of Lake Wylie were above their full ponds. So was Lake Wateree downstream.
A little before 10 a.m. Thursday, Lake Wylie was two feet above its target level but still a foot below its full pond. Wylie was one of four reservoirs within a foot of spilling, some by mere inches. The headwaters of Lake James in North Carolina were two feet above its full pond, with projections it could rise a foot higher. Lake Wateree the southern end could reach two feet beyond its full pond.
Lake Wylie isn’t listed among the lakes expected to reach flood stage.
“The public should continue to use caution around area lakes and rivers,” reads a lake notice from Duke Energy. “As always, we encourage those living along lakes, streams and other low-lying and flood-prone areas to pay special attention to changing weather conditions via the National Weather Service and take any necessary precautions.”
By 11 a.m. every lake in the Catawba chain except Lake Norman either surpassed or was within inches of its full pond. James and Rhodhiss were two feet above theirs. Lookout Shoals Lake was three feet above its full pond.
Lake Wylie was less than a foot below its full pond.
An update from Duke a little after noon Thursday anticipated days of lake spilling.
“Given current conditions and forecasts, Lake James, Lake Rhodhiss, Lookout Shoals Lake, Mountain Island Lake and Lake Wateree are spilling and will continue to spill for the next several days as water is moved through the lakes,” it reads.
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This story was originally published May 21, 2020 at 10:14 AM with the headline "Flood warning on one side, threat on the other as York County wet weather continues.."
