‘Severe’ storms forecast after Tropical Storm Bertha dumps record rain on Charlotte
The Charlotte area faces possibly “strong” to “severe” storms Thursday, a day after Tropical Storm Bertha dumped a record amount of rain at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, according to the National Weather Service.
“Several of these thunderstorms may become strong, and a few may become severe, with damaging wind gusts being the primary threat,” according to an NWS hazardous weather outlook bulletin.
The NWS advisory also includes Upstate South Carolina and the N.C. mountains and foothills.
Bertha, which formed off the South Carolina coast, was expected to deliver 1 to 3 inches on the Charlotte metro area “in a fairly short period of time, with locally higher amounts possible,” according to the NWS hazardous weather outlook bulletin earlier Wednesday.
NWS meteorologists reported 1.75 inches fell at the airport, breaking the former daily record of 1.55 inches set in 1981.
Rain from the storm moved north across the central Carolinas and into Mecklenburg, Cabarrus, Union, Iredell, Gaston, Lincoln, Catawba, Davie and Rowan Wednesday afternoon and evening.
All of those counties were under a flash flood watch until 2 a.m. Thursday. The Interstate 77 corridor was at particular risk, NWS meteorologists said in the alert.
Up to two inches of rain fell from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the Charlotte area, according to an NWS flash flood advisory for Mecklenburg and Union counties.
Flooding occurred or was expected to occur in uptown and most other parts of Charlotte, as well as Monroe, Matthews and Mint Hill, according to the advisory. McMullen Creek, Mallard Creek, Little Sugar Creek and McAlpine Creek were at risk of flooding. The advisory was in effect until 9 p.m.
In South Carolina, York County was placed under the flood watch just before noon Wednesday, joining Lancaster County. Chester County was not under the watch.
“With the ground still nearly saturated and stream levels elevated, this rainfall will cause rapid stream rises and could lead to flash flooding,” according to the alert.
At 3:45 p.m., rain across metro Charlotte “is being driven by Bertha,” NWS meteorologist Jake Wimberley told The Charlotte Observer. Rain was picking up after a couple of hours of just a light amount falling, he said.
Rain by late afternoon was falling at a rate of 1/10th to 3/10ths of an inch per hour, according to Wimberley. That rate is not ordinarily cause for concern, he said. But with the ground already saturated and the rain expected to continue into the night, the area is at risk of flash flooding, according to Wimberley.
And rain may not to leave the region anytime soon: Charlotte has a 50% chance of rain and thunderstorms Thursday, Friday and Saturday, before sunny skies are expected to return on Sunday, according to the latest NWS forecast Wednesday morning.
Last Friday, severe Charlotte-area storms killed two men when strong winds toppled trees onto homes and cars, authorities said.
On Saturday, National Weather Service meteorologists confirmed two tornadoes had touched down — one in southern Gaston County and the other near Blacksburg in Cherokee County, S.C.
A man died in the 2700 block of Idlewood Circle near Freedom Park in Charlotte when a tree crashed into a home, Observer news partner WBTV reported, citing Charlotte Fire Department officials. The man’s name and age have not been released.
And 57-year-old Joe Dale Humphries of Lancaster, S.C.., died when a tree and utility pole fell on his truck in Lancaster, The (Rock Hill) Herald reported, citing Lancaster County Coroner Karla Knight-Deese.
This story was originally published May 27, 2020 at 9:22 AM.