Charlotte weather: Strong rain through Thursday morning

Most people in the Charlotte region will deal with strong rain and thunderstorms through Wednesday afternoon and into Thursday morning, the National Weather Service said.

A strong line of storms and showers entered the Charlotte area Wednesday afternoon. The heaviest rainfall will last until Thursday morning, then there will be off-and-on showers into Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, said Lauren Visin, a meteorologist with the weather service in Greer, S.C.

The storm is expected to dump an additional 1 to 2 inches of rain in the area, she said.

There even was some thunder and lightning midafternoon Wednesday in Charlotte. Visin said that was triggered by the combination of unusually warm temperatures and unusually moist atmosphere.

In South Carolina, a brief tornado warning was issued for Richland, Lexington and Fairfield counties; it has since expired.

A flash flood watch went into effect at midnight for most of the Charlotte area until 7 p.m. Christmas Eve.

Forecasters say severe weather is possible Christmas Eve in parts of the Carolinas, and NOAA meteorologists predict an “enhanced” chance of severe storms Wednesday across western Kentucky and Tennessee; northern Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana; and eastern Arkansas.

By Christmas Eve, the storms and heavy rain are forecast to spread up the East Coast, possibly creating major problems for the millions of people planning to travel for the Christmas holiday.

Wind gusts up to 22 mph were also possible for the region Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service. The high could reach the upper 60s.

Harry Gerapetritis, of the National Weather Service office in Greenville-Spartanburg, said Tuesday evening that 3-4 inches of rain are possible in the southern foothills and 1-3 inches elsewhere in the Charlotte region.

Flooding was reported in several counties after rain early Tuesday. A flash flood warning was issued in Mecklenburg County for part of the morning after rising waters pushed McMullen Creek past its flood stage and sent Briar and Little Sugar creeks near flood levels. In Union County, officials closed Cane Creek Park to boat traffic because the docks were under water.

Thursday brings another chance of showers and storms, and there’s a 30 percent chance of storms on Christmas Day.

In addition to the rain and storms, record warm temperatures are possible over the next few days. The forecast high Christmas Eve of 76 would shatter the day’s record of 71, set in 1931 and equaled in 1982. The forecast for Christmas Day is 75, not far from the mark of 77 set in 1955.

This story was originally published December 23, 2015 at 6:51 AM with the headline "Charlotte weather: Strong rain through Thursday morning."