How close was Charlotte to a rainfall record this week? And is more ahead?
With a two-day flood watch ending for the Charlotte region, it seemed the rain would never cease.
But how much rain fell and was it a record?
Not by a long-shot.
As of mid-week, Charlotte had received 1.72 inches of rain since Sunday, according to climate data from the National Weather Service.
Charlotte’s record for most rainfall in a day is 6.88 inches, which happened on July 23, 1997, according to the NWS.
However, daily rainfall records can be difficult to measure when the weather isn’t consistent, NWS forecaster Joshua Palmer told The Charlotte Observer this week.
“Part of the challenge with this particular event is that the heaviest rainfall has been pretty isolated,” Palmer said, noting that daily rainfall totals are measured at Charlotte Douglas International Airport. “We’re running about normal for the month, and about two to three tenths of an inch above normal for the year.”
Storms like Hurricane Florence, which battered the Carolinas in 2018, can also affect daily rainfall records since they produce a lot of precipitation in short periods of time, Palmer said.
“Yesterday’s daily record for the Charlotte airport was only 1.67 inches,” said Palmer. “A heavy thunderstorm moving through Charlotte could produce that kind of rainfall in a day easily.”
“Overall, we’re in no danger of breaking any records on a long term basis,” he added.
Flood watches in the area expire overnight Thursday. More rain is expected Friday into Saturday, with lower chances later in the weekend.
This story was originally published June 22, 2023 at 2:37 PM.
