Charlotte braces for Tropical Storm Debby deluge, now just hours from the region
While Eastern North Carolina is expected to get the most rain as Tropical Storm Debby moves up the coast, the Charlotte region remained on high alert for heavy rainfall and a risk of flooding on Thursday.
The National Weather Services declared a flash flood warning was in effect for Mecklenburg County until 11 a.m. on Thursday. The alert, which went out a little after 5 a.m., said the region had already received about 1 to 2 inches of rain.
Bands of rain could pummel Charlotte all day Thursday into Friday morning, National Weather Service meteorologists said.
“The combination of persistent gusty winds and wet soils from heavy rainfall will lead to scattered trees & power lines down, with the greatest risk along & east of I-77,” NWS forecasters said on X, the former Twitter, at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Runoff from Debby could flood streets, rivers and creeks, NWS forecasters warned in a flood watch earlier Wednesday.
Driving could be treacherous, emergency officials said. “Stay home if you can,” Gastonia Police urged Wednesday night.
Predicted NWS rainfall totals bounced around this week, finally settling on 4 to 6 inches for the Charlotte area through Friday. Some areas could see 6 to 8 inches, according to the NWS office in Greer, South Carolina.
Lake Norman, Concord, Monroe and Rock Hill, South Carolina, can expect amounts similar to Charlotte, while Gastonia, Lincolnton and other communities west of Charlotte could see smaller totals, according to NWS maps.
Debby’s outer rain bands were expected to arrive in Monroe about 8 p.m. Wednesday and midnight in Charlotte, Outlaw said.
Weather models as of Wednesday showed these amounts of rain falling across the region through Friday: 4.5 inches in Charlotte, 5 1/4 inches in Concord, 4.9 inches in Statesville, 4.6 inches in Lincolnton, 6.5 inches in Salisbury and 4.3 inches in Rock Hill, NWS meteorologist Doug Outlaw said.
Several city facilities, like the Monroe Science Center and Sutton Park Community Center, as well as all parks and recreation summer camps and programming are canceled, Lucore said.
Lt. Catherine Hower said rain started falling at 1:30 AM in Monroe and continued coming down harder throughout the night because of the wind. There were no signs of flooding and all drains appeared to be working properly.
“The wind was blowing at approximately 21-25 MPH, making the rain come down in sheets blowing across the road. This made visibility difficult at times, especially to see the lines on the road,” Hower said.
Water is pooling on the side of roads, and in the tire indentations of Highway 75, Highway 75 and Pageland Highway, she said, which increases the possibility of hydroplaning. And some limbs and debris had to be moved out of the roadways.
The NWS on Tuesday issued a flood watch from late Wednesday through Friday for Mecklenburg, Cabarrus, Iredell, Union and Rowan counties and the South Carolina counties of York and Chester.
The latest expected rainfall totals could produce “numerous instances of flash flooding, with significant flooding possible,” according to the flood watch alert.
Tracking the storm
Some voluntary evacuations were underway in Eastern North Carolina, Gov. Roy Cooper said during an 11 a.m. news conference in Raleigh on Wednesday.
“We expect this storm to continue its slow, gradual approach, bringing multiple days of heavy rainfall and the potential for widespread and severe flash flooding,” Cooper said. “Have an emergency plan for your household.”
Charlotte Fire’s swift water rescue team was deployed to Elizabethtown in Bladen County on Wednesday morning to lend assistance. The Harrisburg Fire Department also deployed crews to Bladen County, while North Carolina Emergency Management activated Mooresville Fire-Rescue’s 11-member swiftwater rescue team to Harnett County.
At 8 p.m. Wednesday, the center of Debby was just off the South Carolina coast, about 40 miles southeast of Charleston, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Debby trudged along at 3 mph. Winds increased to 60 mph from 45 mph in the morning, center officials said.
By Wednesday night, the Charleston NWS office confirmed four Debby-spawned tornadoes: EF1s on Edisto Beach and in Moncks Corner; and EF0s on Kiawah Island and Lady’s Island.
Those are the weakest of six tornado classifications on the NWS Enhanced Fujita Scale based on wind speed and damage.
The storm could weaken on Thursday after the eye moves inland, officials said.
Debby is expected to move faster north and northeast across the Carolinas and the Mid-Atlantic on Thursday and Friday, officials said.
Some outer bands of rain from Debby were reported in southern Union County on Tuesday, before the center of the storm moved off shore in South Carolina, Outlaw said. Bursts of rain popped up near uptown Charlotte.
It was impossible to say how quickly the rain would fall, NWS meteorologist Steve Wilkinson told The Charlotte Observer on Tuesday.
That’s because Debby is “very slow moving” and not traveling in a straight line, he said.
If the rains spread out over time, flooding threats lessen, he said.
Forecasters also don’t know when the worst of the deluge will descend on Charlotte.
Rains are expected all day Thursday, Thursday night and into Friday, Wilkinson said.
Through Saturday morning, the storm could dump 10 to 20 inches of rain on southeast Georgia, South Carolina’s coastal plain and southeast North Carolina, The News & Observer reported. Some areas could see up to 30 inches.
Charlotte Douglas International Airport saw a big drop in canceled and delayed flights from Debby on Tuesday and Wednesday, compared with Monday.
On Wednesday, there were 479 flights delayed and 36 were canceled at CLT, according to FlightAware, an online website providing real-time information. That’s a combined 515 flight disruptions.
Early Thursday also started with a spate of problems, including 34 delays and nine cancellations by 7 a.m.
To prevent flooding on Charlotte streets, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services urged residents to check storm drains near their homes and clear any blockages. Mecklenburg County offices will be closed for in-person services Thursday.
Speedway campgrounds open to evacuees
All city of Monroe lakes will be closed Thursday and Friday due to the weather and potential flooding, Monroe Water Resources staff said.
At noon Wednesday, Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord opened its campgrounds to coastal and other evacuees.
Campers should check in at the Camping World Racing Resort office, 6600 Bruton Smith Blvd., which can be accessed at the entrance to zMAX Dragway.
After-hours arrivals should park near the camping office and check in during regular business hours. Evacuees will have access to speedway bathhouses.
This is a developing story that will be updated.
This story was originally published August 7, 2024 at 5:35 PM.