Heavy rains flood Charlotte roads. Cooler temps to last for days, NWS says.
Heavy rains flooded Charlotte-area roads on Tuesday, and daily rain dumps and unseasonably cool temperatures are expected all week, National Weather Service forecasters said Tuesday.
Mecklenburg County was under a flood advisory until 12:30 p.m., and York, South Carolina, until 1 p.m., with mostly “nuisance flooding” expected, forecasters said.
And storms could delay flights at Charlotte’s airport, the FAA said Tuesday morning. By 5:30 p.m., at least 206 flights were delayed, according to tracking site Flight Aware.com.
Charlotte firefighters freed a driver trapped in flash flooding at North Tryon and 16th streets, near Ashby Street, Charlotte Observer news partner WSOC reported from the scene.
Wrecks were reported during rain-slickened conditions on Interstate 85 South in Gastonia and Concord and westbound Independence Boulevard.
Just before 9 a.m., a two-vehicle crash blocked a southbound lane of I-77 at mile marker 13, just south of I-85.
“Expected impact to traffic is High,” according to an alert by the North Carolina Department of Transportation.
The I-77 wreck took an hour to clear, state highway officials said.
Gaston County was under a flood advisory through 9:30 a.m.
“Locally heavy rainfall will continue this morning, tapering off to showers this PM,” NWS meteorologists said on social media site X, including the Charlotte region, Upstate South Carolina and the mountains.
“Isolated flash flooding is possible, mainly southeast of I-85,” according to the NWS alert.
Cooler temps remain in Charlotte region
Rain clouds are expected to hide the sun for the most part until Sunday, according to the 9 a.m. NWS Charlotte forecast.
The rainy weather front will keep “unseasonably cool air” in the Charlotte area, according to the NWS. Highs are forecast to stay 10 to 15 degrees below normal.
“A wedge of cool and moist air lingers through much of the week before a potential coastal low erodes the wedge this weekend,” according to an NWS bulletin Tuesday morning.
“Although a warming trend is expected to begin Wednesday, below normal high temperatures are expected to continue through at least Saturday,” forecasters said. “Rain chances remain, with the potential for locally heavy rainfall each day.”
After an expected high of 71 on Tuesday, the NWS forecasts highs of 74 on Wednesday, 79 on Thursday, 78 on Friday, 80 on Saturday, 85 on Sunday and 88 on Monday.
Staff Writer Jeff A. Chamer contributed.
This story was originally published August 5, 2025 at 10:19 AM.