Steamy week, flooding concerns

AM Weather Headlines

• Flood Watches Issued
• Slow Storms This Afternoon
• Heat & Humidity Build
• Triple Digit Feels
• Brief Break Friday

Flood Watches are now in effect across several parts of our region as another round of slow-moving storms develops this afternoon. One watch covers the NC foothills and mountains – including Ashe and Watauga Counties – from noon to midnight. The other spans much of central North Carolina—including  Anson, Stanly and Richmond – through 2 AM Tuesday. These areas are especially vulnerable today because recent heavy rain has already saturated the ground. Some spots have picked up 4–5 inches in the past 24 hours alone. The setup involves a weak boundary stretched across the state from northwest to southeast. It’s acting like a track for storms to ride along, while deep tropical moisture flows in from the Gulf. Because there’s barely any wind in the mid and upper levels, these storms will be slow movers – dumping 2 to 3″+ of rain in under an hour if they sit over the same spot. That raises the risk for flash flooding, especially in poor drainage areas, urban zones, and along the foothills where terrain enhances runoff.

Tuesday brings more scattered storms and continued heat and humidity, with highs in the upper 80s to low 90s, but with the humidity it will be feeling like 100+. By Wednesday, storm coverage drops a bit as drier air tries to sneak in behind a weak disturbance. It’ll still feel hot, with highs in the low to mid 90s and heat index values near 100, especially south of I-85. Thursday will likely be the hottest and most uncomfortable day of the week, with highs in the mid 90s and storm chances increasing again ahead of a cold front. Some of those Thursday PM storms could be stronger, with gusty winds and heavy downpours.

The good news? Friday looks like a solid break. Dewpoints drop, and although highs will still be topping out near 90, it won’t feel as uncomfortable. That trend holds into Saturday with mostly dry and seasonable conditions. But by Sunday, the heat and humidity are already creeping back in, and we could see heat indices approaching triple digits again to close out the weekend.