Wednesday a cold front dropping into the Carolinas will collide with tropical moisture from Tropical Storm Bertha, creating an environment capable of producing widespread downpours and repeated storms. A few storms are expected during the afternoon before becoming more widespread through the evening and overnight hours. The biggest concern won’t necessarily be severe weather alone it’s how much rain could fall in a short amount of time. Some storms may unload 1 to 2 inches of rain in just an hour, and where multiple storms track over the same location, isolated totals could quickly climb past 3 inches. While those highest amounts won’t be widespread, much of the region has a good chance of seeing 1 to 2 inches of rainfall. My concern is Flash Flooding in the dark.
At this point, confidence is highest for the heaviest rain to develop first across the foothills, the Interstate 40 corridor, and the northern Piedmont before shifting farther south and east. The Charlotte metro and communities along Interstate 85 are currently trending toward seeing the most active weather during the early to mid-morning hours. Gusty winds and frequent lightning will also be a play.
Wet weather may continue into Thursday morning as the front slowly slides south. That means the morning commute could still be impacted by heavy rain, standing water, and leftover flooding. Additional storms moving across already saturated ground could make flooding worse. Even then, slow-moving thunderstorms capable of producing torrential rainfall will remain possible. Stay tuned!
