Record Rainfall Totals Rising, As Are River Levels In Carolinas

CHARLOTTE, NC—At 5 a.m. Sunday, the National Hurricane Center delivered its final missive about what now is called Tropical Depression Florence before officially handing tracking duties to local jurisdictions under the National Weather Service's umbrella. It dutifully trotted out rainfall totals so far and projections for what's to come.

Then there was this: "These rainfall amounts will produce catastrophic flash flooding, prolonged significant river flooding, and an elevated risk for landslides in western North Carolina and far southwest Virginia."

That's the primary thing to keep in mind the next several days, and the flooding threat can't be overstated. Click here for North Carolina's real-time flooding map, provided by Flood Inundation Mapping and Alert Network, or FIMAN.

Here's the latest in terms of what to expect regarding rainfall, per the National Weather Service:

Central and western North Carolina into far southwest Virginia

An additional 5 to 10 inches, with storm total accumulations of 15

to 20 inches in western North Carolina. These rainfall amounts will
produce catastrophic flash flooding, prolonged significant river
flooding, and an elevated risk for landslides in western North
Carolina and far southwest Virginia.

Southern North Carolina into Northern South Carolina.

An additional 4 to 6 inches, isolated 8 inches. This rainfall will
result in additional flash flooding while also exacerbating the
river flooding. Storm total accumulations of 30 to 40 inches in
southeast North Carolina.

In Hope Mills, NC, as reported by the Raleigh News & Observer, water from Rockfish Creek was raging through the Hope Mills Dam on Sunday morning, dumping into the Cape Fear River. Hope Mills Mayor Jackie Warner, who was at the dam, told the newspaper it was “structurally sound” and “functioning as it should,” adding she's been in contact with the dam's engineer and is confident it will hold.

Florence, according to the Charlotte Observer, has already set rainfall records in North Carolina. A reading of more than 30 inches in Swansboro was 6 inches above the previous rainfall record for a tropical cyclone, according to the National Weather Service.

Also, the newspaper reported that Florence has dumped more than 17 inches of rain on parts of Eastern North Carolina in the past 24 hours, according data from a nonprofit group that measures precipitation for researchers: the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail & Snow Network. It measured 17.4 inches of rain at Yaupon Beach in Brunswick County. More than 13 inches fell in Whiteville, in Columbus County.

The following rivers, per the Associated Press, are expected to crest Sunday and Monday at or near record levels: The Little River, the Cape Fear, the Lumber, the Neuse, the Waccamaw and the Pee Dee—possibly flooding nearby communities.

As pointed out by the News & Observer, Hurricane Floyd, which hit North Carolina in 1999, brought 24.06 inches of rain to Wilmington, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Unofficial numbers from NOAA show that at least two locations in the state have surpassed that total — and there could be more.

Swansboro, recorded 30.59 inches of rain as of Saturday morning. Hoffman has recorded 25.87 inches. Morehead City and Emerald Isle are closing in on the record, too. Newport/Morehead City has gotten 23.75 inches and Emerald Isle has taken 23.49 inches, according to unofficial numbers from NOAA.

Since 1950, according to the newspaper, South Carolina’s record for most rain in a single spot is 17.45 inches, set during Hurricane Beryl in 1994. Two locations in Conway, S.C., have recorded 9.9 inches and 8.38 inches, respectively. One locale in Bucks Creek, S.C., has gotten 8.36 inches.

According to the North Carolina Department of Transportation, all roadways in the state are at varying degrees of risk for flash flooding Saturday and Sunday with major river flooding anticipated into early next week.

Click here for detailed information about road closures and other highway information related to the flooding.

Here are some of preliminary Hurricane Florence rain totals through noon Sept. 15, according to National Weather Service:

• Swansboro, N.C. — 30.58"
• Newport/Morehead City, N.C. — 23.75"
• Emerald Isle, N.C. — 23.66"
• Elizabethtown, N.C. — 20.17"
• Mount Olive, N.C. — 16.80"
• Jacksonville, N.C. — 17.99"
• Kinston, N.C. — 16.01"
• Trent Woods, N.C. — 15.57"
• Wilmington, N.C. — 14.34"
• Burgaw, N.C. — 12.10"
• Sunny Point, N.C. — 11.83"
• Goldsboro, N.C. — 11.56"
• Cedar Island, N.C. — 9.82"
• Greenville, N.C. — 9.68"
• Ocracoke, N.C. — 9.20"
• Lumberton, N.C. — 8.62"
• New Bern, N.C. — 8.49"
• Raleigh, N.C. — 4.28"
• Charlotte, N.C. — 1.03"

Related coverage:

• Florence Moves Catastrophic Flooding Inland, 7 Deaths Reported
• Treasures In The Car: What Evacuees Grabbed Fleeing Their Homes
• 'This Storm Is A Monster': NC Governor Orders Coastal Evacuation
• Hurricane Florence Threatens Pigs, Catastrophic Waste Spills
• Freeze Your Leftovers And Other Tips Ahead Of Hurricane Florence
• Duke Energy: Florence Will Leave Millions Without Power For Weeks
• Florence Downgraded To Tropical Storm, Relentless Rain Continues
• Entire Blue Ridge Parkway To Closed To Traffic
• Wild Horses, Ponies Should Weather Hurricane Florence Just Fine
• 1,000 Out-Of-State Lineman Arrive In NC To Combat Storm Outages
• Driving Near Flooded Rivers, Roads: Do's And Don'ts
• Charlotte Airport Open As Airlines Seek To Restart Flights

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Image via National Weather Service