CHARLOTTE, N.C. — More scattered afternoon showers and thunderstorms can be expected in Charlotte and across the Carolinas Monday, according to WCNC Charlotte Chief Meteorologist Brad Panovich.
The storms, similar to the ones seen in the past week, will not be widespread but could be strong for anyone who experiences one. As a result of the dense, heavy rainfall, flooding in localized locations, such as poor drainage areas and along waterfronts, could occur.
"In the heating of the day, it just takes a little bit of heating or thinning of the clouds... that can get thunderstorms to develop," Panovich explained during his morning video blog. "It's scatted. It doesn't rain the whole day. But when you're under one of these showers, does it rain some heavy rain."
The storms are being fueled by moist, tropical air, funneled into the Carolinas by high pressure to the west and low pressure to the east off the Carolina coast; the latter system becoming classified by the National Hurricane Center as Tropical Depression Two.
"It is incredibly muggy," Panovich said. "It's the air you can wear."
With storms across Charlotte and the Carolinas Monday, expect cloud-to-ground lightning, torrential rainfall, and very gusty winds will be possible with any of these thunderstorms. While most storms will not become severe, a few storms could produce damaging winds strong enough to warrant the Severe Thunderstorm Warning from the National Weather Service.
Storms will be especially possible over the western Piedmont of North Carolina and the eastern Upstate of South Carolina late Monday afternoon.
"This is going to be a reoccurring theme every day this week," Panovich said. "By the end of the week, everyone will have seen some rain."
Despite recent rain, much of the Carolinas remains in some degree of drought because heavy rain has been so isolated.
As of the most recent drought data, which was published Thursday, Mecklenburg County remains abnormally dry.
If you hear thunder, you're close enough to be struck by lightning. Head indoors at the first sign of a thunderstorm.
