CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A line of heavy rain and thunderstorms will move across the Carolinas Thursday with the potential for flash flooding.
A Flash Flood Warning is in effect until 9 a.m. Thursday in Catawba, Cleveland, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, Mecklenburg and Rowan counties. A Flash Flood Watch remains in effect until 7 p.m. for most of the WCNC Charlotte viewing area as heavy rains are expected to last throughout the morning hours.
The Conover Fire Department tweeted they were responding to a water rescue at the Hiddenite Family Campground, where a group of 15 to 20 campers were trapped.
WCNC Charlotte Chief Meteorologist Brad Panovich said you can expect the worst of the rain through about noon on Thursday.
Heavy rain in the mountains and foothills forced school districts to make changes to their schedule. Alexander County announced that all students will learn remotely Thursday due to dangerous road conditions. Burke County Schools and Caldwell County Schools will each operate on a two-hour delay due to possible flooding. Catawba County Schools and Hickory Public Schools have announced a remote learning day for all students due to the weather.
Morning rainfall moved in and out of Lincoln County, leading to Howards Creek swelling beyond its banks. It overtook the tops of fences and spilled out onto land where cattle used to stand along Daniels Road.
Burke County Emergency Management official emailed the WCNC Charlotte newsroom with an alert on flooded roadways in several areas of the county Thursday morning. Emergency Management Director Michael Willis said motorists were starting to get caught in high water pooling in roadways.
Areas west of Charlotte could see 5-7 inches of rain. The Charlotte area could see between 3-4 inches of rain over the same time period.
RELATED: FORECAST: More heavy rain overnight
WCNC Charlotte Meteorologist Chris Mulcahy warned streets may be slick due to oils on the surface of the roads as well as the wet leaves on some of the back roads. As rain starts to pool on the roads, there is the potential for hydroplaning as well.
The rain moving through the area began Wednesday morning and caused flooding in some areas as well. Along Reepsville Road at Seagletown Road, Debra Pardo saw a similar sight outside her window Wednesday morning.
"Rushing waters from there all the way across the street, and it was crazy,” Pardo said.
The water in a creek off Reepsville Road rose quickly, almost spilling out onto the road in front of her house.
"I said, ‘Whoa,’ cause we didn't know what to think,” Pardo said. “Cause we didn't realize it had rained that much."
It's scenes like the ones in Lincoln County that have the National Weather Service warning people about flash flooding. They urge people to get to higher ground, avoid driving into water, and stay informed for local weather updates.
Lincoln County is projected to see some of the highest rainfall totals in the Charlotte area by the end of the day Wednesday, and it has people in Lincoln County who live near the full creeks on alert to see what happens next.
“Thank goodness mine’s high up,” Pardo said about her house. “If it does come to the street, it probably won’t come this far.”
