Flash Flooding Risks Heightened Across the Southeast This Week

The Southeast just cannot catch a break. After a stalled cool front triggered persistent rain showers and stormy conditions over the last week, the possibility of a new tropical weather maker is producing another round of heavy rain for the water-logged region. Read on for more details about what to expect in the southeastern U.S. for the rest of the week.

More Rain on the Way for the Southeast Through the End of the Week

It was another soggy Tuesday for the Southeast. Torrential rain created flooding concerns in a zone from central Georgia and up into the middle of North Carolina through the overnight hours. Unfortunately, forecasters are warning that more moisture is on the way through the end of the week. Up to a foot is a possibility should a tropical system come to life off of the southeastern U.S. coastline, resulting in a wet weekend for residents who are calling for mercy.

The swath of land from western and central North Carolina and to the south into central Georgia has already picked up 2 to 5 inches of rain since Monday. The latest forecast models are calling for an additional 2 to 5 inches of precipitation by the time the sun comes up on Wednesday.

Local officials are warning that small streams and rivers will be at risk of overflowing their banks in the days ahead as they struggle to contain the stream of moisture. Some of these waterways have already surged, making them more vulnerable to even small amounts of rain. Cities under the gun for urban flash flooding include Charlotte and Raleigh in North Carolina, and Columbia, Greenville, and Myrtle Beach in South Carolina.

Compounding the problem will be the high rainfall rates. While these rates will vary across the region, the hardest-hit areas could reach rates of 1 to 3 inches per hour. Rainfall of this magnitude will raise the threat of small stream and urban flooding. Additionally, some of the heaviest rain bands are forecast to set up over the area still recovering from last year's Hurricane Helene.

Beginning early Wednesday, a mass of dry air is expected to move to the southeast through Virginia and the Piedmont areas of the Carolinas and Georgia. This air will work to reduce or eliminate the worst of the rain. The exception to the break in the rain will be in the area from central North Carolina and down into the South Carolina Midlands and Low Country.

Budding Tropical Weather System

The wedge of dry air will continue to expand farther inland through the end of the week. This will translate to a renewed threat of rain for the coastlines of Georgia and the Carolinas. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) is monitoring an area of potential tropical development off of the coastline of the southern Atlantic.

Even if the disturbance does not take on formal tropical characteristics, the weak steering breezes in this part of the region will cause the downpours to persist across the coastline for several days. Should a tropical depression or storm develop, the rainfall would be more intense.

Where the rain spreads through the weekend will be influenced by the path and power of the potential tropical feature. For instance, up to a foot of rain could dump along the coastal areas of Georgia and the Carolinas from Thursday and through Sunday.

It could be a messy weekend for beachgoers in some of the most popular summer resort areas in the Southeast. For example, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, will remain under the threat of thunderstorms through the weekend and into the early part of the next week. As of now, Friday and Saturday are shaping up to be the wettest days. Highs will continue to hover in the low to mid 80s with overnight lows slipping into the mid 70s.

Moving to the south, Savannah, Georgia, is predicted to see the most volatile conditions on Friday. It will be slightly warmer in this part of the region with highs solidly in the mid 80s. The low 90s are back on the table by next week for this historic town.

We will continue to monitor the development of a tropical feature in this part of the Atlantic basin in the coming days.

Weather changes fast — help your community stay prepared. Share this story with friends, family, or your group chat.