Historic flooding inundates Charlotte

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Little Sugar Creek has surpassed the historic crest set in 1997, and the water is still rising.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Flood waters in Charlotte are reaching historic levels as more than four inches of rain fell across Mecklenburg County, swelling rivers, creeks and streams. The rainfall totals and resulted flooding is setting new records.

Little Sugar Creek near Midtown Park has reached a depth of 15.2 feet and is climbing. That observation, recorded by instrumentation near Atrium Health’s Carolina Medical Center, indicates the current water level has passed the 1997 record set during Hurricane Danny.

“Unless you were here in 1997, you have never seen the Little Sugar Creek flood like this near the Medical Center,” WCNC Charlotte chief meteorologist Brad Panovich said. “The greenway is almost overflowing.”

At 16 feet, the creek will enter “moderate” flood stage and should eventually set a new flood record.

By 11 a.m., 4.25 inches of rain was recorded at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, the city’s official weather observation station. That record shatters the daily record of 1.78 inches set in 2006. It sets a new record for wettest November day (previously 3.26 inches in 1985) and makes Thursday the 13th wettest calendar day of all time in Charlotte. 

Flash Flood Warnings stretch nearly 300 miles across North Carolina as the heavy rains pummelled the region Thursday.

Along Mallard Creek and David Taylor Drive, the Charlotte Fire Department evacuated 143 people from Corvian Community Elementary School because of floodwaters. No injuries were reported.

Stewart Creek at West Morehead Street is quickly approaching a record-breaking, major flood stage. At 9:15 a.m., water had climbed just over the 17 feet mark. The record there stands at 18.6 feet and water was still rising.

Cars parked along Briar Creek near Masonic Drive in Plaza Midwood are now submerged in floodwaters, which has risen the creek to 11.6 feet according to a measurement near Independence Parkway. 

As it typically does during heavy rains, McMullen Creek has swollen over Addison Drive in the Sherwood Forest neighborhood. The creek level was near 9 feet.

A camera at that location Thursday morning showed firefighters assisting a driver stranded in floodwaters.

Motorists are reminded to not drive through floodwaters as drivers might not be able to tell how deep the water is or if the road is washed out underneath the puddles.

“Please stay off the roads until this system gets out of here,” Panovich said. “We have so much flooding on area roadways.”

Elsewhere across the region, more flooding and severe weather are hitting.

In Alexander County, more than a dozen first responders were called to the Hiddenite Family Campground, where a group of about 20 campers was trapped by rising waters. 

In Catawba County, officials declared a State of Emergency due to extensive flooding, power outages and road closures.  Heavy flooding was also reported in Burke County where officials issued a State of Emergency as well.