Brad Panovich: 'Huge risk' of flash flooding as front dumps rain on Carolinas

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — It’s going to be a soggy week to be Weather Aware across the Carolinas with heavy rain expected at times and a serious risk of flash flooding, chief meteorologist Brad Panovich said. 

Some areas could see up to 8 inches of rainfall with the highest risk of flooding being in the mountains and foothills of western North Carolina. Panovich said we don’t normally see this kind of system, where a front stalls over one particular area, during the summer. But that’s what we’re looking at this week in North Carolina and South Carolina. 

Click here to sign up for the daily Wake Up Charlotte newsletter

“We will see saves of rain,” Panovich said. “Is it going to rain the entire week? Not every hour of every day, but you’ll see these waves of rain where you get a four- or five-hour window of rain then a lull, then a four- or five-hour window of rain.”

There will be some breaks in the rain, but Panovich wants to make it clear that we’re in for a wet, miserable week. Don’t let a few dry hours fool you into thinking we’re in the clear. 

“This setup is pretty nasty for rainfall,” Panovich explained. “We could see just wave after wave of rain this week.”

Panovich said the Carolinas are under what’s known as the excessive rainfall outlook, meaning we’re at risk for flash flooding. The entire Charlotte area will be at medium risk for flash flooding through Thursday before it goes down Friday. 

How much will it rain? It depends on where you are, but the biggest totals are expected in the mountains, where some areas could see up to a foot of rain this week, Panovich said. 

“Even across the Charlotte metro area, you’re looking at 5-to-7 inches of rain over the next seven days,” Panovich said. “This is a lot of rain. And I will tell you right now that this will likely cause flash flooding. I almost think it’s a certainty that somewhere in our area is going to see flash flooding.”

If you have any outdoor plans this week, you should be Weather Aware, knowing there is a chance of flash flooding and strong storms. 

“That is going to be a huge risk this week,” Panovich said. “And it could be one of those things where it builds over time. Plus the rain on Wednesday could really lead to some excessive rainfall that eventually could cause creeks or streams to rise real quickly.”

Futurecast data shows the front pushing into the Carolinas Tuesday with waves of rain. The highest totals are expected in the mountains and foothills. Panovich said the jet stream’s Southeast flow will interact with the mountains, essentially putting the brakes on those showers. 

“It’s probably going to have showers just sit there and dump rain, rain, rain and more rain over the next couple of days,” Panovich said. “As we get into the heating of the day, we see pop-up showers and storms re-enhance themselves and you’ll see more widespread rain.” 

🌩️ If you like weather, watch Brad Panovich and the WCNC Charlotte Weather Team on their Emmy Award-winning Weather IQ YouTube channel. 🎥

Panovich says the rain will begin to break up by the end of the week. There are signs that maybe later this week it will start to shift out of the Carolinas, but Panovich said he’s still not sure if the weekend will be dry. 

“Going into the weekend I’m still going to have rain in the forecast but the chances start to dwindle down a little bit,” Panovich said. “Today, tomorrow, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday will be pretty soggy.”

Panovich thinks the Charlotte area will finally get a break as the wind direction changes by the end of the week. 

Wake Up Charlotte To Go is a daily news and weather podcast you can listen to so you can start your day with the team at Wake Up Charlotte.   
SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts || Spotify || Stitcher || TuneIn || Google Podcasts   

All of WCNC Charlotte’s podcasts are free and available for both streaming and download. You can listen now on Android, iPhone, Amazon, and other internet-connected devices. Join us from North Carolina, South Carolina, or on the go anywhere.