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Flash flood warnings expire, flood watch lingers through Thursday night
Central North Carolina is bracing for another round of severe thunderstorms and possible on Wednesday night, prompting a WRAL Weather Alert Day.
Many areas throughout the state are still recovering from flooding caused by Tropical Depression Chantal on Sunday.
The greatest flooding threat is from 10 p.m. Wednesday to 3 a.m. Thursday in the counties west of Wake County. Damaging winds are possible and loose soil will make it easier for trees to fall, so power outages are also a concern.
Here’s a look at the latest information:
Latest
Thursday
12:41 a.m.: The National Weather Service extended a flash flood warning for Wake County until 2:30 a.m. Thursday morning.
Several more counties are also under a flash flood warning until early Thursday after a band of strong thunderstorms dumped several inches of rain on central North Carolina just days after Tropical Depression Chantal ripped through the state.
Once the flash flood warning ends, nearly all of central North Carolina will be under a flood warning until 5 a.m. Friday.
Wednesday
11:05 p.m.: The Durham Fire Department said on Facebook that they rescued three people and a dog stranded on Falls Lake after they were overrun by the storm.
“They were able to make it to an island on the lake, where they used a flashlight to signal our rescue crews once we arrived,” the fire department said on Facebook.
Firefighters said the three people and dog were safely brought to shore.
10:59 p.m.: The National Weather Service extended a flood watch for much of central North Carolina until Thursday night.
10:39 p.m.: The National Weather Service exteded flash flood warning for Durham, Granville and Orange counties until 1:45 a.m. According to the NWS, those counties have a “considerable flood risk.”
10:01 p.m.: The Apex Fire Department rescued five people from a boat on Harris Lake as intense rain fell Wednesday night. Firefighters told WRAL News that no one was hurt and all the people in the boat are on dry land now.
9:55 p.m.: The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for Wake County until 1 a.m.
9:40 p.m.: A semi-truck appeared to be trapped in water on Durham Chapel Hill Road. The driver was rescued from the truck and is expected to be OK.
9:27 p.m.: The Durham Police Department announced that more roads have been closed due to flooding in the Bull City:
- Anderson Road at Chapel Hill Road
- the 4200 block of University Drive between Martine Luther King Boulevard and Shannon Road
- Liberty Street betwen North Elizabeth Street and Dilard Street.
The WRAL DualDoppler 5000 has estimated as much as 2 inches of rain has already fallen in Durham Wednesday night. You can follow the doppler radar here.
9:22 p.m.: The National Weather Service has issued a flood advisory for Wake County until 12:15 a.m. on Thursday.
9:02 p.m.: Much of the intense rain has reached Wake County. The WRAL News studio on Western Boulevard experienced several power surges and lights at Western Boulevard starting at Avent Ferry Road are currently out.
It is one of many areas experiencing power outages. According to Duke Energy, more than 2,600 customers are without power in Durham.
Police in Durham have also closed several areas including:
-
Anderson Rd. / Chapel Hill Rd.
Garrett Rd. / Durham Chapel Hill Blvd.
4200 Block of University Dr. (Between Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. and Shannon Rd.)
N. Duke St. / W. Morgan St.
Hunt St./Foster St.
8:57 p.m.: Parts of Durham have seen up to 1 to 2 inches of rain. In Chapel Hill, there have been reports of 1 inch and a half of rain fall.
8:37 p.m.: The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for Durham and Orange counties. Orange County saw intense flooding on Sunday and into Monday morning as several homes and shopping centers were flooded out.
8:25 p.m.: A strong line of storms moved into central North Carolina. Intense rain in Durham forced the Durham Bulls to delay their game against the Nashville Sounds.
8 p.m.: The National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm warning for parts of Chatham, Harnett, Lee, Moore and Wake counties until 8:45 p.m.
7:20 p.m.: The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for Alamance, northern Granville, eastern Guilford, northern Orange and Person counties until 11:15 p.m.
6:45 p.m.: The National Weather Service has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Moore County until 7:30 p.m.
6:15 p.m.: Each Mebane resident can pick up cases of bottled water until 8 p.m. at the Mebane Arts Center.
Each resident can receive one case of water per day. There is a maximum of two cases for families of four and a max of three cases for families of five or more.
Mebane leaders will distribute the water from:
- 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Mebane Arts Center (location will remain open until 8 p.m. on Wednesday)
- 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Mebane Fire Station 2
- 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Summit Church
Mebane leaders are accepting water donatoins at the Mebane Arts Center, Mebane Fire Station 2 and the Alamance Chamber.
5:30 p.m.: The state is opening a victim assistance center [VAC] to help pepole impacted by flooding from Chantal, North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey announced Wednesdday.
Representatives with the North Carolina Department of Insurance will be on hand from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday at 510 SEven Oaks Road in Durham to help people in need of insurance-related support from the storm.
“The VAC will help to give in-person and on-the-ground recovery assistance and provide insurance-related support to those directly impacted by Tropical Storm Chantal,” Causey said.
3:30 p.m.: The city of Mebane has less than two days of drinking water as of Wednesday afternoon, and it could be days before the situation is back to normal, city leader said.
The shortage is because the city’s water treatment plant got flooded during Tropical Depression Chantal on Sunday night.
About 6 feet of water got into the treatment plant, flooding the controls and taking the plant off line.
City leaders are asking residents not to use water for anything other than:
- Limited drinking water
- Limited restroom usage
- Required medical usage
3 p.m.: Hillsborough’s boil water notice has been lifted, but the town’s water system remains vulnerable as its main treatment plant is offline.
“Testing of water samples found no bacteria in the system. However, customers are urged to continue to conserve water to maintain water supply in the system because the Water Treatment Plant is offline,” said a statement posted on the town’s website.
Hillsborough’s system remains fragile as it relies on an interconnection with the city of Durham for water. Town leaders warn that a drastic increase in water use could cause a loss of system pressure and supply.