Front Brings Flood Threat Ahead of Tropical Storm Idalia

A stationary front centered over the western Carolinas will continue to interact with deep moisture and instability through Tuesday to produce numerous showers and storms across the area. Meanwhile, Tropical
Storm Idalia will move north into the eastern Gulf of Mexico and is currently forecast to impact the eastern Carolinas into mid-week.

Rounds of storms/heavy rainfall along the front will generally peak in intensity each afternoon Monday and Tuesday but a few storms will develop/persist into the nighttime hours. Additional storms and heavy rainfall are possible on Wednesday as Idalia moves into southeast Georgia. Idalia is most likely to impact the Carolinas later Wednesday into early Thursday before exiting the region by Friday morning.

2 to 3 inches of rain are expected with thunderstorms developing along/near the stationary front through Tuesday. Localized 4+ inch totals are possible anywhere numerous storms occur or stall. Isolated flash
flooding will be possible from these slow-moving storms. Damaging wind gusts will be possible with some of these thunderstorms. Idalia’s current forecast track would keep the heaviest rainfall and strongest winds just to the south and east of our area. However, an additional 1-3 inches of rainfall is forecast Wednesday into early Thursday, especially along and S of I-85, which could result in new areas of flooding.

Rainfall totals are expected to vary widely across the area due to the locally intense rainfall associated with individual storms along the front. While Idalia’s forecast track has shifted east, reducing our local threat for now, our area remains vulnerable to small westward shifts in the track.

Dry weather is expected behind Idalia beginning Friday through next weekend as high pressure builds into the area. Temperatures are expected to return to near normal.