- Artists transform hurricane aftermath into hoop-inspired masterpieces at Charlotte exhibit
- NC's cost for Hurricane Helene damage is nearly $60 billion, state says
- State to develop drone program to better respond to disasters like Helene, Florence
- South Carolina residents face deadline to get storm debris out to the curb after Hurricane Helene
- SCDOT to pick up Hurricane Helene debris for a final day in South Carolina
Panovich: Heavy rain, flooding possible on Super Bowl Sunday across Carolinas
Saturday will be a gorgeous spring-like day in Charlotte, but things will quickly turn wet with periods of heavy rain and possible flooding, Brad Panovich says.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — You know that old saying that if you don’t like the weather, just wait a few minutes? It’s rarely been more true than what the Charlotte area and Carolinas will experience this weekend into next week.
WCNC Charlotte chief meteorologist Brad Panovich says Saturday will be pretty much perfect, but heavy rain will move in by Sunday and conditions will quickly deteriorate over the next few days.
“We’re going to have a little bit of everything,” Panovich said. “It looks like from spring-like conditions today to possibly flash flooding and even severe weather by the end of the week. Oh, and it’s Super Bowl Sunday.”
The big story on Saturday is just how pleasant the weather is. We’re looking at high temperatures in the lower 70s with partly sunny skies. If you didn’t know better, you’d think it’s April and not mid-February, when the average high is only around 55 degrees.
Enjoy that while you can. Panovich says we’re looking at some serious changes with heavy downpours and flash flooding across the Carolinas by Sunday through the early part of next week.
Panovich says the heaviest rain will move into the mountains Sunday night with showers expected to start sometime between 7-8 p.m. Overnight, expect heavy rainfall in the mountains and foothills. This includes areas of Boone, Hickory, Lenoir, Morganton, Taylorsville and toward Wilkesboro. That rain will persist through at least midday Sunday across the Charlotte area before we finally catch a break by the middle of the afternoon.
But don’t let a lull in the rain catch you slipping. Panovich says that’s when the risk for severe weather will ramp up as another wave of moisture pushes in from the west. Monday could see some problems with heavy rain and flooding. The good news is the threat for severe weather appears to be south of the Charlotte metro area.
“It’s going to be a pretty good soaker Monday,” Panovich said. “I think that the heaviest rain and possibly severe weather, that risk looks to stay to the south. Definitely the potential that we’re going to have some strong storms. How far north they get, I think that’s the big question.”
Back to the flooding, Panovich says some areas could see up to 3 inches of through Tuesday, with the majority of rainfall being on Monday.
“This is going to be a real big soaker and that’s going to be heading our way the next couple of days,” Panovich explained.
WCNC Charlotte is committed to reporting on the many issues facing the communities we serve. We tell the stories of people working to solve persistent social problems. We examine how problems can be solved or addressed to improve the quality of life and make a positive difference. WCNC Charlotte is seeking solutions for you. Send your tips or questions to newstips@wcnc.com.