Wake Forest, Rolesville flooding leads to water rescue, closed roads

By Peta Sheerwood, WRAL meteorologist

A steady, sometimes heavy, rain that began early Saturday brought flood some areas in central North Carolina, leading to closed roads and at least one water rescue.

The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for Cumberland County until 8:30 p.m.

A flood advisory had been issued for Wake, Durham, Wayne, Franklin, and Granville counties and expired about 4 p.m.

The Hopkins Fire Department said two families were rescued from trailers and houses Saturday on Little River Circle and on Zebulon Road.

A portion of Ligon Mill Road between Greenville Loop and Taylor’s Ridge roads in Wake Forest were impassable as was the 1000 block of Shasta Daisy Drive, a town spokesman said.

A car got stuck in the flooding, but the driver was able to get out, authorities said.

Rogers Road was closed at Hobblebush Way after Sanford Creek breached its banks.

Residents of Stonegate and Jones Dairy reported flooding in their yards and neighborhood streets.

In Rolesville, heavy rain washed out Mitchell Mill Road, collapsing both travel lanes.

Local government and law enforcement agencies were using social media to share photos of flooded roads and warnings about detours and the dangers of high water.

Showers any time, with breaks of dry skies

A mix of systems will keep things soggy. An upper-level low is meeting moisture from a tropical system over the Carolinas, and those conditions will get stuck in the Southeast.

A blocking ridge in the Northeast will means those systems will take until Monday or Tuesday to move out.

But another system moves in Tuesday or Wednesday, bringing more rain.

Saturday began with rumbles of thunder and some pockets of heavy rain. Roads were wet and visibility low at sunrise.

Overall, there is a 70 percent chance for rain Saturday and a 60 percent chance for rain Sunday.

“You will need a jacket or umbrella throughout the day to keep dry,” WRAL meteorologist Peta Sheerwood said.

As much as 2 to 4 inches of rain could fall over the next five days.

“We could see showers and storms at any time throughout the day, but we think the better chances will come later in the day with the best heating,” WRAL meteorologist Mike Maze said.

Forecast models had just about an inch of rain falling over Raleigh through Sunday, but predicted more than 2 inches for Durham, Roxboro, Goldsboro and Clinton.

The cloud cover will keep it cooler – Saturday’s forecast high is only 77 degrees.

“The showers and storms will be quite numerous, but there will be periods where it will be dry. It’s just impossible to time when the dry periods will be in your neighborhood,” Maze said.

Sunday morning could see some dry spots before showers and storms start again in the afternoon.

“The rain is here to stay,” Maze said.

High temperatures will be near 80 degrees during the weekend, and low temperatures will be closer to 70.

Monday has another 60 percent chance for rain, and there’s a 70 percent chance for rain on Tuesday and Wednesday.

“All I can tell you is have the umbrellas ready over the next several days,” Maze said.