Rain to ease, but flooding problems to continue in southeast US
Some areas along the Atlantic Seaboard will face the biggest rain from the storm into midweek, while much of the Southeast should soon experience a drying trend as the week progresses.
Thunderstorms rumbled across the Southeast on May 12, hitting multiple states with flooding.
The stalled storm responsible for days of downpours in the southeastern United States is beginning to move away. However, AccuWeather meteorologists warn that the process will be slow, with more flooding downpours in some areas before dry air takes control.
Through Sunday, the heaviest rain was focused south and east of the southern Appalachians. That is changing as the storm lifts northward and moves away from the Gulf.
As of Tuesday midday, the storm has delivered 3.34 inches of rain to Augusta, Georgia, with 4.21 inches falling on Columbia, South Carolina. Some areas south and east of Augusta and just west of Columbia and parts of the Florida Panhandle have picked up 10-12 inches of rain in recent days. Savannah, Georgia, was approaching 7 inches of rain from the storm, while Panama City, Florida, picked up 6.24 inches.
Coastal cities along the Atlantic—like Miami and Charleston, South Carolina—that are already prone to high-tide flooding—especially around the full moon when tides are naturally higher—could face increased flood risk if heavy rain adds pressure to already taxed drainage systems.
There is some good news. As the massive storm picks up some forward speed and drifts more to the northeast Tuesday and Wednesday, the overall coverage of showers and thunderstorms in much of the Southeast region will drop off substantially.
Exceptions include Virginia, West Virginia and part of North Carolina. Enough Atlantic moisture may continue to funnel into these states to bring more downpours and an ongoing risk of flash urban and small stream flooding. In much of these states, the rain was just getting started Monday.
Even with the drying trend that will ramp up during the middle days of the week from southwest to northeast, the amount of rain that has already fallen on some basins will result in river flooding.
Some rivers will have already crested on Monday, but others, such as in the Carolinas, may continue to rise for days as additional rain pours down.
The Congaree River in the South Carolina Midlands is forecast by National Weather Service hydrologists to reach moderate flood stage later this week. Meanwhile, the Pee Dee River in central North Carolina may approach moderate flood stage this weekend. Officials are urged to utilize the river gauge forecasts with caution. Not all of the upcoming rain may be factored into official government river gauge forecasts.
Farther west, some rivers in Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana continued to rise at the start of the week in response to prior rainfall. Since these rivers are in flat terrain, they take many days to cycle during a heavy rain event and may continue to be above flood stage for the next couple of weeks.
As previously stated by AccuWeather, non-flooding rainfall in the Southeast will be beneficial in terms of drought relief.
Portions of Florida, for example, are experiencing some of the driest conditions in more than a decade. Drought during the early part of the growing season can substantially cut down crop yields or eliminate a crop altogether. In this case, any non-flooding drenching rain will be welcomed.
Once the storm departs, portions of Florida could go another seven to 10 days without substantial rainfall.
Want next-level safety, ad-free? Unlock advanced, hyperlocal severe weather alerts when you subscribe to Premium+ on the AccuWeather app. AccuWeather Alerts™ are prompted by our expert meteorologists who monitor and analyze dangerous weather risks 24/7 to keep you and your family safer
Report a Typo
