Tropical Disturbance Threatens NC

Southeast accumulated precip totals for the following week

Already Soaked from the Last Tropical Disturbance

Ask anyone living in the southeast United States how the last 7 days has been, and you will get one answer: wet. Less than a week later, it looks like another tropical disturbance threatens NC.

Total Rainfall Accumulation for a 168 hour period
The last 7 days of accumulated precipitation in the Carolinas. The region is already heavily saturated with water.

The Carolinas are just coming off of a nearly week-long rain event. After 5 straight days of rain, all eyes were on the the many rivers and streams of Western North Carolina. Although the rivers threatened to burst over their swollen banks, only a handful actually reached flood-stage. A collective sigh of relief echoed from the mountains to the coast. In total, most locations received between 4 and 6 inches of rain, although some areas received over 10 inches. Below, you can check out the time-lapse video of Raleigh’s doppler-estimated total rainfall as it accumulated over the 5 day period.

Don’t forget to Subscribe to our brand new YouTube channel! 

Can’t Get a Break

North Carolinians had only just begun to dry off when a new threat began to loom on the horizon. An unsettled summer-like pattern was setting up in the region. As any North Carolinian will tell you, the summers can get meteorologically wild. More often than not, daytime heating will cause the moisture-laden air to begin to convect, generating strong but highly localized (often severe) thunderstorms. But then, nature decided to bestow upon the Carolinas another rainmaker. This time, the precipitation will come in the form of a poorly organized tropical system. The real question is how much rain will this system bring, as this new tropical disturbance threatens NC?

Below, you will find the National Weather Service’s prediction of additional rain totals through Thursday morning. This graphic was generated around 5pm on Wednesday the 26th. However, many questions remain regarding if this system will impact the Carolinas and how strong the system could become before making landfall. Keep an eye on Carolina Weather Authority, both the website and our Facebook page, as we will be updating throughout the next couple days.

The already soaked people of the Carolinas are closely watching this as-of-yet unnamed system, and eyeing their local waterways with caution.

Southeast accumulated precip totals for the following week
Estimated ADDITIONAL rainfall, Tuesday May 26, 5pm through Thursday May 28, 8am

 

Author: Michael Griffith

I have had a passion for the weather since a very young age and am a degreed meteorologist. I have a Bachelor of Science from Penn State University and a Master's from Plymouth State University. If you ever see me out and about in the Charlotte, NC area, be sure to say hi!