Flood watch for York, Chester counties through Saturday, 4 inches rain possible

A flash flood watch and high wind warning is in effect for York and Chester Counties as the area braces for rain from the outer bands of Hurricane Matthew.

An alert issued Friday by the National Weather Service said heavy rain associated with the storm is expected through Saturday night, with 2 to 4 inches of rain possible.

Previous predictions had York County receiving up to 2 inches of rain.

“At one point we were up to 2 inches, and now we’re 2 to 4 inches,” Chuck Haynes, director of York County Emergency Management, said Friday afternoon.

Flash flooding is possible, especially on small creeks and streams. Haynes said York County officials are not anticipating any major issues, but noted that the storm’s track could change without notice.

Wind is also a potential problem across the region through Sunday morning, with sustained winds of up to 25 mph expected but gusts of 40 mph or higher possible.

With wet ground from the rain, the potential for downed trees is increased. More, gusts could possibly cause power lines to fall, officials said.

Weekend travel and events could be impacted, as the weather service included Charlotte and North Carolina counties to the northeast in the flood watch and wind advisory.

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This story was originally published October 7, 2016 at 1:29 PM with the headline "Flood watch for York, Chester counties through Saturday, 4 inches rain possible."