Flood watches issued across Midlands as heavy rains are forecast to last for days
A storm is forecast to dump significant amounts of rain on South Carolina over the next two days, and the National Weather Service has serious concerns about flooding.
All of the Midlands, are under a flash flood watch, according to the NWS office in Columbia.
The watch was issued because at least 3-5 inches of rainfall are predicted to hit in the storm that will also cause powerful winds beginning Sunday afternoon, the NWS said. Higher amounts are possible.
“Rainfall, heavy at times, is expected to begin early Sunday morning and continue into Monday night,” according to the NWS.
The flash flood watch is in effect from 7 p.m. Sunday through 7 a.m. Tuesday, the NWS said in Sunday morning briefing.
There is a 90-percent chance rain will begin falling in the Columbia area around 1 p.m., the forecast shows. There is a 100-percent chance rain will continue through Sunday night and Monday, only dipping to 90 percent on Monday evening, according to the forecast.
The NWS said the storm is expected to be at its peak from Sunday night through Monday morning, when the heaviest rainfall and strongest winds are forecast to be recorded.
The rain expected to end around daybreak Tuesday, but that does not mean the threat of flooding is over.
In addition to possible flash flooding, river flooding is also possible, and that threat will linger throughout the Christmas week, according to the NWS.
The heaviest amount of rain is expected in the southeastern Midlands, the NWS said.
In addition to Richland and Lexington, the counties also under a flash flood watch include Aiken, Bamberg, Barnwell, Calhoun, Clarendon, Edgefield, Kershaw, Lee, Orangeburg, and Sumter, according to the briefing.
The South Carolina Department of Transportation urged drivers “to use extreme caution as heavy rain is predicted for Sunday and Monday. Flooding and downed trees could occur. Motorists should not attempt to drive through standing water. Please ‘Turn around, don’t drown!’ ”
Snow is not included in any forecasts for the Midlands, as temperatures are not expected to drop below the 40s during the precipitation.
But powerful winds will be a threat.
Wind speeds will increase throughout Sunday, are are predicted to be around 15 mph, with gusts in the 25 mph range, the NWS said.
The combination of powerful winds and significant rainfall, including heavy amounts of rain in the past 10 days, could cause the ground to be saturated and makes it possible for trees to be blown over, according to the NWS.
Columbia is still recovering from receiving more than 4 inches of rain on Dec. 13, a record amount in a single December day, according to the NWS.
Powerful storms also rolled through the Midlands on Dec. 17, causing traffic issues during the morning commute. Between 1-2 inches of rain was recorded in that storm, the NWS tweeted.
The storm is caused by low pressure in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico that is slowly moving east, resulting in “an extensive plume of moisture being transported into the Midlands,” according to the NWS.
By Christmas Day, the weather is forecast to be mostly sunny, with temperatures in the low 60s.
This is a developing story, check back for updates.
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This story was originally published December 22, 2019 at 11:07 AM with the headline "Flood watches issued across Midlands as heavy rains are forecast to last for days."
