Flash Flood Warning 09/26/2024 14:54 for North Carolina areas

FFWGSP The National Weather Service in Greenville-Spartanburg has issued a * Flash Flood Warning for... A Dam Floodgate Release in... Northeastern Gaston County in the piedmont of North Carolina... Northwestern Mecklenburg County in the piedmont of North Carolina... * Until 830 PM EDT Friday. * At 554 PM EDT, **Impacted residents should standby for further evaciation instructions from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Emergency Management.** Rainfall accumulations of 4-8 inches Wednesday night into Thursday morning over the headwaters of the Catawba River and associated tributaries has caused high flows and increasing lake pool elevations along the Catawba River. Duke Energy is passing excess water through each reservoir upstream of Mountain Island Lake, including immediately upstream at Cowans Ford Dam at Lake Norman. These releases are resulting in significant rises at Mountain Island Lake, where the pool is currently at 98.45 feet and rising rapidly. Full pool is 100.0 feet. Mountain Island Lake is expected to reach 103.5 feet overnight tonight, which will result in Minor floding along the lake shoreline as well as areas downstream of Mountain Island Dam, including within the Riverside Dr community. Caution is advised anywhere near the Catawba River from Cowans Ford Dam to the Lake Wylie inlet. Additional torrential, potentially devastating rainfall is expected later tonight through Thursday morning from Hurricane Helene. There is high confidence that another 5-12 inches of rainfall will occur from Lake Hickory to the Catawba River headwaters, with the highest totals along the Blue Ridge Escarpment. This rainfall will occur on saturated soils and excessive runoff into elevated streams will result in potentially catastrophic inflows into the Catawba River lakes. These flows will have to be passed downstream through the Catawba River reservoir system, including through Mountain Island Lake. Based on current rainfall forecasts and conditions, Duke Energy expects Mountain Island Lake to reach or exceed 110.0 feet later Friday, which is 10.0 feet over full pond. This would be a record pool elevation at Mountain Island Lake, breaking the record of 109.60 feet which occurred in August 1940. Mountain Island Lake reached 106.91 feet on June 10, 2019. which is the highest crest in the modern era. Major Flood Stage is 105.5 feet. These lake levels will cause unprecedented, catastrophic flooding of Mountain Island Lake and possibly adjacent reaches of the Catawba River. HAZARD...Life-threatening flash flooding from dam floodgate releases caused by excessive rainfall. SOURCE...Duke Energy and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Emergency Management IMPACT...Life-threatening, Moderate flash flooding of areas along the Catawba River from immediately downstream of Cowans Ford Dam to Mountain Island Lake to the Riverside Dr community below Mountain Island Lake Dam. At 104.0 feet...Moderate Flood Stage. Significant inundation of outbuildings is beginning around Mountain Island Lake and downstream of the dam along/near Riverside Dr. Residents downstream of the dam should be completing preparations to evacuate and heeding guidance from Char-Meck Emergency Management. * If the rainfall forecast verifies, Major flooding will be likely along and near Mountain Island Lake and a Flash Flood Emergency will be issued. Residents are encouraged to heed guidance from local officials and emergency management on any potential impacts to property. Drivers are encouraged to heed any barricades and avoid all flooded areas. This has the potential to be a historic and extremely dangerous event. Please stay weather aware and monitor lake levels and Duke Energy projections closely for any changes. * For more information on lake levels or dam releases, people are encouraged to visit http://lakes.duke-energy.com or call 1-800-829-5253. * Residents along and below Mountain Island Lake are encouraged to stay aware of the latest updates from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Emergency Management by signing up for Char-Meck Alerts at: www.charmeckalerts.com * Charlotte-Mecklenburg Emergency Management, Gaston County Emergency Management, and Duke Energy are closely monitoring these high flows and pool levels and additional updates will be provided as new information becomes available.