Headline:
Flash Flood Warning issued September 27 at 3:08PM EDT until September 28 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Greenville-Spartanburg SC
Event:
Flash Flood Warning
Urgency:
Immediate
Effective:
September 27, 2024 - 12:08pm
Expires:
September 28, 2024 - 5:00pm
Description:
FFWGSP
The National Weather Service in Greenville-Spartanburg has extended
the
* 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 800 PM EDT Saturday.
* At 308 PM EDT, Devastating rainfall of 6-25 (twenty-five) inches
occurred from Wednesday evening through Friday morning from Lake
Hickory to the Catawba River headwaters, with the highest totals
exceeding 2 feet along the Blue Ridge Escarpment across the upper
Catawba River watershed. This is resulting in catastrophic and
historic inflows into Catawba River reservoirs and this water is
being moved through the system to Mountain Island Lake and points
downstream. Mountain Island Lake is currently at 104.2 feet and
rising steadily. Full pool is 100.0 feet.
* Duke Energy expects Mountain Island Lake to reach or exceed 110.0
feet by Saturday morning, 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 adjacent reaches of the
Catawba River, especially downstream of Mountain Island Dam.
This is a FLASH FLOOD EMERGENCY for Mountain Island Lake and
Communities Downstream of Mountain Island Lake Dam. This is a
PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. SEEK HIGHER GROUND NOW!
HAZARD...Life-threatening flash flooding from dam floodgate
releases caused by excessive rainfall.
SOURCE...Duke Energy and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Emergency
Management
IMPACT...This is a PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. SEEK
HIGHER GROUND NOW! IMMEDIATE EVACUATION for areas
along the river immediately downstream of the dam.
Life-threatening, catastrophic, and potential historic
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 106.5 feet...Major
Flooding continues. Devastating, widespread structural
flooding along Lake Dr, Riverside Dr, & Riverhaven Dr
below the dam is ongoing. First-floor inundation of
some unelevated homes is exceeding 4 feet with some
homes experiencing 5-7 feet of inundation. Riverside
Dr and Riverhaven Dr are submerged by 2-5 feet of
floodwaters. Water rescues may be ongoing.
* Caution is advised anywhere near the Catawba River from Cowans
Ford Dam to the Lake Wylie inlet.
* 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.
Instruction:
Move to higher ground now! This is an extremely dangerous and
life-threatening situation. Do not attempt to travel unless you are
fleeing an area subject to flooding or under an evacuation order.
If you are in low lying areas below the Cowans Ford Dam / Lake
Norman you should move to higher ground immediately.
Area Description:
Gaston, NC; Mecklenburg, NC
Forcast Office:
NWS Greenville-Spartanburg SC