Rain Lashes Eastern US, Major Flooding Expected
By Mark Leberfinger, AccuWeather.com Staff Writer
October 3, 2015; 4:49 AM ET
Heavy rains and major flooding will continue along the Eastern Seaboard on Saturday as a result of Hurricane Joaquin interacting with a slow-moving cold front.
"Very heavy rain will continue through the early morning hours across parts of South Carolina, including Charleston and Columbia. Rainfall rates of 1-2 inches per hour are likely," AccuWeather Meteorologist Mike Doll said.
Serious flooding is already occurring in and around Charleston and the problem will get worse, Doll said.
"People in the Carolinas should be prepared to move to higher ground to protect life if flood waters approach their homes," Doll said. "If you are driving and come across a flooded roadway, your best option is to turn around and find an alternative route."
UPDATES: (All times are listed in Eastern Time)
4:54 a.m. Saturday: Many secondary roads are still impassable due to flash flooding in Charleston, South Carolina, city police said.
4:52 a.m. Saturday: Power outages reported near Darlington Raceway in South Carolina, Darlington County Sheriff's Office said.
4:40 a.m. Saturday: Hurricane Joaquin remains a Category 3 hurricane as the system pulls away from the Bahamas, AccuWeather meteorologists said.
4:22 a.m. Saturday: 0.96 inches of rain fell in 1 hour at the Charleston Executive Airport, Mesonet reports.
4:17 a.m. Saturday: Flash flooding becoming a major problem in Charleston County, South Carolina.
4:02 a.m. Saturday: About 10,000 Duke Energy customers are without power in the Charlotte, North Carolina, area, the utility reported.
4:00 a.m. Saturday: Washed-out roadway in Darlington County, South Carolina.
3:55 a.m. Saturday: 0.96 inches of rain in 1 hour, 5 miles north of Denmark, South Carolina, Mesonet reports.
3:50 a.m. Saturday: Rain band moving onshore may bring up to 2 inches an hour, southwest of Charleston, South Carolina, AccuWeather Meteorologist Ed Vallee said.
3:15 a.m. Saturday: 1.14 inches of rain fell in 1 hour at Elizabethtown, North Carolina, Mesonet reports.
3:10 a.m. Saturday: Record rainfall on Friday in Raleigh, North Carolina.
3:07 a.m. Saturday: More than 12,200 North Carolina power customers are without service as a result of storms, utilities report.
2:48 a.m. Saturday: More road closings have occurred in Charleston, South Carolina, police said.
2:17 a.m. Saturday: More heavy rain bands are moving into Charleston, South Carolina, with rainfall rates approaching 1 inch per hour, AccuWeather Meteorologist Ed Vallee said.
2:08 a.m. Saturday: Flooded roads in and around Asheboro, North Carolina, law enforcement reports.
2:01 a.m. Saturday: Hurricane Joaquin remains a powerful Category 3 hurricane and is moving away from the Bahamas, AccuWeather meteorologists said.
(Image/GOES-East/NOAA). 1:56 a.m. Saturday: A small landslide blocked one lane of Old Highway 10 near Marion, North Carolina, emergency management reported.
1:54 a.m. Saturday: More than 15,000 Duke Energy customers in the Carolinas are without lights as a result of storms, the utility reported.
1:40 a.m. Saturday: Horry County, South Carolina, firefighters were busy with water rescues Friday night as a result of a dam/levee failure in the Little River area, WMBF-TV in Myrtle Beach reported.
1:25 a.m. Saturday: Flash flooding continues to be a problem in Darlington County, South Carolina.
1:20 a.m. Saturday: Heavy rain fell over the Carolinas on Friday.
24-Hour Rainfall Totals (as of 12 a.m. EDT Saturday)
CityRain (in inches)
North Myrtle Beach, SC 10.41
Longs, SC 9.69
Sunset Beach, NC 8.24
Oriental, NC 5.64
1:05 a.m. Saturday: 1 inch of rain fell in 1 hour, 8 miles south-southwest of Chesterfield, South Carolina, Mesonet reports.
12:50 a.m. Saturday: Heavier rain band moving into the Charlotte, North Carolina, area with rainfall rates approaching 2 inches per hour.
12:44 a.m. Saturday: Flooding closes streets in Darlington and Hartsville, South Carolina, the Darlington County Sheriff's Office reports.
12:30 a.m. Saturday: 2.44 inches of rain in 3 hours at Santee Coastal Reserve, South Carolina, Mesonet reports.
12:22 a.m. Saturday: Flooding continues in Charleston.
12:20 a.m. Saturday: New road closures around Charleston, South Carolina.
12:01 a.m. Saturday: Trees felled by storm are causing issues in the Raleigh, North Carolina, area.
11:50 p.m. Friday: Flooding continues in North Carolina.
11:46 p.m. Friday: The GOES-East infrared satellite view shows moisture from Hurricane Joaquin interacting with a slow-moving cold front.
(Image/GOES-East/NOAA). 11:42 p.m. Friday: More than 5,400 Duke Energy customers are without lights in the Carolinas, the utility reported.
11:39 p.m. Friday: Significant flooding reported in Whiteville, North Carolina, emergency officials said.
11:34 p.m. Friday: Almost 1 foot of rain reported in parts of South Carolina, the National Weather Service at Wilmington, North Carolina, said.
11:32 p.m. Friday: Some roads have reopened but many others remain closed in Charleston, South Carolina, police said.
11:19 p.m. Friday: Evacuations reported in North Carolina.
11:00 p.m. Friday: Hurricane Joaquin remains a powerful Category 3 hurricane, AccuWeather meteorologists said.
10:50 p.m. Friday: Weather delays reported at Philadelphia, Newark and La Guardia airports, the FAA said.
Most Northeast U.S. airports were reporting normal operations except Philadelphia, Newark and La Guardia airports. (Image/FAA)
10:45 p.m. Friday: 8.19 inches of rain have fallen at North Myrtle Beach, SC, in last 24 hours with 6.60 inches of that in the last 12 hours, Mesonet reports.