Slow-Moving Storms Pose Biggest Threat To Stormwater System

Does your heart skip a beat during a downpour and make you wonder how long it will last? Last year’s flood may have heightened your senses to that.

With the potential for rain and thunderstorms through Friday, Chapel Hill stormwater management engineer Sue Burke says the only time the storm water system could be tested is if severe thunderstorms drop high amounts of rain in a short period of time.

“When we’ve had what we call high-intensity-short-duration storms, which means the rain is coming down at a really high rate over a very short period of time, the water then has trouble getting down into the storm drain system there’s just so much of it,” Burke says.

The Town saw 0.66 inches dropped on it Monday. It was spared the same storm Durham saw, which flooded some parts of the city after more than an inch of rain was reported at Raleigh-Durham International Airport. Some area’s may have seen more due to the trend National Weather Service Meteorologist Nick Petro says would present the biggest problems.

“The main concern will be poor-drainage flooding as any of these heavy showers are going to move slowly,” Petro says. “There not a whole lot of wind in the atmosphere. So, these things, when they move, they’re going to move very slowly, and they’ll have the potential to dump a lot of rain over any given area.”

Thursday and Thursday night come with the greatest chances of rain and thunderstorms at this point—although the chance of precipitation tops out at 50 percent during the day. The National Weather Service is predicting less than a tenth of an inch of additional rainfall each day, unless a severe storm hits.

Last year, more than two and a half inches of rain fell in the four days leading up to June 30 when 5.12 inches fell in less than 20 hours. Some Chapel Hillians remember that as the worst flood in some 30 years.

Current Forecast

‹

Flood Advisories Issued for WCHL Listening Area

A rising tide may lift all boats, but not to the pleasure of homeowners in the WCHL listening area who are under various flood advisories from the National Weather Service. The federal agency has issued a flood watch until April 25 for counties in central North Carolina that include Chatham, Durham, Orange and Wake. A […]

Triangle Braces for Tropical Storm Elsa; Flash Flood Watch in Effect

The Triangle will get its first bout of the year with tropical weather as Tropical Storm Elsa moves through the area later today.

Winter Storm Warning Issued for Orange County

The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for Orange and neighboring counties in response to projected snowfall across central North Carolina. The warning will remain in effect from Friday evening to Saturday evening, with three to five inches of snow accumulation possible in the Triangle area during that time. Kirby Saunders, the emergency management […]

NWS: Expect At Least 2-4 Inches Of Rain By Sunday

The potential for high winds and post-storm flooding is just as worrisome as the rain itself.

Flash Flood Watch

Not one year ago, heavy rains flooded Chapel Hill and Carrboro. Are we in for another round this week?

Thawing Temperatures On Their Way

National Weather Service meteorologist Kathleen Carroll says the forecast is clear of frozen precipitation--at least in the near future--and temperatures are projected to be in the 40s Friday.

One To Three Inches Of Snow Possible In Orange County

A winter storm warning is issued when three or more inches of snow are expected, but Orange County is likely just far enough west to be outside the pocket of heavier snow.

Rain And Snow Out In Time For Thanksgiving, Still Cold

The skies should clear for Thanksgiving Day, but here on the eve of Turkey day, you might see some snow flakes mixed in with today’s rain showers.

Clear Skies Coming, But Not Before Heavy Rains, Snow?

Orange County escaped another early round of wintry precipitation, but we’re not out of the woods yet.

NWS: The Heavy Rain May Miss The Triangle To The East

RALEIGH – National Weather Service Meteorologist Phil Badgett joined Ron Stutts on the WCHL Friday Morning News to discuss the day’s forecast and just how likely flooding may be for Chapel Hill-Carrboro and Orange County. ***Listen to the Interview*** http://chapelboromedia.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2013/07/nws-0606-update-PHIL-BADGETT-for-air-web.mp3 For the latest forecast, click here.

›