<body><div><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0locTy_0vmFKDZg00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0locTy_0vmFKDZg00" width="1320" height="743" >(WPDE) — Historic and catastrophic flooding and flash flooding is ongoing across parts of North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia Friday afternoon as once-hurricane Helene dies out over the southern Appalachians and the Tennessee Valley.An Extreme Risk of flash flooding has been outlined (in pink below) for parts of northwestern North Carolina, parts of southwestern Virginia, and a piece of eastern Tennessee.A High Risk of flash flooding (in red below) is likely for parts of northwestern North Carolina, far eastern Tennessee, parts of southwestern Virginia, and parts of southern West Virginia.<img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0hAUIV_0vmFKDZg00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0hAUIV_0vmFKDZg00" width="648" height="365" >While Helene is no longer tropical (now just remnants), plenty of moisture remains, and high rainfall rates continue in these regions.Due to the positioning of the Blue Ridge mountains, they are perpendicular to the rainfall, moving in from the southeast. This means that hourly rainfall rates are further exacerbated by this geographic feature clashing with the direction of the dissipating Helene.Radar estimates tend to be a little overdone in terms of rainfall totals, however, this does provide a good jumping-off point for what the southern Appalachians and the Tennessee Valley are experiencing as prolonged and heavy rainfall continues to create a serious flood and flash flood event.Nearly 15 to 20 inches of rain has fallen in the last 48 hours in some areas of western North Carolina and the Upstate of South Carolina.<img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2i1bLm_0vmFKDZg00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2i1bLm_0vmFKDZg00" width="648" height="365" >With more rainfall still on the way for parts of western North Carolina, these totals could rise. Once this event is over, finalized rainfall totals will be released by the National Weather Service.How much rain falls in parts of the western Carolinas does impact the Pee Dee and Grand Strand too. Our area rivers are a part of the Pee Dee watershed, which begins in western North Carolina and flows southeasterly through the North Carolina Piedmont and then into the Pee Dee, Border Belt, and Grand Strand. Ultimately, this water drains into the Atlantic Ocean at Winyah Bay.<img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1stnT6_0vmFKDZg00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1stnT6_0vmFKDZg00" width="648" height="365" >Of the four watersheds of South Carolina, three of these originate in the southern Appalachians, including the Pee Dee watershed.When a lot of rainfall falls at the beginning of these watersheds, like the catastrophic rainfall event that is ongoing for the top sections of the Santee watershed and the Pee Dee watershed, this rainfall flows into rivers and streams southeasterly, into the rest of the watershed.This means area rivers are likely to rise next week or even the following week as the flow of water trickles through the Carolinas from the higher terrain of the western Carolinas.The Pee Dee watershed includes all of our area rivers, save the Santee River just south of Clarendon and Williamsburg counties, flowing into the southern end of Georgetown County and south of Winyah Bay.<img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2TQALy_0vmFKDZg00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2TQALy_0vmFKDZg00" width="648" height="365" >Area rivers are forecast to rise from the rainfall the Grand Strand, Pee Dee, and Border Belt experienced Thursday and Friday with Helene. However, next week into the following week, more river flooding is likely due to the trickling-down process of the Pee Dee watershed.<img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2dlDHa_0vmFKDZg00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2dlDHa_0vmFKDZg00" width="648" height="365" >That means while the above river forecast is accurate for the short-term, the forecast is set to change for next week and into the following week.</div></body>

Mountain View, CA

NewsBreak

Heavy rainfall from western Carolinas brings water into Pee Dee & Grand Strand watersheds

(WPDE) — Historic and catastrophic flooding and flash flooding is ongoing across parts of North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia Friday afternoon as once-hurricane Helene dies out over the southern Appalachians and the Tennessee Valley. An Extreme Risk of flash flooding has been outlined (in pink below) for parts of...