

000 

WGUS72 KRAH 100829

FFSRAH

NCZ007>011-021>028-038>043-073>078-083>086-088-089-101600-



FLOOD STATEMENT

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC

425 AM EDT THU APR 10 2003



...A FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF CENTRAL NORTH 

CAROLINA    THROUGH EARLY TONIGHT...



A FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA 

THROUGH EARLY TONIGHT.



THIS WATCH INCLUDES SUCH CITIES AS ALBEMARLE...WADESBORO...SOUTHERN 

PINES...SANFORD...GREENSBORO...WINSTON SALEM...LEXINGTON... 

BURLINGTON...RALEIGH...DURHAM...CHAPEL HILL...CREEDMOOR...ROXBORO... 

ROCKY MOUNT-WILSON...TARBORO... GOLDSBORO...CLINTON...SMITHFIELD 

...FAYETTEVILLE...AND LAURINBURG. 



WIDESPREAD RAIN WILL OCCUR ACROSS CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA TODAY

INTO TONIGHT. RAINFALL AMOUNTS EARLY THIS MORNING RANGED FROM ONE 

QUARTER TO AROUND ONE HALF OF AN INCH. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL OF ONE TO 

TWO INCHES AND LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS OVER TWO INCHES ARE EXPECTED 

THROUGH THE DAY INTO EARLY TONIGHT.



AN INTENSE LOW PRESSURE CENTER DRIFTING NORTH ALONG THE SOUTH 

CAROLINA COAST IS CAUSING THE WIDESPREAD RAIN OVER CENTRAL NORTH 

CAROLINA. HEAVIEST RAIN IS EXPECTED OVER THE EASTERN SECTIONS THIS 

MORNING. THEN THE HEAVIEST RAIN WILL SHIFT WESTWARD INTO THE 

PIEDMONT AS THE LOW DRIFTS NORTH.



STREAMS...CREEKS...AND TRIBUTARIES ARE ALREADY HIGH BECAUSE OF 

RECENT RAINS FROM THE PAST SEVERAL DAYS. FLOODING IS POSSIBLE. 

ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAINFALL TODAY WILL FURTHER INCREASE THE THREAT OF 

FLOODING AND CAUSE MANY STREAMS AND CREEKS TO OVERFLOW THEIR BANKS. 

MAIN STEM RIVERS ARE EXPECTED TO RISE SIGNIFICANTLY. SEVERAL OF THE 

LARGER RIVERS ARE NEAR OR EVEN ABOVE FLOOD STAGE. RIVER FLOODING MAY 

BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD LATER TODAY INTO FRIDAY...ESPECIALLY ALONG 

THE YADKIN...HAW...ROCKY...ROANOKE...TAR AND NEUSE RIVERS. 



PEOPLE...ESPECIALLY THOSE IN FLOOD PRONE AREAS...ALONG STREAMS... 

CREEKS... RIVERS AND THEIR TRIBUTARIES...SHOULD PAY CLOSE ATTENTION 

TO THE LATEST FORECASTS CONCERNING RAINFALL AND STREAM LEVELS. BE 

PREPARED FOR IMMEDIATE AND QUICK ACTION IF FLOOD WARNINGS ARE ISSUED.



VEHICLE DRIVERS SHOULD AVOID AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE 

ROADWAY. THE EDGE OF THE ROAD MAY BE ERODED OR IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE  

AND WATER ONLY 18 INCHES DEEP CAN WASH MANY CARS OFF THE ROAD. 

VEHICLES CAUGHT IN RISING WATER SHOULD BE ABANDONED QUICKLY. 



STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO AND OTHER LOCAL MEDIA FOR FURTHER 

DETAILS OR UPDATES.



$$

RA/RFG

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