The amount of rainfall could be historic and could result in significant, life-threatening flash floods.
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Governor Pat McCrory has ordered state agencies to prepare for possible flooding. Excess water on the roads will increase the risk of hydroplaning for motorists. Emergency management officials say floodgates are being closed to prevent water backing up from the bay into the storm drain system.
There are several projections for Hurricane Joaquin, which was upgraded to a category 4 storm on Thursday afternoon.
“We always worry about flooding in low lying areas”, said Denise Pouget, director of Jefferson County Emergency Services Agency. The ground could be saturated AND most lakes and ponds will be full BEFORE tropical rains arrive. A flash flood watch goes into effect Friday morning and will remain through Saturday night.
Secretary Perry said most storm-related deaths are caused by flooding. “Hurricane Joaquin now east of the Bahamas could be an important player regarding how much rain will fall on the East Coast by the weekend as it could interact with the upper-level low as well as the stalled frontal boundary near the coast”.
In North Carolina, steady rains have already disrupted communities from the central part of the state to the coast.
(AP Photo/Mike Groll). A police vehicle blocks a flooded road on Wednesday, September 30, 2015, in Guilderland, N.Y. The National Weather Service has issued flood watches for much of the eastern half of upstate New York as a storm dumps more than two inche… “If you have interests in the western North Carolina and through a good portion of South Carolina, flooding of, potentially historic proportions will be possible where upwards of 12 – 20” of rain will be possible through the weekend.
Friday’s high will be near High near 58, with an 80 percent chance of rain and wind gusts as high as 23 miles per hour.
Thursday’s flooding and closures were centered in Spartanburg County, including part of Interstate 95 Business just north of Spartanburg. Here’s the latest AccuWeather video forecast:Lee Goldberg and the AccuWeather team of meteorologists will be following both this weather event and the track of Hurricane Joaquin.
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The average high temperature for the month was 80.3 degrees, and the low was 57.4. “It could stay south and we might not have rain at all”, Lipton added.
