Debby could dump 3X more rain on Charlotte than once predicted, Hurricane Center says

Tropical Storm Debby is expected to dump three times more rain on Charlotte than originally predicted, with 6 to 8 inches forecast through Friday, National Weather Service maps showed Wednesday.

Lake Norman, Concord, Monroe and Rock Hill, South Carolina, can expect amounts similar to Charlotte, while Gastonia, Lincolnton and other communities west of Charlotte could see 4 to 6 inches, according to NWS maps.

Some areas of Mecklenburg and surrounding counties could see even more rain, NWS meteorologists said Tuesday night on X, the former Twitter.

Weather models as of 8 a.m. Wednesday showed smaller amounts of rain falling across the region through Friday, including 4.5 inches in Charlotte, 5 1/4 inches in Concord, 4.9 inches in Statesville, 4.6 inches in Lincolnton, 6.5 inches in Salisbury and 4.3 inches in Rock Hill, NWS meteorologist Doug Outlaw said.

Debby’s outer rain bands are expected to arrive in Monroe about 8 p.m. Wednesday and midnight in Charlotte, Outlaw said.

On Monday, the maps predicted 2 to 4 inches for Charlotte throughout the week. National Weather Service maps on Tuesday forecast 4 to 6 inches.

The NWS on Tuesday issued a flood watch from late Wednesday through Friday for Mecklenburg, Cabarrus, Iredell, Union and Rowan counties and the South Carolina counties of York and Chester.

The latest expected rainfall totals could produce “numerous instances of flash flooding, with significant flooding possible,” according to the flood watch alert.

Speedway campgrounds open to evacuees

All city of Monroe lakes will be closed Thursday and Friday due to the weather and potential flooding, Monroe Water Resources staff said Wednesday.

At noon Wednesday, Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord opened its campgrounds to coastal and other evacuees.

Campers should check in at the Camping World Racing Resort office, 6600 Bruton Smith Blvd., which can be accessed at the entrance to zMAX Dragway.

After-hour arrivals should park near the camping office and check in during regular business hours. Evacuees will have access to speedway bathhouses.

Tracking the storm

Some voluntary evacuations were underway in Eastern North Carolina, Gov. Roy Cooper said during an 11 a.m. news conference in Raleigh on Wednesday.

“We expect this storm to continue its slow, gradual approach, bringing multiple days of heavy rainfall and the potential for widespread and severe flash flooding,” Cooper said. “Have an emergency plan for your household.”

At 11 a.m. Wednesday, Debby grew “a little stronger” as it lumbered along at 5 mph about 55 miles southeast of Charleston, according to the National Hurricane Center. Winds increased to 60 mph from 45 mph earlier in the morning, center officials said.

“Some additional strengthening is possible today or tonight before the center of Debby reaches the coast of South Carolina,” center officials said at 11 a.m.

The storm could weaken on Thursday after the eye moves inland, officials said.

Debby is expected to move faster north and northeast across the Carolinas and the Mid-Atlantic on Thursday and Friday, officials said.

Some outer bands of rain from Debby were reported in southern Union County on Tuesday, before the center of the storm moved off shore in South Carolina, Outlaw said.

The NWS on Tuesday issued a flood watch from late Wednesday through Friday for Mecklenburg, Cabarrus, Iredell, Union and Rowan counties and the South Carolina counties of York and Chester.

The latest expected rainfall totals could produce “numerous instances of flash flooding, with significant flooding possible,” according to the flood watch alert.

All city of Monroe lakes will be closed Thursday and Friday due to the weather and potential flooding, Monroe Water Resources staff said Wednesday.

It was impossible to say how quickly the rain would fall, NWS meteorologist Steve Wilkinson told The Charlotte Observer on Tuesday.

That’s because Debby is “very slow moving” and not traveling in a straight line, he said.

If the rains spread out over time, flooding threats lessen, he said.

Forecasters also don’t know when the worst of the deluge will descend on Charlotte.

Rains are expected all day Thursday, Thursday night and into Friday, Wilkinson said.

Through Saturday morning, the storm could dump 10 to 20 inches of rain on southeast Georgia, South Carolina’s coastal plain and southeast North Carolina, The News & Observer reported. Some areas could see up to 30 inches.

Charlotte Douglas International Airport saw a big drop in canceled and delayed flights from Debby on Tuesday and Wednesday, compared with Monday. As of 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, 137 flights were delayed and 56 were canceled, according to FlightAware.com, which tracks flights at the nation’s airports.

At 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, at least 109 delays and 21 cancellations were reported. On Monday, at least 640 flights were disrupted.

To prevent flooding on Charlotte streets, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services urged residents to check storm drains near their homes and clear any blockages.

This is a developing story that will be updated.