Full Notification

...ABUNDANT TROPICAL MOISTURE WILL RAISE THE RISK OF FLASH FLOODING AND MOUNTAIN LANDSLIDES STARTING TONIGHT... .Deep tropical moisture associated with a fetch of air off the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean will set up over the western Carolinas and northeast Georgia tonight. This moisture will get further reinforced by the remnants of Alberto as it moves northward across the Deep South early in the week. The resulting heavy rain showers and embedded thunderstorms across the region will fall on ground already saturated by heavy rain over the past 7 to 10 days. This will greatly heighten the risk of flash flooding, main stem river flooding, and landslides. ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM THIS EVENING THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING... The National Weather Service in Greenville-Spartanburg has issued a

* Flash Flood Watch for portions of northeast Georgia, North Carolina, and upstate South Carolina, including the following areas, in northeast Georgia, Elbert, Franklin, Habersham, Hart, Rabun, and Stephens. In North Carolina, Avery, Buncombe, Burke Mountains, Cabarrus, Caldwell Mountains, Cleveland, Eastern McDowell, Eastern Polk, Gaston, Graham, Greater Burke, Greater Caldwell, Greater Rutherford, Haywood, Henderson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell Mountains, Mecklenburg, Mitchell, Northern Jackson, Polk Mountains, Rutherford Mountains, Southern Jackson, Swain, Transylvania, Union, and Yancey. In upstate South Carolina, Abbeville, Anderson, Cherokee, Chester, Greater Greenville, Greater Oconee, Greater Pickens, Greenville Mountains, Greenwood, Laurens, Oconee Mountains, Pickens Mountains, Spartanburg, Union, and York.

* from this evening through Tuesday morning

* Abundant tropical moisture will arrive over the western Carolinas and northeast Georgia tonight and persist through the early part of the week. Rainfall totals around the region this week will likely reach or exceed 3 to 6 inches, with some locations along the eastern and southern slopes of the southern Appalachians seeing 6 to 8 inches. Locally heavier rainfall will be possible in locations that see repeated rounds of thunderstorms - where rainfall rates could reach 1 to 2 inches per hour in the heaviest downpours. This heavy rain will fall on ground already saturday by rainfall over the past 7 to 10 days.

* Flash flooding of streams and creeks could develop very quickly under these circumstances. Landslides will be quite possible - especially in mountainous terrain known to be prone to landslides, and even along some steep slopes where landslides have not occurred for many years. Main stem river flooding will be quite likely as well, especially along rivers in the southern and central North Carolina mountains such as the French Broad River, the Tuckasegee River, and the Little Tennessee River.

* AFFECTED AREAS: ELBERT ... FRANKLIN ... HABERSHAM ... HART ... RABUN ... STEPHENS

Instructions:

A Flash Flood Watch means that conditions may develop that lead to flash flooding. Flash flooding is a very dangerous situation. Make plans now to avoid travel during the peak of the heavy rainfall. Also have plans on where to flee to higher ground if flash flooding affects your location. Rainfall of more than five inches in similar storms has been associated with an increased risk of landslides and rockslides. If you live on a mountainside or in a cove at the base of a mountain, especially near a stream, be ready to leave in advance of the storm or as quickly as possible should rising water, moving earth, or rocks threaten. Consider postponing travel on mountain roads during the period of heavy rainfall. You should monitor later forecasts and be prepared to take action should Flash Flood Warnings be issued.