Full Notification

* WHAT...Flooding caused by excessive rainfall is expected.

* WHERE...Portions of piedmont North Carolina and western North Carolina, including the following counties, in piedmont North Carolina, Catawba. In western North Carolina, Burke, Caldwell and McDowell.

* WHEN...Until 930 PM EDT Tuesday.

* IMPACTS...Nuisance to Minor flooding of low-lying areas adjacent to streams and other poor-drainage areas, including farmland, greenways, parks, boat-access areas, golf courses, low-water crossings, underpasses, urbanized areas, and low-lying roadways and parking lots. High flows over low-water crossings and low-lying roadways are possible and water may approach low-lying structures.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - At 328 PM EDT, Torrential showers and thunderstorms have been training over the Catawba River Valley over the past 1-2 hours, producing rainfall accumulations of 1-2 inches in a short period of time. This rainfall is occurring over saturated soils and will cause excessive runoff, resulting in areas of nuisance to Minor flooding. - Showers and thunderstorms will continue to develop through the afternoon hours. These showers will be very efficient at producing heavy rainfall and soils are saturated. Therefore, additional heavy rain will quickly create new areas of flooding and cause previous areas of flooding to redevelop. Caution is advised near any stream or other vulnerable area. Seek higher ground immediately when heavy rain develops. Flash Flood Warnings may be issued during the day and into the nighttime hours. Please have a plan in place should flash flooding develop and do not hesitate to act. - Some locations that will experience flooding include... Hickory, Lenoir, Morganton, Newton, Marion, St. Stephens, Conover, Longview, Sawmills, Granite Falls, Valdese, Bethlehem, Maiden, Hudson, Salem, Icard, Cajah's Mountain, Drexel, Hildebran and Connelly Springs.

* AFFECTED AREAS: BURKE, NC ... CALDWELL, NC ... CATAWBA, NC ... MCDOWELL, NC

Instructions:

Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles. Stay away or be swept away. River banks and culverts can become unstable and unsafe.