Full Notification

FFWGSP The National Weather Service in Greenville-Spartanburg has extended the

* Flash Flood Warning for... Alexander County in the piedmont of North Carolina... Burke County in western North Carolina... Caldwell County in western North Carolina... McDowell County in western North Carolina...

* Until 730 PM EDT.

* At 217 PM EDT, emergency management reported heavy rain across the warned area. Between 7 and 10 inches of rain have fallen. Catastrophic flash flooding is ongoing. Rainfall has ended, but rapid rises on rivers and streams will continue through the afternoon. This is a FLASH FLOOD EMERGENCY for Burke, McDowell, Alexander, and Caldwell Counties . This is a PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. SEEK HIGHER GROUND NOW! HAZARD...Life threatening flash flooding. Heavy rain producing flash flooding. SOURCE...Emergency management reported. IMPACT...This is a PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. SEEK HIGHER GROUND NOW! Life threatening flash flooding of low water crossings, small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses.

* Some locations that will experience flash flooding include... Hickory, Lenoir, Morganton, Marion, Taylorsville, Longview, Sawmills, Granite Falls, Valdese, Gamewell, Bethlehem, Hudson, Salem, Icard, Cajah's Mountain, Drexel, Hildebran, Connelly Springs, Blowing Rock In Caldwell County and Stony Point.

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

Instructions:

Move to higher ground now! This is an extremely dangerous and life-threatening situation. Do not attempt to travel unless you are fleeing an area subject to flooding or under an evacuation order. Heavy rain is significantly increasing the risk of landslides, especially in areas where slides have occurred in the past. Slides can destroy single homes and other structures and large sections of roads. If you are in the warned area, you should not travel, except to move away from flash flood or landslide dangers. If you are in the vicinity of a stream near the heavy rainfall, especially on a mountainside, or at the base of a mountain or in a cove, move immediately to a safer location. Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles. Be aware of your surroundings and do not drive on flooded roads. In hilly terrain there are hundreds of low water crossings which are potentially dangerous in heavy rain. Do not attempt to cross flooded roads. Find an alternate route.