Storms sweeping across northwest North Carolina on Wednesday afternoon slammed Surry County with heavy downpours, triggering a flash flood warning and setting Mount Airy and nearby towns on high alert. With rain falling fast and runoff expected to continue through Wednesday night, local officials urged drivers and pedestrians to steer clear of low-lying roads and underpasses while the warning remains in effect.
At 4:09 p.m., the National Weather Service in Blacksburg issued an updated Flash Flood Warning for northeastern Surry County that is set to remain in effect until 10:15 p.m. Wednesday, according to the NWS in Blacksburg. Forecasters said Doppler radar showed thunderstorms dumping heavy rain, with possible rainfall rates of 2 to 4 inches an hour, a setup that can trigger sudden and dangerous flooding. The warning noted that flash flooding of small creeks, streams, highways, streets and underpasses was already occurring or expected to begin shortly.
Where flooding is most likely
Forecasters singled out Mount Airy, Flat Rock, Ararat, Cana, Toast, Woodville and Pine Ridge as communities most at risk for flash flooding, and pointed to local waterways such as the Ararat River and Dan River as especially vulnerable, according to the Raleigh News & Observer. The warning specifically covers northeastern Surry County and was prompted by storms tracking across the warned area. Drivers are being told to brace for rapidly changing water levels on rural roads and in towns built along small creeks.
How to stay safe
"Turn around, don't drown" is still the standing rule: move to higher ground and evacuate immediately if local authorities give the order, the NWS advised. If you find yourself trapped by moving water, call 911 to reach emergency services, per the National Weather Service in Blacksburg. Motorists are urged never to drive around barricades or push through flooded roadways, since even shallow, fast-moving water can stall a vehicle or sweep it away.
The NWS and local reporting note that just six inches of fast-moving water can knock a person off their feet, and roughly a foot (12 inches) of water can carry away most vehicles, a stark reminder of how quickly an ordinary road can turn deadly, per the News & Observer. Emergency managers are urging people in low-lying neighborhoods to monitor local alerts, report flooding only when it is safe to do so, and keep phones charged in case conditions change. This page will be updated if the warning is extended or canceled and as new official statements come in.
