A fast-moving line of thunderstorms slammed into parts of Durham and Orange counties Tuesday night, briefly putting the area under a flash flood warning and reminding drivers how quickly familiar roads can turn sketchy. Forecasters warned that another 2 to 2.5 inches of rain could fall on ground that was already soaked.
The National Weather Service in Raleigh issued the flash flood warning at 8:14 p.m. for southwestern Durham County and southern Orange County, with the alert in effect through 11:15 p.m. Rainfall rates could spike to 1.5 to 2 inches an hour, according to the National Weather Service warning.
Low-Lying Roads And Creeks Faced The Biggest Risk
The warning covered Durham, Chapel Hill, Hillsborough, Carrboro, Parkwood, Jordan Lake, Bethesda, Cane Creek Reservoir and the Research Triangle. Officials specifically flagged small creeks and streams, urban drainage areas, highways, streets, underpasses and other low-lying spots where water can build quickly.
The News & Observer reported that the storm had already dropped roughly 0.5 to 1 inch of rain across the warned area, with more possible before the alert expired. That made the National Weather Service’s standard advice especially relevant for evening drivers: turn around rather than trying to cross a flooded road.
The same storm setup also prompted a tornado warning for southern Orange County earlier Tuesday evening. That alert, issued at 7:01 p.m. for a radar-indicated rotating storm moving southeast from near Burlington, expired at 7:45 p.m., according to the Raleigh weather office.
By later Tuesday evening, the weather service said drier air was expected to move in overnight and bring an end to the rain chances, with generally fair conditions forecast through Saturday. Even after the skies clear, drivers are urged to stay alert for lingering water on roads and in familiar drainage trouble spots.
