Flood watch on North Carolina coast with risk of 6 inches of rain by Monday

RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — Flooding is possible along the North Carolina coast by Monday morning with the risk of a half-foot of rain to wrap up the weekend, the National Weather Service said Sunday.

Already, the rainfall percent above normal over the last few days ranges from 200 to 300 percent — especially for coastal areas, the weather service said.

A flood watch was extended from Sunday night until 6 a.m. Monday for areas of southeast North Carolina, including the coastal counties of Brunswick and New Hanover.

“A coastal trough will bring several rounds of showers onshore across coastal portions of … southeast North Carolina through tonight,” the Wilmington office of the National Weather Service said.

The flood risk involves various North Carolina beaches and islands such as Wilmington, Wrightsville Beach, Carolina Beach, Southport, Oak Island, Holden Beach, Ocean Isle Beach, and Sunset Beach.

“Flash flooding caused by excessive rainfall is possible,” the weather service in Wilmington said in the flood watch.

At least two inches of rain is likely — with a risk of triple that amount in some areas, forecasters said.

“Two to 4 inches of rain is possible across the watch area, along with isolated amounts of 5 to 6 inches, the National Weather Service warned.

Also, a special flood advisory was issued for downtown Wilmington Sunday night because of tidal flooding and floods from heavy rain, the weather service said.

A half-foot of flooding above ground level is expected in low-lying areas near shorelines and tidal waterways in the Wilmington area and along the Cape Fear River.