Threat of flooding continues
By Steve Herring
Published in News on July 31, 2018 5:50 AM
For Wayne County's tobacco, soybean, cotton and sweet potato farmers, the rain that has fallen over the past week has been a multimillion-dollar event.
But it has not come without problems, and Wayne County remains under the threat of isolated flooding through Wednesday as showers and thunderstorms could produce heavy downpours.
An unsettled and wetter-than-average pattern over the Appalachians and Eastern United States will result in periods of heavy rainfall and a risk of flooding in central North Carolina each day this week. The greatest flooding risk is expected today and Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service.
The county and part of Wilson County were briefly under a flood advisory Monday afternoon when Doppler radar indicated heavy rain due to thunderstorms.
Rainfall of 1 to 2 inches was expected Monday over the advisory area -- much of which already had received between 2 and 5 inches since Saturday morning.
Nearly 4 inches of rain fell Saturday on Seymour Johnson Air Force Base and more than another inch on Sunday, according to the National Weather Service.
The threat of flooding is mostly for urban, low-lying and poor-drainage areas, and there has been some localized flooding, said Wayne County Emergency Medical Services Director Mel Powers.
"We have not had any reports of major incidents or events resulting from the rains," he said.
Motorists are reminded to not drive their vehicles into areas where the water covers the roadway since the water depth may be too great to allow the vehicle to cross safely, or the roadway might have been washed away.
Also, people are asked to report flooding to their local law enforcement agency when they can do so safely.
River flooding is not expected at this time. As of 1 p.m. Monday, the Neuse River was at 6.89 feet, well below its 18-foot flood level.
The wet weather also promises somewhat milder temperatures in the mid- to upper-80s through the period.
Showers and thunderstorms are likely today, mainly after 3 p.m. with rainfall amounts of between a tenth and quarter of an inch, with higher amounts possible from thunderstorms.
Showers and thunderstorms remain likely tonight, mainly before 9 p.m. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch are possible, except for higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
The likelihood of showers and thunderstorms continues Wednesday mainly after 9 a.m., with new rainfall amounts of between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible, except for higher amounts possible from thunderstorms.
The rain is expected to persist into Wednesday night mainly before 9 p.m., with another tenth to a quarter of an inch possible and higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
The chance of rain remains through Sunday.
Two weeks ago, Wayne County Extension Director Kevin Johnson stood in a field of tobacco desperate for rain.
He visited that same field Sunday -- it has made an almost complete turnaround.
"We have definitely had enough (rain)," Johnson said on Monday. "But I can tell you, it's spotty. Seven Springs has just been getting hammered. From what I gather, just yesterday (Sunday) they got around 3 inches in places.
"Then they got rain the day before. They got rain last week. But overall, everybody has got I would say, worst-case scenario, about 3 inches."
It started raining the first of last week, including several days where areas were getting anywhere between an inch and a half to probably 3 inches, he said.
The last few days the amount has just been crazy, Johnson said.
"It is crazy that how in a matter of 10 days we go from being in drought to where we have had plenty of rain. We can stop now," he said. "I guess when you ask for it, you get it.
"But in any case, now the farmers can't get into the fields. I guess the big thing is tobacco. You will have to keep the worms out of it."
Also, Johnson said he has noticed that the rain has fueled the growth of weeds in soybean and cotton fields.
"But the (tobacco) crops do look a lot better," he said. "It's not going to be able to overcome everything, but still it is going to recover. So it looked a lot better."
The rain was still too late to salvage the county's corn crop, he said.
But now it is time for the rain to stop, he said.
Johnson said he has heard of some minor flooding, but no washouts.
"But if it keeps it up, we might have that," Johnson said. "Some of these creeks might start getting out and causing some bigger problems. But right now, I have not heard of it."