Flash floods in Rockingham County close a few roads

By Miranda Baines

Published: August 27, 2008

Rain from the remnants of Tropical Storm Fay caused flash flooding and road closures in Rockingham County and other parts of the state Wednesday.

“What we got is what we expected. We knew there was going to be quite a bit of rain,“ said Dave Wert, a meteorologist in Blacksburg, Va.

He said between 4 and 5 inches of rain fell in Reidsville throughout the day Wednesday. That was on top of Tuesday’s amounts. A spokeswoman for the Upper Piedmont Research Station in Rockingham County said 3.5 inches fell between 8 a.m. Tuesday and 8 a.m. Wednesday.

Even more rain fell to the south and east.

“Pretty much anywhere east of Reidsville, into central Caswell County and south, all those areas got clobbered,“ Wert said.

The National Weather Service issued a tornado watch for nearly 60 counties in central and eastern North Carolina for the afternoon and tornado warnings popped up as radar tracked funnels that hadn’t touched down.

Nearly 71/2 inches of rain fell in Charlotte between 8 a.m. Tuesday and 8 a.m. Wednesday. Asheville had more than 4 inches and Hickory had nearly 4 inches, while Winston-Salem recorded more than 3 inches, according to the weather service.

The flash flooding from Wednesday’s rains led to the temporary closure of several streets in Reidsville.

Police Capt. Ronnie Ellison said the rain flooded the “usual” areas, including the underpass on Harrison Street, an area in front of Pete’s Burgers on South Scales Street and a section of Washington Avenue near Piedmont Street.

“Once the drainage catches up with the water flow, then it’s OK,“ said Ellison. “People just need to be cautious when they’re driving. They need to slow down and observe the standing water.“

Ellison received no reports of trees in the roadways or serious traffic problems because of the rainy weather, a welcome relief to drought-stricken Rockingham County.

“We need the rain,“ he said.

Steve Hale, Rockingham County’s emergency services director, was pleased to see Wednesday’s rain, which included intermittent downpours.

“I think everybody’s so happy to see rain that they’re just sitting back and watching it,“ he said.

Hale said the rivers were already so low that the rising water failed to cause problems.

“Most of the rivers are up 2 to 2 1/2 feet. We’ll just keep a watch on the rise,“ Hale said. The Dan and Smith would have to rise 10 to 15 feet to reach flood stages, he said.

What’s left of Fay will continue to bring rain throughout the region today.

“It’s not over yet,“ said Wert. “We’re getting into the more fragmented part of the storm. By the end of (today), things will really be tapering off.“

The National Weather Service calls for a 50 percent chance of rain today, with new rainfall between a tenth and quarter inch. Forecasters are calling for a 20 percent chance of rain Friday.

Another tropical storm, Gustav, is brewing in the Caribbean. The storm is on track to hit the Gulf Coast next week.

“We’re now into our tropical season. The Atlantic is full of the potential for new storms,“ Wert said. “September and October tend to be very active when it comes to tropical storms moving through this neck of the woods.“

Another tropical storm may cause problems locally, as the ground is saturated, Wert said.

“If we get it again, we’ll be in trouble.“

• Staff writer Miranda Baines can be reached at or 349-4331, ext. 35. The Associated Press contributed to this story.