By Jeff Rivenbark, Web Content Producer - email
CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) - A line of storms waterlogged the Charlotte metro Friday afternoon causing more than 75 incidents on roads, prompting at least one water rescue and a ceiling collapse.
Because of the 2+ inch deluge, the National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for central Mecklenburg County which remains in effect until 3:30 p.m.
The rain was so severe, officials closed southbound Interstate 85 at Statesville Avenue (exit 38) and later closed a ramp from southbound I-85 to I-77.
The rain continued for a couple of hours and by 1:15 p.m., the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said they were working 45 traffic-related incidents throughout the city. That number jumped to 77 incidents around 2:30 pm whenr another round of heavy rain moved through the area.
Some of the incidents involved injured patients but they also included calls for blocked roads, disabled cars and inoperable traffic lights.
At one business near Freedom Drive, 30 cars were completely flooded when a creek nearby overflowed and swamped the cars upto their roofs. Many of them would floated away but a fence kept them in one area.
The severe weather started just before noon as the NWS issued a Flood Advisory for Lincoln, Gaston, Mecklenburg and Cleveland counties.
Multiple flash-flood incidents were reported throughout the Charlotte metro area starting around 12:30 p.m.
The Charlotte Fire Department responded to flood rescues at 1100 Metropolitan Avenue, Freedom Drive, Woodruff Place and 1401 West Trade Street. The old CharlotteTown Mall area near downtown seemed to be one of the most affected areas.
In South Charlotte, the rain caused problems for drivers along Providence Road.
Sola Salon in Charlotte's Southend area had its ceiling cave in on several customers while they were getting their nails and hair done. The incident happened around 12:30 p.m. at a salon in the Atherton Mills development on South Boulevard. Several women had their hair and nails ruined and the ceiling was destroyed, but no one was hurt.
In east Charlotte, Stewart Creek overflowed its banks and caused a section of Morehead Street near the WBTV studios to flood. The softball field at Bryant parked looked like a lake.
Around 12:05 p.m., there were unconfirmed reports of lightning striking a house at 1110 Princeton Avenue in Charlotte.
Lightning is also blamed for sparking a fire early Friday morning at rug company in Boiling Springs, NC. Click to read more on this story.
As of 1 p.m., the Duke Energy website reported about 2,600 outages throughout Mecklenburg County.
Once the storms clear out of here, the high temperature for this afternoon is expected to reach 90 degrees and it should be humid.
Copyright 2011 WBTV. All rights reserved.
Because of the 2+ inch deluge, the National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for central Mecklenburg County which remains in effect until 3:30 p.m.
The rain was so severe, officials closed southbound Interstate 85 at Statesville Avenue (exit 38) and later closed a ramp from southbound I-85 to I-77.
The rain continued for a couple of hours and by 1:15 p.m., the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said they were working 45 traffic-related incidents throughout the city. That number jumped to 77 incidents around 2:30 pm whenr another round of heavy rain moved through the area.
Some of the incidents involved injured patients but they also included calls for blocked roads, disabled cars and inoperable traffic lights.
At one business near Freedom Drive, 30 cars were completely flooded when a creek nearby overflowed and swamped the cars upto their roofs. Many of them would floated away but a fence kept them in one area.
The severe weather started just before noon as the NWS issued a Flood Advisory for Lincoln, Gaston, Mecklenburg and Cleveland counties.
Multiple flash-flood incidents were reported throughout the Charlotte metro area starting around 12:30 p.m.
The Charlotte Fire Department responded to flood rescues at 1100 Metropolitan Avenue, Freedom Drive, Woodruff Place and 1401 West Trade Street. The old CharlotteTown Mall area near downtown seemed to be one of the most affected areas.
In South Charlotte, the rain caused problems for drivers along Providence Road.
Sola Salon in Charlotte's Southend area had its ceiling cave in on several customers while they were getting their nails and hair done. The incident happened around 12:30 p.m. at a salon in the Atherton Mills development on South Boulevard. Several women had their hair and nails ruined and the ceiling was destroyed, but no one was hurt.
In east Charlotte, Stewart Creek overflowed its banks and caused a section of Morehead Street near the WBTV studios to flood. The softball field at Bryant parked looked like a lake.
Around 12:05 p.m., there were unconfirmed reports of lightning striking a house at 1110 Princeton Avenue in Charlotte.
Lightning is also blamed for sparking a fire early Friday morning at rug company in Boiling Springs, NC. Click to read more on this story.
As of 1 p.m., the Duke Energy website reported about 2,600 outages throughout Mecklenburg County.
Once the storms clear out of here, the high temperature for this afternoon is expected to reach 90 degrees and it should be humid.
Copyright 2011 WBTV. All rights reserved.
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