Flood Advisory

* WHAT...Flooding caused by excessive rainfall is expected.

* WHERE...Alexander County in the piedmont of North Carolina... Catawba County in the piedmont of North Carolina...

* WHEN...Until 230 PM EDT.

* IMPACTS...Nuisance flooding of low-lying areas adjacent to streams and other poor-drainage areas, including farmland, parks, greenways, boat-access areas, golf courses, underpasses, and parking lots. Isolated, shallow flows over roadways is possible. A few flood-prone, low-water crossings may become impassible. A small culvert washout or two is possible.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - At 833 AM EDT, Doppler radar indicates that an axis of torrential rainfall is pivoting across northwestern Catawba and Alexander counties, capable of producing accumulations of 0.75-1.5 inches in less than 30-45 minutes. This rainfall is occurring on top of saturated soils due to a prolonged period of light to moderate showers that have occurred over the county since yesterday morning. Widespread, storm-total rainfall of the 2.5-4 inches fell yesterday. The current torrential rainfall will cause swollen streams to rise further, potentially exceeding their banks and flooding adjacent low-lying areas. Poorly-draining areas and roadways will likely seem some flooding develop over the next 60-90 minutes as runoff works into drainages and onto road surfaces.

High flows will also be working down Henry Fork, Jacob Fork, and well as the mainstem Catawba River due to upstream heavy rainfall. These flows may impact low-lying areas including parks, farmland, and woodland.

- Some locations that may experience flooding include... Hickory, Newton, Taylorsville, St. Stephens, Conover, Longview, Bethlehem, Maiden, Hildebran and Stony Point.

- Http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood