Flood Advisory

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

* WHERE...McDowell County in western North Carolina...

* WHEN...Until 200 AM 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 801 PM EDT, At 800 PM EDT, Light to moderate showers are moving from south to north across the county, with heavier showers approaching from the south. Rainfall of the 2-4 inches have fallen over the past 12 hours. The rainfall has accumulated steadily, allowing soils to slowly saturate and runoff to slowly increase, resulting in steady rises in area streams including Mill Creek and Crooked Creek in the Old Fort area and other tributaries into the Catawba.

- Additional rounds of showers and thunderstorms are expected to develop over the next few hours and the threat will persist through the early morning hours on Sunday. These showers and storms will be very efficient at producing heavy rainfall. Soils are saturated and streams are swollen. Therefore, additional heavy rain may quickly create new areas of flooding and cause previous areas of flooding to redevelop. As a result, Flash Flood Warnings may be issued tonight. Caution is advised near any stream or other vulnerable area. Seek higher ground immediately if heavy rain develops. Please have a plan in place should flash flooding develop and do not hesitate to act. Please heed all evacuation orders from Emergency Management officials.

- Some locations that will experience flooding include... Marion, Old Fort, Lake James, Lake James State Park, B.R. Parkway-Craggy To Little Switzerland, B.R. Parkway-Little Switzerland To Linville, Linville Falls, Pleasant Gardens, Sugar Hill and Glenwood. - http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood