Flood Advisory

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

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

* WHEN...Until 845 AM EDT Sunday.

* 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 846 PM EDT, At 834 PM EDT, Doppler radar indicated a thunderstorm producing torrential rainfall is quickly moving from south to north across Rutherford County. This torrential 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 this morning. Widespread, storm-total rainfall of the 2.5-3.5 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 the small streams. However, this brief period of torrential rainfall is causing more rapid rises to develop, including along Cleghorn Creek in Rutherfordton, Floyds Creek near Forest City, and Mountain Creek near Green Hill. Isolated out-of- bank conditions are likely to develop over the next 1-3 hours.

- Additional rounds of showers and thunderstorms may 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 may experience flooding include... Forest City, Rutherfordton, Spindale, Ellenboro, Bostic, South Mountains State Park, Alexander Mills, Sunshine, Union Mills and Caroleen. - http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood