Major Weather Event Friday-Sunday

HISTORIC WEATHER EVENT COMING TO SOUTH CAROLINA

What has the potential to take place in our state over the next 72 hours is beyond anything I’ve ever seen in my career.

NOW is the time to prepare for a life-threatening conceivable catastrophic rain event.  The potential for Flash Flooding of epic proportion is extremely high.

Here is the set-up:

An area of Low pressure in the upper layers of the atmosphere will move into the southeast, it will position itself in south Georgia by tomorrow afternoon.  The Low will tap deep tropical moisture from the Gulf and Atlantic…this will allow for rain to develop as the storm feeds on the moisture.  The storm will be slow to move and will produce extremely heavy rainfall for hours on end.  A forcing mechanism will feed in to the system providing all it needs to produce torrential rain.

As Hurricane Joaquin moves north, the system will tap some of Joaquin’s moisture as well, again, helping the system produce more rain.  Depending on the track of Joaquin IF it makes landfall in North Carolina, this could add even MORE rain to the forecast (IF that would happen, this would be a cataclysmic event resulting in widespread death and destruction)  My thinking is the Hurricane will remain to our north.  However, just tapping into the moisture from Joaquin will make a bad situation worse.

Expect widespread significant flooding.  Areas that flood with a 2”-4” rainfall from summer storms will be completely underwater with this storm.

The interesting thing is that most all of the models have not shifted from these record rainfall amounts and have been very consistent with each run.

Rainfall amounts Friday – Monday:

Northern Midlands and the Upstate:  Generally 6” – 10” (some areas 14”+)

Central Midlands:  Generally 6” – 12” (some areas 18” – 22”)

Southern Midlands: Generally 6” – 12” (some areas 14”-17”)

Costal Areas: Generally  6” – 12” (some areas 18” – 22”)

Average YEARLY rainfall for Columbia: 49.00”

It is VITAL that you pay close attention to the forecast.  Those that know me…know that I’m not alarmist.  I’ve never forecasted as such. Therefore, when I stress this has the potential to be life-threatening.  Please take this seriously.

There will be many updates with this storm.  I will provide you with the latest information I have. 

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Twitter:  @TimMillerSC

Email: tmiller@wistv.com

7:00PM EDT European Model: