Heavy rainfall brings minor flooding Friday morning, rip current warning also issued

Heavy rainfall swept across the Grand Strand and southeast North Carolina Friday morning, causing minor flooding in some areas.

A flood advisory is in place from about 10:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. Friday for Horry, Georgetown, Marion, counties, but was canceled about 12:22 p.m. as the rain begin to let up.

However, those counties and other southeast North Carolina and northeast South Carolina areas are still expected to get heavy rainfall and could experience more minor flooding, weather authorities said.

Rainfall and flood possibilities will continue into Saturday, but should taper off by midday Sunday, forecasters said.

“A coastal low pressure system moved on shore this morning, and will meander on Saturday before pushing further off shore Sunday,” Sandy LaCorte, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Wilmington, N.C., said in a brief Friday morning.

Steady rainfall began Thursday, and an advisory was issued from the weather service warning residents in parts of the Carolinas that heavy downpours and showers could cause minor flooding in some areas.

Another advisory issued about 5 a.m. Friday morning also said there is a moderate risk of rip currents for Horry, Georgetown, Brunswick County, N.C., New Hanover County, N.C., and Pender County, N.C. and longshore currents for those areas as well. Rip current warnings are in place until Friday evening, but could be reissued on Saturday.

About two to three inches of rainfall has already been reported across the advisory area with nearly four inches being reported in some places, weather service authorities said in a release at 11 a.m. Friday.

“Today and through the weekend, additional rainfall amounts of up to one to two inches are possible mainly across North Carolina. In South Carolina, amounts are less due to the infiltration of drier air,” LaCorte said.

LaCorte also warned of wind gusts reaching 10 to 20 knots.

Many festivals are planned throughout the area this weekend, and most will continue as scheduled including: the St. John’s Greek Festival, Atalaya Arts and Crafts, Irish Italian Festival in North Myrtle Beach, and more.

However, some area events are canceled due to the rain.

This story was originally published September 25, 2015 at 8:23 AM with the headline "Heavy rainfall brings minor flooding Friday morning, rip current warning also issued."