Flash flood warnings in Midlands as rain, thunderstorms hit Sunday

What started as a soaking Sunday afternoon for many Columbia residents turned more serious as the National Weather Service issued flash flood warnings for the area.

"There's a moist, unstable air mass in the area through Wednesday that can cause strong thunderstorms," said Tenia Morrison, a forecaster for the NWS Forecast Office Columbia. "A flash flood warning has been issued until 7:15 p.m. (for Columbia)."

Rain and thunderstorms were an issue for several outdoor activities, including the University of South Carolina baseball and softball games, along with the Columbia Fireflies baseball game.

Game 3 of the baseball series between No. 6 South Carolina and No. 1 Florida was canceled and won't be made up. The Fireflies game was called after seven innings, and the USC softball team suffered a loss in a game that was limited to five innings because of the bad weather.

Since showers started late Saturday evening, more than 3 inches of rain has fallen in the Midlands area.

Further showers and thunderstorms are possible Sunday evening, according to the National Weather Service. The low temperature is expected to be around 68 degrees and a 40 percent chance of rain, with southern winds blowing from 7 to 10 mph.

Rain and thunderstorms could carry over to Monday, with a 40 percent chance of rain, said Morrison, adding that it's a 30 percent chance of rain during heavy morning commuting hours.

"There's a chance of showers, but nothing more severe," she said.

This story was originally published May 1, 2016 at 10:12 AM.