Flash flood warning issued in the Midlands as heavy rain continues to fall
Hours after a flood advisory was issued for the Columbia area Sunday, a flash flood warning was put in place across Lexington County as heavy rain was reported across the Midlands.
The flash flood warning for Lexington, Cayce, and Springdale is through 3:45 p.m., the National Weather Service said.
In the case of a watch, weather officials are urging residents to be prepared for a flood. A warning means residents need to take action because a flash flood is imminent or occurring.
Parts of Richland, Lexington and Calhoun counties were previously listed in the areal flood advisory, according to the National Weather Service.
The flood advisory in Richland County was set to expire at 1 p.m., but was extended through 2:45 p.m., Midlands Weather reported.
A separate flood advisory was issued for Kershaw and Fairfield counties through 3:30 p.m.
An areal flood warning is usually issued when an area gradually picks up 1 to 2 inches of rain. Most of the Columbia area experienced at least that much rainfall on Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.
Precipitation has been steady, and at times severe, since Sunday morning.
Between 1.5 and 2 inches of rain has already fallen, and 1 to 2 more inches are expected over the area, the National Weather Service forecast said.
The National Weather Service said the areas that could see the greatest impact include Columbia, Forest Acres, Dentsville, St. Andrews, Arcadia Lakes, Five Points, Woodfield, Sesquicentennial State Park, Fort Jackson, Columbia International University, Harbison State Forest, Fort Jackson Cantonment Area, Rosewood, Eau Claire, and Fort Jackson Wildcat Road.
An areal flood warning is typically issued when rain is expected to create issues for drivers, including large puddles and flooding on roads.
“Be extra cautious when driving today,” the National Weather Service tweeted.
The Columbia Police Department said officers are monitoring roadways for localized flooding, and shared pictures of trouble areas that included the intersections of Main and Whaley, Huger and Blossom, Two Notch and Richland, as well as Two Notch from Edgewood to Covenant.
“Do NOT drive through high standing water. Turn around, don’t drown,” the police department tweeted.
There was heavy rain recorded across the Columbia area last week, when powerful storms were caused by Tropical Depression Fred as it moved through the Southeast. The storm created multiple tornadoes in the Midlands.
This is a developing story, check back for updates.
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This story was originally published August 22, 2021 at 1:03 PM.
