© 2024 254 North Front Street, Suite 300, Wilmington, NC 28401 | 910.343.1640
News Classical 91.3 Wilmington 92.7 Wilmington 96.7 Southport
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
CAPE FEAR MEMORIAL BRIDGE CLOSURE: UPDATES, RESOURCES, AND CONTEXT

Cape Fear River To Crest Thursday, Flooding To Continue Through The Week

RLH
Flooding on Water Street near the Cotton Exchange and Ballast Hotel

Flooding will affect the Cape Fear region at least through this week, but the rainfall will be the least of it.

First, the good news:  the Cape Fear region has seen the majority of the rain from Florence. 

Reid Hawkins is with the National Weather Service in Wilmington.

"Right now it looks like we’re expecting in the Wilmington area possibly up to one to two inches more.  But that’s probably on the extreme side of how much rain we’re going to get."

While that rain will make conditions worse, Hawkins says flooding is the biggest concern from the Northeast Cape Fear River near Burgaw which feeds the Cape Fear River near downtown Wilmington.  The river is at 22 feet near the Port City, and Hawkins says they expect it to flood today.

…and then reach about 29-30 feet on Thursday and then just level out.  So we’re really not going to see it crest any time soon due to all the water upstream and coming down."

Flooding is worse during high tides – which affect the Cape Fear River.  Hawkins says the road to normal river levels will be long and slow. 

Rachel hosts and produces CoastLine, an award-winning hourlong conversation featuring artists, humanitarians, scholars, and innovators in North Carolina. The show airs Wednesdays at noon and Sundays at 4 pm on 91.3 FM WHQR Public Media. It's also available as a podcast; just search CoastLine WHQR. You can reach her at rachellh@whqr.org.