Picture Contributed by: Ray Sparkman
Many folks have been watching and waiting anxiously as rivers around the area have been on the rise during the Christmas holiday.
A flood warning remains in effect for the Cape Fear River until Tuesday, Dec. 29.
According to the National Weather Service website, as of 11 a.m. the river was at 28.3 feet near Elizabethtown and 47.2 feet near the Lock and Dam No. 3 near Tar Heel. Flood stage for the river near Elizabethtown is 25 feet and flood stage for the river near Tar Heel is 42 feet, according to the National Weather Service in Wilmington.
According to the National Weather Service website, historic crests for the Cape Fear River occurred as follows:
43.2 feet on Sept. 23, 1945
39.10 feet on Sept. 23, 1928
38.90 feet on Oct.16, 1929
34.80 feet on April 10, 1936
34.20 feet on July 25, 1919
According to Tim Armstrong with the National Weather Service Office in Wilmington, Elizabethtown is on track for the third wettest year recorded since 1911.
On Sunday, Elizabethtown had received 62.57 inches of rain for the year.
“We’re expecting about another inch of rainfall this week which would bring Elizabethtown to the third wettest year since records began in 1911,” said Armstrong.
Armstrong said that this year is currently the fourth wettest behind 1996, 2003 and 1999 respectively.
The five day forecast calls for more rain for the area Tuesday night and 50 percent chance of rain Wednesday and 60 percent chance of rain Thursday.
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