Widespread flooding causes problems across region

Evacuations: Five stores on Highway 52 in Albemarle were evacuated due to high flood waters, officials told anchor Liz Foster. Officials said several people were rescued.

Press Play to watch two people use a canoe to get across the Gold's Gym parking lot in Albemarle:

Dr. Leonard Saltzman was seeing patients at his clinic when he heard all the commotion.

"Around 3:30 (p.m.), I was told the fire marshal said we needed to evacuate," he said.

One couple used a canoe to get across the parking lot.

"We were trying to think of a way to embarrass our children in their old age and this seemed to be a great way to do it," Jeff Drake said.

The owner of the complex said the rain water was mixed with sewage. He contacted the city about it.  He said no water got into any business.

https://twitter.com/TrishWSOC9/status/682312707241046016

Press Play to see a child rescued from a flooded shopping center parking lot in Albemarle:

Flash flood warnings: A flash flood warning is in effect until 5:15 p.m. for Mecklenburg, York and Chester counties. The warning is in effect until 3:45 p.m. for Cleveland and Gaston counties and until 4 p.m. in Cabarrus. A flash flood warning was issued for Catawba, Iredell, Lincoln and Rowan counties until 6:15 p.m. A flooding warning was also issued Wednesday for Gaston County. Chesterfield County is under a flash flood warning until 5:30 p.m.

https://twitter.com/Andy_Nagele/status/682273721915015168

• IMAGES: Flooding, wet weather Wednesday around Charlotte area

Park closures: Mecklenburg County officials said parks near large creeks and all greenways are closed due to flooding.

Record-breaking rainfall: A record rainfall of 1.94 inches was set in Charlotte Wednesday, breaking the 2007 record of 1.21 inches.

https://twitter.com/MeckCounty/status/682325184913760256

More wet weather: Rain showers started to move into the Charlotte area early Wednesday morning and will continue to increase in intensity. The heaviest rain will settle in during the lunchtime and afternoon hours, so conditions will be damp for Fanfest and the Belk Bowl later Wednesday.

• ROAD CLOSURES: Heavy rains cause flooding across region

https://twitter.com/DaShawnWSOC9/status/682267844596350977

https://twitter.com/WSOCWeather/status/682130634928570368

• STORY: Tornado touches down south of Monroe

• LINK: Interactive Radar

• RAW VIDEO from a viewer of flooding in Lake Wylie:

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Weekend outlook: The upcoming weekend looks fantastic, especially for Sunday's Panthers game. Temps will be in the lower 50s with plenty of sunshine and overnight lows this weekend will drop into the 20s and 30s.

Sewage overflow: Charlotte Water crews responded to a sanitary sewer overflow near 3449 Reid Avenue on Monday. More than 1,000 gallons reached Irwin Creek in the Catawba River Watershed. The overflow was caused by heavy rains.

Weather resources:

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