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Stormwater services eye weather forecast

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — As soon as the new guidance came in Tuesday night calling for less rain for Wednesday, Eyewitness News called Charlotte-Mecklenburg Stormwater Services to let them know.
 
Sharone Foote said they are hoping for the best, but the storm has been so unpredictable they are still preparing for the worst and urging people to be cautious as it moves through the area.
 
"If you're watching TV, you're going to be nervous seeing what's coming and what's happening everywhere else," said Gail Bennett, a Charlotte resident.
 
But so far, Jamie Kiser and his kids are enjoying the weather and played on the green space near Little Sugar Creek Tuesday night.
 
Local government spent millions in the 1990s in floodplain buyouts replacing flood-prone homes in the area with open space.
 
"It has been a while since I've seen it fill up like it's supposed to tonight, but the road will be covered in water, it'll be a really fast-moving creek going down this way, it'll be muddy and brown," said Kiser, a Charlotte native.
 
Stormwater Service officials said anywhere it rains, it can flood.
 
"It doesn't happen often, but if it's flooded through here, we won't drive through it," Kiser said. "Even a little bit of water is dangerous."
 
Just six inches of water can sweep cars off the road, Foote said.
 
Since 1997, flash flooding has caused seven deaths in Mecklenburg County.
 
"That's how dangerous flooding is usually because flooding happens so quickly, they aren't prepared for it," Foote said.
 
One thing people can do to be prepared before the rain comes is clean off storm drains near them.
 
They can also call 311 to ask Charlotte-Mecklenburg officials to clean off drains.