Charlotte sees most rain in months, but drought persists

CHARLOTTE — Overnight rain has already taken a toll on the Charlotte area, for better and for worse, and it isn’t over yet. Showers are expected to continue throughout the morning Thursday.

As the entirety of North Carolina battles an ongoing drought, these downpours are a welcomed sight. This system has brought the most rain the Queen City’s seen in months. A rain gauge at the Ballantyne Country Club recorded about 1 3/4 inches of rainfall had fallen as of 6:30 a.m.

With heavy rain however, comes complications. The rain brought down a tree on South Gardner Avenue overnight. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department cleared it out of the west Charlotte road around 1 a.m.

Tree limbs were also reportedly blocking parts of W.T. Harris Boulevard at Lakeview Road Thursday morning.

In Gaston County, the left lane of Interstate 85 South was closed until around 6 a.m. due to flooding and a crash near Cox Road. The closure caused delays for drivers during the morning commute.

As the day goes on, a lower risk for a pop-up shower or storm develops later this afternoon as a cold front pushes through. Severe Weather Center 9 is also tracking another chance for showers on Mother’s Day.

Channel 9’s Meteorologist Keith Monday says altogether we’ve picked up 1.83 inches of rain in the last 24 hours as more continues to fall. That’s the most rain since we saw just over 2 inches between Oct. 26 and Oct. 28 last year. The last time the Charlotte area saw more than 2 inches of rain in a 24-hour span was Aug. 5, 2025.

While this is great for our dry weather, Thursday’s rain won’t have any impact on the drought levels. Over a foot of rain over a 30-day span is still needed to eliminate the drought.

Mandatory water restrictions will go into effect May 15 for the Queen City. Charlotte Water says the restrictions are necessary to protect the water system and ensure reliable service for essential needs. Click here to learn more.

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