Columbus County NEWS Weather Update for Tuesday July 21, 2026.
This weather update is sponsored by Freedom Insurance of Whiteville. Trust Freedom Insurance to give you clear blue skies when it comes to home, car, boat, or whatever insurance you need. Let Freedom provide customized coverage to keep you and your family safe. Contact Freedom today at 910-640-2828!
Here’s today’s Bottom Line
Lots of graphics in today’s report! Today will feature a continuation of our oppressive summer heat with highs into the upper 90s and heat index well over the Misery Mark.
Like yesterday, a few scattered thunderstorms are probable this afternoon and evening.
Tonight will be muggy/steamy … but quiet.
Wednesday will start off with lots of sunshine but there is an increasing thunderstorm threat late in the day and through the evening. A strong — unseasonably strong — cold front will push slowly through the area by Wednesday night.
This front is going to slow down and eventually stall either just inland from the coast or right along the coast during the overnight hours. Ripples of low pressure then zip along the front.
The front itself will bring the risk for strong to severe thunderstorms Wednesday night. At this time the primary “mode” for severe weather will be that of damaging wind gusts. The more notable threat is that of flash flooding from heavy thunderstorms repeatedly moving over the same areas. The flooding threat will continue through Thursday with that front in the vicinity; periods of rain and storms are almost a certainty.
The NWS Weather Prediction Center has the county under a 15% risk for rainfall exceeding flash-flood guidance. This means that there is a 15% risk that we receive 3 to 4 inches of rain within a 1- or within a 3-hour time period, which would trigger flash flooding.
I don’t care how good the drainage system is. If we get 3-4 inches of rain over the course of 2-3 hours, THERE WILL BE FLOODING DOWNTOWN.
Rainy conditions are likely to persist through the weekend.
TROPICS: Tropical Storm Bertha will continue a westward movement along the Gulf coast, and will be of no threat to our area.
Here is your Freedom Insurance Today-plus-Five Forecast:
–Meteorologist Christopher Cawley
