ELIZABETHTOWN — More than 29 inches of rain has fallen here associated with Hurricane Florence.
The National Weather Service released preliminary rainfall totals as of 2 p.m. Sunday. Rain was still falling. Only two communities, Swansboro (33.9 inches) and Gurganus (30.38 inches), had more rainfall than did Elizabethtown (29.05 inches).
Kelly was 12th highest on the list with 22.01 inches.
Also on the list nearby were Jacksonville (24.13), Wilmington (23.89), Lumberton (21.51), Whiteville (18.54) and Fayetteville (12.33).
According to the NWS, the Cape Fear River near Tar Heel at the Huske lock was at 54.35 feet at 3 p.m., more than 12 feet above flood stage. At Elizabethtown, the Cape Fear was at 31.83 feet, nearly 7 feet above flood stage.
The NWS forecast the crest at Huske for late Tuesday or early Wednesday at 65.1 feet and the crest in Elizabethtown for Thursday at 37.9 feet. Two years ago after Matthew, the Huske crested at 68.46 feet and Elizabethtown 36.44 feet. The records for each are 75.50 in 1945 at Huske and 43.20 in 1945 at Elizabethtown.
The 2 p.m. Sunday preliminary totals for rainfall throughout North Carolina, as provided by the National Weather Service, showed Elizabethtown with more than 29 inches and Kelly with more than 22.