After numerous days of rainfall, the Cape Fear River reached more than 8 feet above flood stage at Lock & Dam No. 3 near Tar Heel and was approaching flood stage at Lock & Dam No. 1 near Riegelwood over the weekend.

The rains during the previous week or 10 days also caused the closure of the roadway approaching Elwell Ferry — a 110-year-old ferry near Kelly that connects N.C. 53 and N.C. 87.

According to the National Weather Service in Wilmington, flooding was forecast for low-lying areas along the Cape Fear in Bladen County, and a flood warning remained in effect through the weekend.

On Sunday, the river reached 51.2 feet at Lock & Dam No. 3, which is 9.2 feet above flood stage.

Closer to Elizabethtown, the Cape Fear River reached a crest of 3.5 feet about flood stage and smamped the bot ramp at Tory Hole Park.

Although the weather forecast for the rest of the week shows little or no moisture in the region, temperatures will remain chilly before a warm up later in the week. Wednesday’s high is expected to be in the mid- to upper-40s with overnight lows in the mid-30s; Thursday will be the start of warming temps with highs of mid-50s and low 60s forecast for the end of the work week.

To see a more in-depth weather forecast online, go to www.weather.gov and enter your zip code.

Cape Fear River surges past flood stage after rains

Staff report