Storms bring more rain to the Upstate

Boiling Springs Road is blocked at Sugar Creek Road Thursday. Boiling Springs was closed between Sugar Creek Rd and Winterwood Road because water from Brushy Creek was over the road. Staff/George Gardner e-mail this story Related Online extra • Weather forecast

A cold front pushing through the area dropped nearly 2.5 inches of rain on Greenville, but not much was felt from Tropical Storm Bonnie, which hammered the Midlands instead of the Upstate, according to the National Weather Service.

Hurricane Charley, though, was still heading toward Florida late Thursday, according to the weather service. Heavy rain from that storm should hit Greenville early Saturday, but don't expect high winds.

"It's not looking as bad as we thought this far west," said Bryan McAvoy, a weather service meteorologist.

And that's good news for people like James Cleveland, who watched the rain pour down in front of his Chastain Drive home Thursday with pleasure.

It was a hard rain, but nothing like the storm that pummeled Greenville on July 29 and focused a good measure of its ire on Cleveland.

"It's not as bad," he said. "Last time, I had to be evacuated."

He was among hundreds of people driven from their homes as flood waters from overflowing rivers streamed through yards and houses.

Thursday's rain lasted longer than that storm, but caused far less damage. Cleveland Park, part of Boiling Springs, and Riley Smith roads were closed due to flooding, but no major damage was reported.

But the predictions on Bonnie and Charley can change, which is why flood watches are posted until noon Friday in Greenville.

Through Friday morning, the Upstate is expected to receive about 3 inches of rain over a span of about 18 hours.

Jared Zabera was one of thousands of commuters who battled slick driving conditions under a gray fog of rain Thursday morning.

"You have to wonder why we keep getting hit by this much rain after being in a drought for years," he said.

Emergency crews will remain on alert until the flood warning is lifted, said Scot Wendelken, Greenville County director of emergency management.

"Fortunately, it slacked off," Wendelken said.

But not quick enough.

As the rain hit Thursday, Lee Tompkins was still removing the warped floor boards from his Berea home damaged two weeks ago by flood water.

"I wanted to get this done before now," he said. "I just hope it doesn't flood again."

Luckily for him and the owners of the roughly 175 other houses damaged in the last storm, the rain never got past the nuisance stage.

The Reedy River jumped its banks, closing Cleveland Park downtown in the late morning. Other rivers, including Brushy Creek, rose with muddy brown water, but without damaging floods like last week. Western Greenville neighborhoods that were ravaged two weeks ago were wet, but in one piece.

While there was some spot flooding, the Reedy River never reached flood stage, McAvoy said. Two weeks ago, the river rose to almost three times its flood stage.

Cars driving along Interstate 385 caused waterfall-like deluges to flow over the highway's bridges. White sandbags were placed around the front doors at the NSBC building downtown. People wearing ponchos walked with umbrellas.

Red clay on construction sites became mud pits. At the Pelham Road and East North intersection, cars dipped into water to cross the road.

And James Cleveland enjoyed the view of the rain from a white rocker on his porch.

"This is more relaxing," he said.

John Boyanoski can be reached at 298-4065.