Flash flooding leads to water rescues in Charlotte as heavy rain falls in mid-Atlantic, Southeast

Southeast sees expanded flood threat as stalled front dumps heavy rain across region

Flood concerns are growing in the Southeast where about 9 million Americans are under some sort of flood alert. FOX Weather Meteorologists Stephen Morgan and Britta Merwin break down the latest forecast on Aug. 5, 2025.

ATLANTA – Several million people across the Southeast, including those in cities such as Atlanta, are under a Flood Watch as the region continues to see rounds of torrential rain and thunderstorms that will continue for the next few days.

The threat comes from the same stalled cold front that led to the development of Tropical Storm Dexter, which formed off the North Carolina coast late Sunday night.

Flooding was reported in the Charlotte, North Carolina, area on Tuesday after the area picked up about 5 inches of rain.

According to reports, water rescues were happening near Southpark Mall in South Charlotte due to floodwaters on the roadway.

The FOX forecast Center said that heavy rain and flooding will likely peak during the early afternoon hours Tuesday before the precipitation begins to wind down later in the day.

This graphic shows information on water rescues in Charlotte, North Carolina, after torrential rain on Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025.

(FOX Weather)

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Farther south, Alabama experienced deadly flooding over the weekend.

One person was killed and others needed to be rescued after floodwaters rushed over roads and washed away vehicles, according to the Cleburne County Sheriff’s Office.

The Turkey Heaven Volunteer Fire Department said emergency crews were dispatched twice in the span of about two hours to help those who attempted to cross water-covered roads.

The fire department said the first rescue operation took place around 4:44 a.m. local time after a vehicle was overtaken by floodwaters on County Road 10 near County Road 635.

One person was in that vehicle, and they were successfully rescued.

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Watch: Atlanta area soaked by tropical downpours as flood threat grows in Southeast

A video shared by FOX Weather Correspondent Robert Ray shows some heavy rain falling in the Atlanta metro area over the weekend as the Southeast braces for more flooding rain this week.

The second incident took place around 6:20 a.m. local time after a vehicle attempted to navigate a flooded roadway in the 3000 block of County Road 41.

Officials said there were two people inside that vehicle at the time. One was rescued without major injuries, but the second person wasn’t located until a short time later.

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That person was pronounced dead at the scene by Cleburne County Coroner Adam Downs.

"These incidents serve as a sobering reminder of just how powerful floodwaters can be," Fire Chief Patrick Nolen said in a statement. "The safety of our community is our top priority, and while we’re grateful that we were able to safely rescue the individuals involved, we urge everyone to take Flood Warnings seriously."

Southeast flooding unrelated to Tropical Storm Dexter

Atlanta under Flood Watch as Southeast flood threat expands

Millions of people in the Southeast are bracing for possible flooding as the region faces threats of torrential rain and thunderstorms over the next few days. FOX Weather Storm Specialist Mike Seidel has more from Atlanta.

While Tropical Storm Dexter continues to move away from the U.S., parts of the Southeast have been facing several days of heavy rain and flash flooding that are completely unrelated to the tropical system spinning in the Atlantic Ocean.

The main driver for the threat is due to the stalled front draped across the region with no clear path to move out of the area. The FOX Forecast Center said that the front will act as a trigger for rounds of tropical downpours, and wherever the front lingers will likely determine where the worst flooding will occur.

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A broad area of low-level spin has developed higher in the atmosphere and is expected to linger around the front. 

That spin is helping to funnel deep tropical moisture northward into the Southeast, creating a moisture-rich environment.

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And because of that spin, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) highlighted an area off the Southeast coast where a tropical depression could form later this week or this weekend.

The chances of development at this point are low, but that could change if conditions become more favorable.

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Regardless of tropical development, major cities in the Southeast such as Atlanta and Tallahassee, Florida, will need to be on alert for urban flooding.

The flash flood hot spot is shaping up to be in central Georgia, including areas near Macon and Albany, where rainfall totals could exceed 5-8 inches by Thursday.