The National Weather service predicts potentially strong thunderstorms this afternoon.

“As it stands now, the National Weather Service expects the storm to begin passing through our area between 2 and 6 p.m. today,” Elizabethton-Carter County EMA Director Gary Smith said. “As is often the case with thunderstorms, we have the potential for strong wind gusts up to 60 miles per hour, hail up to a quarter inch in diameter and frequent lightning.”

Carter County should receive about a half inch of rain, Smith said, but isolated areas may receive as much as an inch.

“That brings the possibility of isolated flooding with this storm, so if you have to be on the roads during the storm, watch for flooding.” he said.

If you see rising floodwaters, turn away from it. Driving into floodwaters, no matter how shallow they appear, could be dangerous.

“The good news is that there is a cold front behind the storm, and our temperatures are expected to drop back into the 70s once the storm passes through our area,” Smith said.