Rowan County Weather forecaster Steve Monday now predicts 9-11 inches of rain from what is now Tropical Storm Florence, which was downgraded at 5 p.m.

He writes: “If we exceed the 9-inch mark, that would make this a 1 in 1,000-year flood event for Rowan County.” The downgrade to a tropical storm will not change rain totals.

The National Weather Service says there is an 80 percent chance of showers tonight, with winds at 22 mph and gusting to 32 mph. A half to three-quarters of an inch is expected tonight. The low will be 71. Patchy fog will form around 5 a.m.

Some of the heaviest rain will come Saturday, Saturday night and into Sunday. And we remain under a flash flood watch from 8 a.m. Saturday through midnight Monday. The watch could become a warning as Florence spins inland.

Tornado watches and warnings are also possible with the heavy bands of rain from the storm.

Saturday has an 80 percent chance of showers, with thunderstorms possible after noon. Patchy fog will hang around until 11 a.m. It will be 76, with northeast wind around 24 mph, and gusts as high as 36 mph. Another 1 to 2 inches of rain is expected.

Saturday night has a 90 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Some storms will have very heavy rainfall. The low will be 68, with northeast wind at 21-25 mph and gusts around 38 mph. An additional 2 to 3 inches of rain is possible.

Sunday will have a 90 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, some of which will have heavy downpours. The high will be 76, with east southeast wind at 14-20 mph and gusts up to 29 mph.

Sunday night also has a 90 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. again with heavy rainfall. The low will be 70.

Monday has an 80 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, with a high of 82. Monday night has a 60 percent chance of showers and storms, and will be mostly cloudy and 69.

Even Tuesday has a 40 percent chance of showers, with thunderstorms possible after 10 a.m. It will be partly sunny and 86. Tuesday night will be partly cloudy and 66.

Wednesday will be sunny and 85, with a low of 65 and mostly clear skies.

Thursday will be sunny again, with a high of 84 and a low of 66.

And next Friday will be mostly sunny and 83.