Alert archive / North Carolina / Flash Flood Warnings in 2026
Flash Flood Warning 2, NWS Wilmington, NC
NWS Wilmington, NC issued this flash flood warning at Jul 25, 2026, 11:12 AM EDT for Bladen County, Columbus County, North Carolina. It was in force for 119 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.
The area
The outline as issued.
The facts
- Issued
- Jul 25, 2026, 11:12 AM EDT (15:12 UTC)
- Expired
- Jul 25, 2026, 1:11 PM EDT
- In force
- 119 min
- Issued by
- NWS Wilmington, NC
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
- Flood severity
- None
Counties Bladen County, NC, Columbus County, NC
The radar
The Wilmington radar (KLTX), 51 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 15:11 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.
Open the radar archive at this moment
The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.
Did it verify
Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this flash flood warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.
Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.
The nearest sounding before it
Newport, NC (KMHX), launched 12:00Z, 3.2 hours before the alert went out and 167 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 826 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -40 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 681 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 20 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 78 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 82 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 1.0
The text
As transmitted.
043
WGUS52 KILM 251512
FFWILM
NCC017-047-251815-
/O.NEW.KILM.FF.W.0002.260725T1512Z-260725T1815Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Wilmington NC
1112 AM EDT Sat Jul 25 2026
The National Weather Service in Wilmington has issued a
* Flash Flood Warning for...
Southern Bladen County in southeastern North Carolina...
Northern Columbus County in southeastern North Carolina...
* Until 215 PM EDT.
* At 1112 AM EDT, Doppler radar indicated numerous showers and
thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Between
1 and 2 inches of rain have fallen. Additional rainfall amounts of
1 to 3 inches are possible in the warned area. Flash flooding is
ongoing or expected to begin shortly.
HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas,
highways, streets and underpasses as well as other poor
drainage and low-lying areas.
* Some locations that will experience flash flooding include...
Whiteville, Chadbourn, Lake Waccamaw, Sandyfield, Hallsboro,
Emerson, Elkton, Redbug, Council, Southeastern Community College,
Carvers, Kelly, Evergreen, Bolton, East Arcadia, and Cerro Gordo.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Flash flooding from heavy rainfall can be expected, especially near
poor drainage areas and other flood prone locations. Roads may be
damaged or washed away. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles. If
flooding is observed, then turn around, don't drown.
&&
LAT...LON 3447 7885 3448 7884 3448 7827 3444 7824
3433 7830 3429 7855 3433 7900 3444 7892
FLASH FLOOD...RADAR INDICATED
$$
SRP2 follow-up statements
206
WGUS72 KILM 251613
FFSILM
Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Wilmington NC
1213 PM EDT Sat Jul 25 2026
NCC017-047-251815-
/O.CON.KILM.FF.W.0002.000000T0000Z-260725T1815Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Bladen NC-Columbus NC-
1213 PM EDT Sat Jul 25 2026
...FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 215 PM EDT THIS
AFTERNOON FOR SOUTHERN BLADEN AND NORTHERN COLUMBUS COUNTIES...
At 1213 PM EDT, Doppler radar indicated that shower and thunderstorm
activity has weakened across the warned area resulting in lower
rainfall rates. However, in addition to the 2 to 3 inches that has
already fallen, an additional 0.5 to 1 inch remain possible across
the warned area. In addition, water will continue to pool into
low-lying flood prone locations well after the heavy rain ends. As a
result the Flash Flood Warning will remain in effect until 215 PM
EDT.
HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas,
highways, streets and underpasses as well as other poor
drainage and low-lying areas.
Some locations that will experience flash flooding include...
Whiteville, Chadbourn, Lake Waccamaw, Sandyfield, Hallsboro,
Emerson, Elkton, Redbug, Council, Southeastern Community College,
Carvers, Kelly, Evergreen, Bolton, East Arcadia, and Cerro Gordo.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Dangerous flooding from heavy rainfall can be expected, especially
near poor drainage areas and other flood prone locations. Roads may
be damaged or washed away. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles. If
flooding is observed, then turn around, don't drown.
&&
LAT...LON 3447 7885 3448 7884 3448 7827 3444 7824
3433 7830 3429 7855 3433 7900 3444 7892
FLASH FLOOD...RADAR INDICATED
$$
SRP850
WGUS72 KILM 251711
FFSILM
Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Wilmington NC
111 PM EDT Sat Jul 25 2026
NCC017-047-251721-
/O.CAN.KILM.FF.W.0002.000000T0000Z-260725T1815Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Bladen NC-Columbus NC-
111 PM EDT Sat Jul 25 2026
...FLASH FLOOD WARNING IS CANCELLED FOR SOUTHERN BLADEN AND NORTHERN
COLUMBUS COUNTIES...
The heavy rain has ended. Flooding is no longer expected to pose a
threat. Please continue to heed remaining road closures.
A Flood Watch remains in effect until 800 PM EDT Saturday for
portions of southeast North Carolina and northeast South Carolina.
&&
LAT...LON 3447 7885 3448 7884 3448 7827 3444 7824
3433 7830 3429 7855 3433 7900 3444 7892
$$
RGZWhat forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before this flash flood warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Wilmington, NC wrote its last area forecast discussion before this flash flood warning went out at Jul 25, 10:38 AM EDT, 34 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
- 1) Stationary front along the coast will continue to bring several more impulses of showers and storms today and into this evening. Isolated flooding remains possible.
- 2) Forecast starts to dry out Sunday as the front finally moves offshore. Diurnally driven shower and thunderstorm chances possible Monday and Tuesday, with the next front due by midweek.
Area forecast discussion, Jul 25, 10:38 AM EDT, 34 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Wilmington NC
1038 AM EDT Sat Jul 25 2026
.WHAT HAS CHANGED...
Rip current risk is now low for all area beaches with mid-
morning SRF update based on recent lifeguard reports.
&&
.KEY MESSAGES...
- 1) Stationary front along the coast will continue to bring
several more impulses of showers and storms today and into
this evening. Isolated flooding remains possible.
- 2) Forecast starts to dry out Sunday as the front finally
moves offshore. Diurnally driven shower and thunderstorm
chances possible Monday and Tuesday, with the next front due
by midweek.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
.KEY MESSAGE 1...Stationary front along the coast will continue to
bring several more impulses of showers and storms today and into
this evening. Isolated flooding remains possible.
Latest surface analysis shows the lingering frontal boundary
basically bisecting the local forecast area from the Pee Dee region
to the Cape Fear region. Mesoanalysis shows precipitable water
(PWAT) values holding at 2.3-2.4" across the area, indicating a
tropical airmass is in place.
Showers and storms have fizzled away over the last several hours,
giving way to a lull that will continue through the remainder of the
overnight hours. Over the last 24 hours, 1-2 inches of rain have
fallen across the area, with locally higher amounts of 3-4 inches in
some isolated spots along the coastline. Indeed, the drought has
been winning in this fight so far against the isolated flooding
threat. Even for the 2-4 inches that fell across the Wilmington
area, several of our staff have commented how there is little
ponding on the roads, an indication that soils are soaking up this
water. Welcomed news!
Convection will gradually start to fire up again towards the late
morning hours, as the front slowly snakes towards the coast again.
We should see a similar pattern to yesterday, where the front
interacts with the seabreeze to create a healthy convergence
boundary for storms to fire along the coastline by 12-2 PM EDT this
afternoon. Shortwave impulses aloft will help to sustain this
convection, along with outflow boundaries of the storms themselves.
Heading towards this evening, storms may start to favor the
northeast SC coast, before rain chances gradually start to come down
after midnight tonight.
Flood Watch remains in effect until 8 PM EDT this evening for all of
southeast NC and most of northeast SC, sans Darlington and Marlboro
Counties. The last 24 hours have set precedence that flooding will
be hard to achieve in this drought, but it's still something that we
cannot rule out with more rain on the way today. Most should see an
additional 1-2 inches today, with locally higher amounts of 2-4
inches possible.
.KEY MESSAGE 2...Forecast starts to dry out Sunday as the front
finally moves offshore. Diurnally driven shower and thunderstorm
chances possible Monday and Tuesday, with the next front due by
midweek.
The old frontal boundary finally starts to push out into the
Atlantic late tonight into Sunday. As a result, rain chances
gradually start to come down. Much drier conditions expected
through Tuesday, with only a slight chance of showers and storms
in the afternoon, resembling a more summer-like pattern. More
organized rain chances may come by Wednesday with another
frontal system approaching from the Ohio Valley.
Triple digit heat indices also return as early as Monday, though
it looks more likely on Tuesday.
&&
.AVIATION /14Z SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
Gradual increase in shower activity the last hour or so,
especially to the west which will translate east with
thunderstorm development not far behind. IFR fog/stratus
lingering over KLBT, but has struggled to reach KFLO and may
end up falling short of KFLO. If it gets there is not likely to
hang around long before conditions improve to MVFR. Prevailing
condition today will be MVFR with periods of IFR sprinkled in as
showers and thunderstorms start to expand in coverage. Continued
use of PROB30 groups to account for passing showers in the late
morning hours. High res models continue to indicate that KILM,
KCRE, and KMYR will experience the brunt of the convection
generally from 16-21Z this afternoon (used TEMPO groups for that
part). While KFLO and KLBT shouldn't get as much convection
coverage, they may observe the IFR stratus, being they will be
on the "cool" side of the front as it slowly snakes to the south
and east. Winds generally NE-NW around 5 kt or less across the
inland terminals. And for the coastal terminals S-NW 4 to 9 kt.
Drier air will start to filter in from the northwest tonight,
but the abundance of low level moisture and light to calm
winds/minimal mixing suggest widespread IFR fog/stratus will be
a concern at all terminals after midnight.
Extended Forecast...Could see some fog restrictions Sunday
morning. VFR conditions to dominate thereafter with periodic
flight restrictions from diurnal convection Monday through
Wednesday.
&&
.MARINE...
Saturday through Wednesday...A nearly stationary front and multiple
rounds of showers and storms will create havoc with wind
direction/speed today and this evening. A lull in the activity over
the waters this morning will become more widespread by the early
afternoon. Overall, outside of any convection, expect seas to be 3
ft or less through Tuesday, increasing to 3-5 ft by Wednesday. SWly
winds will prevail south of the front and away from any storms
through this evening. The flow will veer around to a Nly direction
late tonight into Sunday with the old front finally south of the
area. Typical SWly flow will return to the waters Monday and persist
through Wednesday.
&&
.ILM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NC...Flood Watch until 8 PM EDT this evening for NCZ087-096-099-
105>110.
SC...Flood Watch until 8 PM EDT this evening for SCZ024-032-033-039-
054>056-058-059.
MARINE...None.
&&
WHAT HAS CHANGED...VAO
KEY MESSAGES...IGB
DISCUSSION...IGB
AVIATION...III/IGB
MARINE...IGBThe office that day
Everything else NWS Wilmington, NC issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 25, 10:36 AM EDT | Areal Flood Advisory | ILM | Columbus, Robeson | 114 min |
| Jul 25, 11:06 AM EDT | Areal Flood Advisory | ILM | Brunswick, New Hanover | 114 min |
Nearby
Flash Flood Warnings in North Carolina, 2026Every flash flood warning in 2026
Sources
The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.