Alert archive / North Carolina / Flash Flood Warnings

Flash Flood Warnings in North Carolina, 2020

183 flash flood warnings in 2020. An alert counts here when it covered any part of the state, so the counties below add up to more than the state. The archive of flash flood warnings reaches back to 1986.

Flash Flood Warnings by county

Each county as a circle sized by its count in 2020. Tap one for its archive.

Flash Flood Warnings
183
Busiest month
August55 flash flood warnings
Busiest day
November 12, 202025 flash flood warnings

Over time

By month

Warning verification

How often warnings here had a storm report inside them, and how much warning the reports had.

120 of 181 flash flood warnings covering North Carolina in 2020 had a flash flood report inside them; 284 of 358 flash flood reports fell inside a warning, on average 111 minutes after it went out.

North Carolina, 2020

WarningsWith a reportFalse alarm ratioReportsInside a warningMean lead time
Flash flood warnings18112034%35879%111 min

Each office's whole area, 2020

WarningsWith a reportFalse alarm ratioReportsInside a warningMean lead time
NWS Wakefield, VA: flash flood warnings875734%11892%79 min
NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC: flash flood warnings794247%13871%121 min
NWS Wilmington, NC: flash flood warnings10820%3083%82 min
NWS Newport/Morehead City, NC: flash flood warnings13931%1688%103 min
NWS Morristown, TN: flash flood warnings221818%3382%42 min
NWS Raleigh, NC: flash flood warnings614034%17585%130 min
NWS Blacksburg, VA: flash flood warnings815335%20668%95 min

An office's figures cover every county it serves, including across state lines.

Verified by the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow, which matches each storm-based warning with the local storm reports inside its polygon while it was in force, within 15 km of its edge: a tornado warning counts as verified on a tornado report, a severe thunderstorm warning on hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more, or wind damage, a flash flood warning on a flash flood report. The false alarm ratio is the share of warnings with no such report; "inside a warning" is the probability of detection, the share of reports that fell inside one; lead time runs from the warning's issue to each report inside it, counting zero for a report that came first. A warning with no report is not proof nothing happened: reports come from spotters, the public and damage surveys, and are thin where few people live.

The alerts

Every alert, in the order issued. Times are local, Eastern Time. Each opens its own page with the text, the map, the radar and the sounding.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jan 11, 8:55 PM ESTFlash Flood WarningRNKAlleghany, Ashe, Watauga, Wilkes6 hr
Jan 11, 9:36 PM ESTFlash Flood WarningGSPMcDowell3 hr
Feb 6, 3:16 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningGSPGraham, Swain8 hr
Feb 6, 3:32 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningMRXCherokee, Clay4 hr
Feb 6, 5:52 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningGSPMacon10 hr
Feb 6, 6:13 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningGSPHaywood, Jackson10 hr
Feb 6, 6:27 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningGSPTransylvania10 hr
Feb 6, 6:45 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningGSPHenderson9 hr
Feb 6, 7:21 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningGSPPolk, Rutherford12 hr
Feb 6, 10:22 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningGSPBurke, Caldwell, McDowell5 hr
Feb 6, 10:40 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningGSPAlexander, Catawba, Cleveland, Gaston, Lincoln10 hr
Feb 6, 10:57 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningGSPGraham, Swain10 hr
Feb 6, 11:22 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningRNKRockingham, Stokes6 hr
Feb 6, 11:48 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningRNKCaswell, Rockingham5 hr
Feb 6, 11:53 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningRNKStokes, Surry, Wilkes, Yadkin6 hr
Feb 6, 1:54 PM ESTFlash Flood WarningGSPMecklenburg, Union6 hr
Feb 6, 2:03 PM ESTFlash Flood WarningGSPGaston7 hr
Feb 6, 3:32 PM ESTFlash Flood WarningGSPMacon4 hr
Feb 6, 3:56 PM ESTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatRAHAnson, Lee, Montgomery, Moore, Richmond, Stanly3 hr
Feb 6, 4:34 PM ESTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatRAHWake3 hr
Feb 6, 5:39 PM ESTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatRAHCumberland3 hr
Apr 13, 1:29 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPHaywood, Transylvania6 hr
Apr 13, 1:29 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningMRXCherokee, Clay3 hr
Apr 13, 1:58 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPJackson, Macon, Swain6 hr
Apr 13, 2:24 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningRNKAlleghany, Ashe, Watauga6 hr
Apr 13, 2:42 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningRNKSurry, Wilkes6 hr
Apr 13, 2:46 AM EDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatGSPBurke, Caldwell, McDowell5 hr
Apr 13, 3:13 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPHaywood, Jackson, Macon5 hr
Apr 13, 3:45 AM EDTFlash Flood Warning EmergencyCatastrophic damage threatRNKWatauga6 hr
Apr 13, 3:47 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningRNKAlleghany6 hr
Apr 13, 6:02 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningRNKStokes4 hr
Apr 30, 1:49 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPMecklenburg4 hr
May 19, 1:23 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPMcDowell, Polk, Rutherford3 hr
May 19, 2:02 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPPolk, Rutherford3 hr
May 21, 5:07 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningILMBrunswick, Columbus113 min
May 21, 6:54 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningILMBrunswick, Columbus2 hr
May 21, 8:30 AM EDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatRAHAnson, Davidson, Forsyth, Guilford, Montgomery, Randolph and 2 more5 hr
May 21, 12:55 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningMHXDuplin, Jones, Lenoir, Onslow3 hr
May 21, 1:32 PM EDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatRAHAnson, Montgomery, Richmond, Stanly11 hr
May 24, 8:01 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRNKRockingham6 hr
May 27, 6:12 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPMecklenburg3 hr
May 27, 7:15 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPMecklenburg3 hr
May 28, 4:43 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningILMColumbus2 hr
May 28, 6:15 PM EDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatRAHSampson3 hr
May 28, 9:14 PM EDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatRAHSampson3 hr
May 29, 11:01 AM EDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatRAHSampson, Wayne3 hr
May 29, 2:10 PM EDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatRAHStanly3 hr
May 29, 4:09 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningMHXOnslow3 hr
Jun 9, 8:16 PM EDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatRAHCumberland, Harnett2 hr
Jun 11, 1:55 PM EDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatRAHNash3 hr
Jun 11, 2:40 PM EDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatRAHFranklin, Nash, Wake2 hr
Jun 11, 5:39 PM EDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatRAHAlamance, Guilford3 hr
Jun 11, 6:31 PM EDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatRAHAlamance, Durham, Granville, Orange3 hr
Jun 11, 8:38 PM EDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatRAHAlamance, Chatham, Guilford, Randolph2 hr
Jun 11, 9:45 PM EDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatRAHStanly3 hr
Jun 12, 2:19 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningILMBrunswick, New Hanover3 hr
Jun 16, 4:29 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningMHXDare, Hyde3 hr
Jun 16, 5:55 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningMHXDare5 hr
Jun 16, 6:39 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningILMColumbus2 hr
Jun 16, 7:47 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningMHXOnslow100 min
Jun 16, 9:26 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningMHXCarteret3 hr
Jun 17, 5:11 AM EDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatRAHFranklin, Nash, Vance, Warren4 hr
Jun 17, 8:23 AM EDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatRAHFranklin, Granville, Halifax, Nash, Person, Vance and 1 more4 hr
Jun 19, 3:31 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPBurke, Catawba3 hr
Jun 19, 7:47 PM EDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatRAHHarnett, Johnston, Sampson, Wayne6 hr
Jun 19, 7:53 PM EDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatRAHAnson, Montgomery, Stanly6 hr
Jun 19, 8:05 PM EDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatRAHMoore6 hr
Jun 19, 11:03 PM EDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatRAHCumberland, Harnett, Hoke, Moore3 hr
Jun 20, 5:11 PM EDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatRAHCumberland, Hoke, Moore, Sampson3 hr
Jun 20, 7:35 PM EDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatRAHEdgecombe, Nash, Wilson117 min
Jun 30, 10:24 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningAKQHertford, Northampton2 hr
Jul 3, 10:09 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPJackson4 hr
Jul 4, 5:03 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPYancey3 hr
Jul 5, 8:12 PM EDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatRAHDavidson, Forsyth, Guilford84 min
Jul 13, 3:48 PM EDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatRAHAnson, Montgomery, Richmond, Stanly2 hr
Jul 13, 3:59 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningMHXOnslow3 hr
Jul 18, 4:03 PM EDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatRAHJohnston, Wake91 min
Jul 19, 6:16 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRNKWatauga93 min
Jul 23, 4:24 PM EDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatRAHDavidson, Forsyth, Guilford5 hr
Jul 23, 6:34 PM EDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatRAHWake77 min
Aug 3, 8:47 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPMadison3 hr
Aug 3, 9:11 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPBurke, McDowell, Rutherford3 hr
Aug 3, 11:45 PM EDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatRAHCumberland, Harnett, Johnston, Sampson, Wayne6 hr
Aug 4, 12:09 AM EDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatRAHEdgecombe, Franklin, Nash, Wake, Wilson6 hr
Aug 4, 12:55 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningMHXBeaufort, Martin, Pamlico, Pitt98 min
Aug 4, 2:21 AM EDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatRAHGranville, Halifax, Vance, Warren6 hr
Aug 4, 2:52 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningAKQBertie, Gates, Hertford, Northampton3 hr
Aug 4, 6:15 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningRAHWake3 hr
Aug 5, 8:14 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPBurke, Caldwell, Catawba3 hr
Aug 5, 10:28 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRNKSurry, Yadkin3 hr
Aug 6, 12:02 AM EDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatRAHForsyth86 min
Aug 6, 2:32 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningMHXOnslow2 hr
Aug 6, 3:31 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRNKAshe4 hr
Aug 6, 4:13 PM EDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatRAHHarnett2 hr
Aug 6, 6:02 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningAKQCamden, Currituck, Gates, Pasquotank3 hr
Aug 6, 6:20 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRNKSurry, Wilkes, Yadkin3 hr
Aug 6, 6:26 PM EDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatRAHForsyth3 hr
Aug 6, 6:45 PM EDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatRAHGuilford8 hr
Aug 6, 7:03 PM EDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatRAHDavidson4 hr
Aug 6, 7:32 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPDavie2 hr
Aug 6, 9:14 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPCatawba, Iredell2 hr
Aug 6, 9:29 PM EDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatRAHForsyth2 hr
Aug 7, 3:29 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRNKAshe6 hr
Aug 10, 5:19 PM EDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatRAHForsyth110 min
Aug 10, 5:34 PM EDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatRAHDavidson, Forsyth, Guilford116 min
Aug 10, 6:50 PM EDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatRAHDurham, Orange72 min
Aug 12, 4:30 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRNKWatauga, Wilkes4 hr
Aug 13, 2:38 AM EDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatRAHDavidson, Randolph4 hr
Aug 13, 1:30 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningMHXCarteret, Craven3 hr
Aug 13, 4:07 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRNKSurry, Wilkes, Yadkin5 hr
Aug 13, 4:20 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRNKAshe, Watauga, Wilkes3 hr
Aug 13, 5:32 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPIredell, Rowan3 hr
Aug 13, 8:31 PM EDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatRAHForsyth, Guilford3 hr
Aug 13, 11:49 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRNKAlleghany, Surry, Wilkes3 hr
Aug 14, 6:36 PM EDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatRAHForsyth114 min
Aug 15, 12:19 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPCatawba6 hr
Aug 15, 12:56 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPBurke, Caldwell6 hr
Aug 15, 2:19 AM EDTFlash Flood Warning EmergencyGSPAlexander, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba4 hr
Aug 15, 4:28 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPAlexander, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Iredell2 hr
Aug 15, 4:32 PM EDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatRAHDurham, Franklin, Wake3 hr
Aug 15, 4:50 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPMecklenburg, Union3 hr
Aug 15, 4:59 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningAKQCamden, Currituck5 hr
Aug 15, 6:10 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPCatawba, Davie, Iredell, Rowan2 hr
Aug 15, 6:15 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningAKQBertie, Chowan, Gates, Hertford2 hr
Aug 15, 6:28 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningAKQCamden, Pasquotank5 hr
Aug 15, 7:19 PM EDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatRAHHarnett9 hr
Aug 19, 10:35 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRNKAshe119 min
Aug 21, 8:40 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningRNKStokes4 hr
Aug 21, 10:39 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPCatawba, Gaston, Lincoln5 hr
Aug 24, 6:41 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRNKSurry116 min
Aug 24, 7:10 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRNKAlleghany, Wilkes2 hr
Aug 24, 8:34 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPMcDowell3 hr
Aug 31, 10:14 AM EDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatRAHStanly3 hr
Aug 31, 6:48 PM EDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatRAHAlamance, Durham, Orange, Wake5 hr
Aug 31, 6:56 PM EDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatRAHHarnett, Johnston, Wake5 hr
Aug 31, 8:43 PM EDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatRAHGranville, Vance, Warren3 hr
Aug 31, 11:14 PM EDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatRAHJohnston, Sampson, Wake4 hr
Aug 31, 11:41 PM EDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatRAHVance, Warren2 hr
Sep 1, 10:02 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningILMRobeson118 min
Sep 9, 10:22 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningAKQGates, Hertford3 hr
Sep 9, 3:15 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningAKQHertford3 hr
Sep 9, 4:11 PM EDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatAKQHertford3 hr
Sep 12, 2:58 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningRNKAshe, Wilkes6 hr
Sep 18, 1:32 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningAKQNorthampton3 hr
Sep 28, 10:17 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPTransylvania3 hr
Oct 29, 7:36 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPHenderson, Transylvania7 hr
Oct 29, 8:28 AM EDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatGSPHenderson3 hr
Oct 29, 8:34 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningRNKAlleghany, Ashe, Watauga4 hr
Oct 29, 8:47 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPMcDowell6 hr
Oct 29, 9:02 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningRNKAlleghany, Ashe, Wilkes4 hr
Oct 29, 9:55 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPBurke, Caldwell5 hr
Oct 29, 10:29 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningRNKRockingham, Stokes6 hr
Oct 29, 11:15 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningRNKSurry, Yadkin2 hr
Nov 11, 9:55 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningGSPCatawba, Lincoln4 hr
Nov 11, 10:04 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningGSPCleveland, Gaston4 hr
Nov 11, 6:07 PM ESTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatRAHEdgecombe, Nash, Wilson5 hr
Nov 11, 6:45 PM ESTFlash Flood WarningRNKCaswell, Rockingham6 hr
Nov 11, 8:00 PM ESTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatRAHEdgecombe, Halifax3 hr
Nov 11, 10:38 PM ESTFlash Flood WarningAKQBertie, Hertford, Northampton6 hr
Nov 12, 3:12 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningGSPCaldwell112 min
Nov 12, 3:45 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningGSPAlexander, Burke, Caldwell8 hr
Nov 12, 4:17 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningGSPAlexander, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Iredell, Lincoln6 hr
Nov 12, 5:03 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningRNKStokes, Surry, Wilkes, Yadkin6 hr
Nov 12, 5:14 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningGSPCleveland, Gaston, Lincoln, Polk, Rutherford3 hr
Nov 12, 5:49 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningGSPCatawba, Cleveland, Davie, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln and 2 more5 hr
Nov 12, 6:14 AM ESTFlash Flood Warning EmergencyCatastrophic damage threatGSPCatawba14 hr
Nov 12, 6:23 AM ESTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatRAHAlamance, Davidson, Forsyth, Guilford, Randolph4 hr
Nov 12, 6:36 AM ESTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatGSPDavie, Rowan4 hr
Nov 12, 7:40 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningGSPCabarrus, Gaston, Mecklenburg10 hr
Nov 12, 8:02 AM ESTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatGSPCabarrus10 hr
Nov 12, 8:24 AM ESTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatRAHAlamance, Chatham, Durham, Harnett, Lee, Montgomery and 4 more8 hr
Nov 12, 8:33 AM ESTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatRAHEdgecombe, Franklin, Granville, Halifax, Johnston, Nash and 6 more8 hr
Nov 12, 9:05 AM ESTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatRAHAnson, Richmond, Scotland, Stanly7 hr
Nov 12, 9:12 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningAKQGates, Hertford, Northampton3 hr
Nov 12, 9:46 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningGSPCabarrus, Mecklenburg, Union4 hr
Nov 12, 9:56 AM ESTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatRAHAlamance, Davidson, Forsyth, Guilford, Randolph6 hr
Nov 12, 10:36 AM ESTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatRAHCumberland, Hoke, Sampson6 hr
Nov 12, 11:00 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningMHXBeaufort, Greene, Lenoir, Martin, Pitt4 hr
Nov 12, 11:11 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningAKQBertie, Chowan, Pasquotank, Perquimans3 hr
Nov 12, 11:54 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningILMBladen, Robeson5 hr
Nov 12, 12:02 PM ESTFlash Flood WarningMHXDuplin, Lenoir3 hr
Nov 12, 12:45 PM ESTFlash Flood WarningMHXBeaufort, Craven, Duplin, Hyde, Jones, Onslow and 3 more3 hr
Nov 12, 7:20 PM ESTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatGSPGaston, Mecklenburg7 hr

By county

Every county with at least one alert. A county page lists each alert that covered it.

56 more counties

The busiest days

Days with the most alerts issued, by UTC date.

Nearby

Alerts in force nowTornadoes on recordThe radar archive20192021

Sources

National Weather Service watches, warnings, advisories and statements from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's VTEC archive, which reconstructs tornado, severe thunderstorm, flash flood and marine warnings back to 1986 from the NWS text archive. Storm Prediction Center watches and mesoscale discussions from SPC's archive through the Mesonet. County centers from the US Census Bureau. Warning verification from the Mesonet's Cow. Rebuilt daily.