Rivers in North Carolina
Tar River at Tarboro
Below flood stage
1.60ftStage
Observed Tue, Sep 22, 3:15 AM EDT
- Flood stage
- 19.00 ft
- Forecast crest
- 2.60 ftFri, Sep 25, 2:00 AM EDT
- Record crest
- 41.51 ft1999
Flood stages and impacts
| Category | Stage |
|---|---|
| Major flood | 32.00 ft |
| Moderate flood | 24.00 ft |
| Minor flood | 19.00 ft |
| Action | 17.00 ft |
- 38.60 ftThis is the highest elevation of the Princeville levee. Flooding becomes widespread in Princeville. The traffic circle in Tarboro on US64 at the bridge over the Tar river is flooded. Flooding begins on Albemarle Avenue and St Andrews Street.
- 37.00 ftFailure may be expected at the Princeville levee and flooding begins in the town of Princeville. There is also considerable street flooding in Tarboro, including Daniels, Baker, St James, and Granville streets.
- 34.60 ftWater reaches the base of the Princeville levee.
- 33.60 ftThis is the elevation of the railroad bed which cuts through the Princeville levee. The emergency gate must be manually installed to prevent water from flowing into the town of Princeville.
- 32.00 ftMajor flooding begins. Baker and St James Street begin to flood.
- 24.00 ftModerate flooding begins. River Road in Tarboro is underwater and flooding begins on east Wilson and St David Streets.
- 20.00 ftLowland flooding begins south of Daniel Street in east Tarboro.
- 19.00 ftMinor flooding begins. The Riverside Park and River Road at the US64 bridge flood.
- 17.00 ftThe river is at bankfull.
Flood outlook
Chance of flooding, September to November
| Category | Chance |
|---|---|
| Minor flooding | 9% |
| Moderate flooding | Under 5% |
| Major flooding | Under 5% |
The three-month chances are the River Forecast Centers’ long-range flood outlook, issued September 15, 2026.
Crest history
43 crests on NOAA’s list since 1908.
| # | Date | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 19, 1999 | 41.51 ft |
| 2 | October 13, 2016 | 36.29 ft |
| 3 | July 27, 1919 | 34.00 ft |
| 4 | October 4, 1924 | 33.50 ft |
| 5 | August 20, 1940 | 31.77 ft |
| 6 | September 24, 1928 | 30.20 ft |
| 7 | September 1, 1908 | 29.40 ft |
| 8 | May 12, 1958 | 29.17 ft |
| 9 | April 22, 1987 | 28.37 ft |
| 10 | September 23, 1945 | 28.13 ft |
| 11 | June 19, 2006 | 28.03 ft |
| 12 | October 7, 1929 | 27.80 ft |
| 13 | May 1, 2017 | 27.70 ft |
| 14 | February 21, 2021 | 27.47 ft |
| 15 | January 27, 1954 | 27.43 ft |
| 16 | December 6, 1934 | 27.38 ft |
| 17 | April 23, 1910 | 27.30 ft |
| 18 | September 3, 1939 | 27.00 ft |
| 19 | September 15, 1996 | 26.57 ft |
| 20 | June 4, 1984 | 26.44 ft |
| 21 | March 9, 1922 | 26.40 ft |
| 22 | April 15, 2003 | 26.27 ft |
| 23 | February 2, 1937 | 26.18 ft |
| 24 | October 9, 1964 | 25.90 ft |
| 25 | March 11, 1993 | 25.65 ft |
Most recent crests
- March 21, 2025: 21.14 ft
- October 1, 2024: 19.14 ft
- August 15, 2024: 25.42 ft
- February 21, 2021: 27.47 ft
- February 4, 2021: 20.01 ft
- January 8, 2021: 22.08 ft
- December 29, 2020: 20.08 ft
- December 21, 2020: 19.16 ft
- February 12, 2020: 25.56 ft
- November 20, 2018: 20.00 ft
Nearby
Upstream, downstream and the gauges around this one.
What this means
Forecasts by the Southeast River Forecast Center. Forecasts are issued routinely year-round.
Sources
Stage, flood stages, impacts and crest history from NOAA’s National Water Prediction Service. Streamflow and the daily record from the U.S. Geological Survey.