Flash Flood, Burke
- When
- August 12, 6:45 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
- Where
- Burke County, 1 mi N of Morganton
- Coordinates
- 35.750, -81.705 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Flash Flood in North Carolina, August 12, 1996
Flooding became more serious as rainfall continued over the same areas. More and more streams flooded including the Johns River.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 1
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
What happened
The episode as NWS GSP wrote it up.
Flooding became more serious as rainfall continued over the same areas. More and more streams flooded including the Johns River. Numerous bridges were covered and evacuations were required, especially around Collettsville which was isolated for several hours by flood waters. The flooding eventually progressed to Morganton and on to near Marion. Rock and mud slides near Marion forced highway closure in some cases.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
What these are
- Flash Flood
- Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Flash Flood in North Carolina, August 12, 1996
- Flash Flood in North Carolina, August 12, 1996
- Flash Flood in North Carolina, August 12, 1996
- Tornado in Texas, August 12, 1996
- Damaging Wind in Texas, August 12, 1996
- Heavy Rain in New Jersey, August 12 to 13, 1996
- Flood in Florida, August 12, 1996
- Damaging Wind in Texas, August 12, 1996
- Rip Current in Florida, August 12, 1996
- Lightning Strike in Texas, August 12, 1996
- Lightning Strike in Texas, August 12, 1996
- Heavy Rain in Maryland, August 12 to 13, 1996
More
Every storm in North Carolina in 1996Every state in 1996This day in weather historyWarnings in North Carolina, August 1996
Sources
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5566000.