North Carolina, 1998

Flash Flooding in North Carolina, August 15 to 16, 1998

August 15 to 16, 1998 · NWS RNK · 4 events in 3 counties and zones

Thunderstorm rains flooded and closed Route 21 near Cherry Lane. One mile north northwest of Joynes, in Stone Mountain State Park, creeks and streams were flooded stranding campers; paved roads, gravel roads, and several bridges were washed out.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 4 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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$20,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
4

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 RNK wrote it up.

Thunderstorms late in the evening of the 15th and early morning of the 16th produced flash flooding.Thunderstorm rains flooded and closed Route 21 near Cherry Lane. One mile north northwest of Joynes, in Stone Mountain State Park, creeks and streams were flooded stranding campers; paved roads, gravel roads, and several bridges were washed out. Flooding washed out numerous roads from one mile north northwest of Joynes to Traphill. Several roads were closed for a few days.Thunderstorm rains flooded Route 89, one and one half miles northwest of Low Gap and caused the Mitchell River to flood State Route 1333, seven miles southwest of Low Gap.

The radar

The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 121 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 03:52 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Wilkes

When
August 15, 10:55 PM EST to August 16, 2:00 AM EST
Where
Wilkes County, 1 mi NNW of Joynes
Property damage
$20,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
36.206, -81.163 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Alleghany

When
August 15, 11:47 PM EST to August 16, 1:45 AM EST
Where
Alleghany County, Cherry Lane
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
36.491, -81.127 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Surry

When
August 16, 1:10 AM EST to 2:20 AM EST
Where
Surry County, 7 mi SW of Low Gap
Reported by
DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
Coordinates
36.415, -80.687 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Surry

When
August 16, 2:00 AM EST to 3:25 AM EST
Where
Surry County, 2 mi NW of Low Gap
Reported by
DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
Coordinates
36.415, -80.687 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

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

More

Every storm in North Carolina in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in North Carolina, August 1998

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: 5661629, 5661628, 5661631, 5661630.