North Carolina, 1998

Flash Flooding in North Carolina, February 17, 1998

February 17, 1998 · NWS ILM · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

4 flash flood, as filed by the National Weather Service.

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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
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.

The radar

The Wilmington radar (KLTX), 19 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 10:31 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Brunswick

When
February 17, 5:30 AM EST to 10:00 AM EST
Where
Brunswick County, Calabash
Coordinates
34.039, -78.227 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Described as Roads Flooded Like Never Before, rainfall 3-5 inches in the early morning caused many roads to flood.

Flash Flood, Columbus

When
February 17, 5:30 AM EST to 10:00 AM EST
Where
Columbus County, Cerro Gordo
Coordinates
34.265, -78.655 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Rainfall measured 3-5 inches during the early morning hours, resulting in widespread road closures due to flooding.

Flash Flood, New Hanover

When
February 17, 5:30 AM EST to 10:00 AM EST
Where
New Hanover County, Castle Hayne
Coordinates
34.181, -77.866 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Rainfall measured 3-5 inches during the early morning hours caused widespread flooding, forcing delayed school openings, causing Carolina Beach Lake to flood into the neighborhood, and caused massive traffic delays across the county.

Flash Flood, Pender

When
February 17, 5:30 AM EST to 10:00 AM EST
Where
Pender County, Burgaw
Coordinates
34.515, -77.889 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Rainfall measured 2.5-4 inches during the early morning hours, causing widespread ponding of water on roads .

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, February 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: 5634529, 5634530, 5634531, 5634532.