Flash Flooding in North Carolina, August 16 to 17, 2009

Name: Flash Flooding in North Carolina, August 16 to 17, 2009
Start: 2009-08-16T13:30
End: 2009-08-17T02:30
Location: North Carolina

August 16 to 17, 2009 · NWS GSP · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

Slow moving thunderstorms developed over the Charlotte metro area during the afternoon hours, resulting flooding of urban areas and small streams. An additional area of flash flooding developed later that night over the southern foothills.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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: $50,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 2

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.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Aug 16, 12:29 PM EST, 1 hour 1 minute earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 16, 12:29 PM EST, 1 hour 1 minute before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
129 PM EDT SUN AUG 16 2009

.SYNOPSIS...
A LARGE AREA OF SUBTROPICAL HIGH PRESSURE CENTERED OVER THE ATLANTIC
WILL REMAIN THE DOMINANT WEATHER FEATURE ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA
THROUGH MIDWEEK. A COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH THE REGION TOWARD THE
END OF THE WEEK.

&&

.NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/...
MOIST AIRMASS REMAINS OVER AREA WITH WEAK S UPSLOPE FLOW. CAPE
VALUES HAVE INCRSD TO 1-2K J/KG WITH WEAKLY UNSTABLE SOUNDING
PROFILES. WENT WITH AT LEAST SCT SHWRS/TSTMS ACROSS THE CWA THRU THE
EVE. DAMAGING WIND OR HAIL THREAT RELATIVELY SMALL BUT WITH THE SLOW
STEERING WINDS...PSBL FLASH FLOODING MAIN CONCERN IN AREAS WHERE
SLOW MOVG STORMS BACK-BUILD OR TRAIN. CONVECTION WILL TAPER OFF LATE
THIS EVE BUT LEFT LOW CHANCE POPS IN OVERNIGHT. LOWS WILL COOL TO
NEAR AVG.

&&

.SHORT TERM /MONDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT/...
AS OF 230 AM SUNDAY...SUBTROPICAL RIDGE WILL CONTINUE TO DOMINATE
THE WEATHER ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST CONUS...AS A TROPICAL SYSTEM MOVES
INTO THE CENTRAL GULF COASTAL REGION. AT THE SFC...BERMUDA HIGH
KEEPS THE CWA IN MOIST SLY LOW LEVEL FLOW. ABOVE NORMAL CLOUD COVER
AND NEAR NORMAL TEMPS WILL BE ON TAP...WITH GENERALLY DIURNALLY
DRIVEN CONVECTION. THE MEAN FLOW BACKS FROM WLY TO SLY ON
TUESDAY...AND OVERALL GUIDANCE SHOWS WARMING MID LEVELS AND VERY
MOIST SOUNDINGS. SO I CUT BACK POP EAST OF THE MTNS TO JUST SLGT CHC
(IN LINE WITH LATEST MODEL CONSENSUS).

&&

.LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/...
AS OF 245 PM SATURDAY...GUIDANCE IN AGREEMENT ON TROPICAL REMNANTS
DISSIPATING TO OUR WEST...AS WESTERN SIDE OF BIG SUBTROPICAL RIDGE
BREAKS DOWN. LARGE UPPER TROF WILL DEEPEN AND PROPAGATE INTO THE
UPPER MIDWEST. THE 00Z GFS AND 12Z/15 ECMWF ARE IN REASONABLE
AGREEMENT ON THE TROF NOT REACHING THE APPALACHAINS UNTIL ABOUT
FRIDAY NIGHT. AN ACCOMPANYING COLD FRONT WILL PUSH ACRS THE OH/TN
VALLEYS AND POSSIBLY REACH THE NC MTNS BY SATURDAY MORNING. AS FAR
AS TS ANA IS CONCERNED...THE GFS TOTALLY KILLS THE SYSTEM BEFORE IT
REACHES THE CONUS. THE ECMWF KEEPS A SYSTEM/VORT CENTER ALL THE WAY
TO FL...BUT HAS THE LOW RECURVE INTO THE ATLANTIC SOUTH OF
CHARLESTON SC. IN ANY CASE...STILL LOOKS LIKE A VERY MOIST
ATMOSPHERE AHEAD OF THE FRONT. WITH THAT SAID...THE OVERALL TEMP/POP
TREND WITH THIS SYNOPTIC EVOLUTION IS CLOSE TO WHAT IS SHOWN IN THE
GRIDS. SO THE MEDIUM RANGE WAS NOT TOUCHED FOR THE MORNING FCST
PACKAGE.

&&

.AVIATION /18Z SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/...
WEAK INSTABILITY COMBINED WITH HEATING AND S UPSLOPE FLOW WILL
CONTINUE TO SPUR CONVECTION THRU THIS EVE. WENT WITH CB CLOUDS...
VCTS FOR ALL TERMINALS AT 18Z ISSUANCE...WITH TEMPO -TSRA AT KCLT
AND KAVL. CONVECTION WILL TAPER OFF OVERNIGHT BUT LOW CLOUDS SHOULD
LINGER AND SCT SHWRS WILL BE PSBL. EXPECT MVFR CIG/VSBY LATE TNGT
THRU 14-15Z WITH IFR AT KAVL. EXPECT DEEPER CONVECTION TO DEVELOP
AGAIN WITH HEATING MON AFTN.

OUTLOOK...PLENTY OF LOW LEVEL MOISTURE FOR LOW CLOUDS AND FOG EACH
MORNING THROUGH MID WEEK. CIGS/VSBY WILL ALSO BE RESTRICTED VCNTY
ISOLD-SCT MAINLY AFTN-EVE SHWRS/TSTMS.

&&

.GSP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
GA...NONE.
NC...NONE.
SC...NONE.

&&

SYNOPSIS...ARK
NEAR TERM...RB
SHORT TERM...ARK
LONG TERM...ARK
AVIATION...RB

Hazardous weather outlook, Aug 16, 3:06 AM EST, 10 hours 24 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
406 AM EDT SUN AUG 16 2009

GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033-035>037-048>053-056>059-062>065-
068>072-082-501>510-SCZ001>014-019-170815-
RABUN-HABERSHAM-STEPHENS-FRANKLIN-HART-ELBERT-AVERY-ALEXANDER-
IREDELL-DAVIE-MADISON-YANCEY-MITCHELL-SWAIN-HAYWOOD-BUNCOMBE-CATAWBA-
ROWAN-GRAHAM-NORTHERN JACKSON-MACON-SOUTHERN JACKSON-TRANSYLVANIA-
HENDERSON-CLEVELAND-LINCOLN-GASTON-MECKLENBURG-CABARRUS-UNION NC-
CALDWELL MOUNTAINS-GREATER CALDWELL-BURKE MOUNTAINS-GREATER BURKE-
MCDOWELL MOUNTAINS-EASTERN MCDOWELL-RUTHERFORD MOUNTAINS-
GREATER RUTHERFORD-POLK MOUNTAINS-EASTERN POLK-OCONEE MOUNTAINS-
PICKENS MOUNTAINS-GREENVILLE MOUNTAINS-GREATER OCONEE-
GREATER PICKENS-GREATER GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG-CHEROKEE-YORK-
ANDERSON-ABBEVILLE-LAURENS-UNION SC-CHESTER-GREENWOOD-
406 AM EDT SUN AUG 16 2009

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST GEORGIA...PIEDMONT
NORTH CAROLINA...WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.

SCATTERED SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP THIS
AFTERNOON. THE GREATEST COVERAGE IS EXPECTED TO BE ACROSS THE
NORTH CAROLINA MOUNTAINS...THE UPSTATE...AND THE UPPER SAVANNAH
RIVER VALLEY. HEAVY DOWNPOURS AND CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING WILL
BE THE MAIN THREATS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

NONE.

ARK

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Aug 16, 1:17 PM EST, 13 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
217 PM EDT SUN AUG 16 2009

NCZ070-161845-
GASTON-
217 PM EDT SUN AUG 16 2009

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT EASTERN GASTON COUNTY THROUGH
245 PM EDT...

AT 216 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 3 MILES SOUTHWEST OF CRAMERTON...OR 5 MILES
SOUTHEAST OF GASTONIA...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 5 MPH.

THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR...
  CRAMERTON...

PEA SIZE HAIL...AND WIND GUSTS OF 30 TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS
STORM.

HEAVY RAINS MAY FLOOD LOW LYING AREAS SUCH AS DITCHES AND
UNDERPASSES. AVOID THESE AREAS AND DO NOT CROSS FLOODED ROADS. WATER
LEVELS OF SMALL STREAMS AND RIVERS MAY ALSO RISE...THEREFORE SEEK
HIGHER GROUND IF THREATENED BY FLOOD WATERS.

INTENSE LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM. IF OUTDOORS...STAY
AWAY FROM ISOLATED HIGH OBJECTS SUCH AS TREES. MOVE INDOORS IF
POSSIBLE. WHEN INDOORS...STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS AND DOORS AND AVOID
USING TELEPHONES UNLESS IT IS AN EMERGENCY. TRY TO UNPLUG UNNECESSARY
ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES BEFORE THE THUNDERSTORM APPROACHES.

NED

Local storm report, Aug 16, 1:28 PM EST, 2 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
228 PM EDT SUN AUG 16 2009

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0220 PM     FLASH FLOOD      5 SW CHARLOTTE          35.15N 80.90W
08/16/2009                   MECKLENBURG        NC   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            2 VEHICLES REPORTED FLOATING IN WATER AT TYVOLA ROAD AND
            I-77.

&&

BSH

The radar

The Greer radar (KGSP), 133 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:29 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Mecklenburg

When: August 16, 1:30 PM EST to 3:00 PM EST
Where: Mecklenburg County, 2.07 mi NE of Charlotte to 2.38 mi ESE of Griffith
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 35.254, -80.828

Flash flooding developed across portions of the Charlotte metro area after as much as 4 inches of rain fell over the city in just a few hours. Most of the problems were within the Little Sugar Creek basin, especially in the Wakefield Dr area, where roads were flooded, and some apartment units were evacuated. Water ended the crawl spaces of two homes in this area. The other main problem area was in the Parkwood Rd area northeast of Charlotte, where roads were flooded. Flooding of numerous intersections was reported due to poor drainage, including at Tyvola Rd and I-77, where two vehicles were reported floating through high water.

Flash Flood, Rutherford

When: August 17, 1:00 AM EST to 2:30 AM EST
Where: Rutherford County, 8.89 mi NNE of Hollis to 9.15 mi NNE of Hollis
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: County Official
Coordinates: 35.554, -81.708

Heavy rain caused flash flooding along Brier Creek, covering portions of Brier Creek Rd. Several residents were trapped by the rising water.

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

Every storm in North Carolina in 2009 Every state in 2009 This day in weather history Warnings in North Carolina, August 2009

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: 194863, 194865.