North Carolina, 2010

Flash Flooding and Flood in North Carolina, September 27, 2010

September 27, 2010 · NWS ILM · 19 events in 2 counties and zones

A nearly stationary upper low over northern Alabama, combined with a plume of tropical moisture, produced record rainfall over portions of Brunswick and New Hanover Counties. 33 inches of rainfall on the 27th, the second highest daily precipitation total since recordings began back in 1871.

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
$950,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
19

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 ILM wrote it up.

A nearly stationary upper low over northern Alabama, combined with a plume of tropical moisture, produced record rainfall over portions of Brunswick and New Hanover Counties. The Wilmington NC airport (ILM) received 10.33 inches of rainfall on the 27th, the second highest daily precipitation total since recordings began back in 1871. Brunswick County declared a state of emergency, with many roads impassable.

The radar

The Wilmington radar (KLTX), 47 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 14:29 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

10 heavy rain, 8 flash flood, 1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Rain, Brunswick

When
September 27, 9:30 AM EST to 11:30 AM EST
Where
Brunswick County, 1.92 mi SSE of Easy Hill to 2.31 mi SSE of Easy Hill
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
34.195, -77.985

Water covered the road at River Road at Westport Drive and Malory Creek.

Heavy Rain, Brunswick

When
September 27, 9:30 AM EST to 11:30 AM EST
Where
Brunswick County, 1.82 mi SW of Ash
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
34.048, -78.548

Water covered Ash Road in the town of Ash.

Flood, New Hanover

When
September 27, 12:50 PM EST to 1:50 PM EST
Where
New Hanover County, 1.14 mi W of Masonboro to 1.02 mi W of Masonboro
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
34.182, -77.870

Heavy rain caused a slow rise of a creek that overflowed Beasley Road.

Heavy Rain, Brunswick

When
September 27, 1:35 PM EST to 2:30 PM EST
Where
Brunswick County, 2.36 mi NNE of Varnum to 3.38 mi N of Varnum
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
33.962, -78.217

There was standing water on Zion Hill Road.

Heavy Rain, Brunswick

When
September 27, 1:35 PM EST to 2:15 PM EST
Where
Brunswick County, 2.08 mi SSE of Easy Hill to 2.72 mi S of Easy Hill
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
34.191, -77.991

Street flooding was reported on Westport Drive and Mallory Creek Road.

Heavy Rain, Brunswick

When
September 27, 1:42 PM EST to 3:00 PM EST
Where
Brunswick County, 0.5 mi NW of Fulford
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
33.974, -78.357

A portion of Gray Bridge Road was washed away.

Heavy Rain, New Hanover

When
September 27, 2:10 PM EST to 3:10 PM EST
Where
New Hanover County, 0.85 mi S of Seagate to 0.74 mi SSE of Seagate
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
34.208, -77.847

Street flooding was reported on 58th Street, between Oleander and Roseland Drive.

Heavy Rain, New Hanover

When
September 27, 2:19 PM EST to 3:30 PM EST
Where
New Hanover County, 1.28 mi NE of Fernside to 0.85 mi S of (Ilm)wilmington Arpt
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
34.263, -77.864

Heavy rain caused some streams to overflow their banks.

Heavy Rain, Brunswick

When
September 27, 2:20 PM EST to 3:30 PM EST
Where
Brunswick County, Leland
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
34.250, -78.050

Several streets were flooded in Leland.

Heavy Rain, Brunswick

When
September 27, 2:40 PM EST to 3:30 PM EST
Where
Brunswick County, 0.9 mi SE of Bolivia
Reported by
Broadcast Media
Coordinates
34.060, -78.140

There was flooding in the southbound lane of Interstate 17, west of Boiling Spring Lakes.

Flash Flood, Brunswick

When
September 27, 4:20 PM EST to 5:20 PM EST
Where
Brunswick County, 0.37 mi E of Winnabow to 0.88 mi NE of Winnabow
Cause
Heavy Rain
Property damage
$100,000
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
34.149, -78.094

Portions of Town Creek Road were washed away, between Phillips Nursery and Queens Way.

Flash Flood, Brunswick

When
September 27, 4:20 PM EST to 5:20 PM EST
Where
Brunswick County, 0.92 mi NW of Leland to 0.47 mi SSW of Eastbrook
Cause
Heavy Rain
Property damage
$150,000
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
34.258, -78.063

Portions of Hwy 74/76 were washed out, between Old Fayetteville Road and Mount Misery Road.

Flash Flood, New Hanover

When
September 27, 4:25 PM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where
New Hanover County, 0.76 mi SSW of Wrightsboro to 0.5 mi SW of Wrightsboro
Cause
Heavy Rain
Property damage
$150,000
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
34.270, -77.927

The 1800 block of Castle Hayne Road flooded, with a UPS truck floating in the road.

Flash Flood, New Hanover

When
September 27, 4:25 PM EST to 5:30 PM EST
Where
New Hanover County, 1.52 mi SSE of Sea Breeze to 1.55 mi NNE of Carolina Beach
Cause
Heavy Rain
Property damage
$150,000
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
34.051, -77.886

There was significant flooding across Canal Drive. The lake was nearly out of its banks.

Flash Flood, New Hanover

When
September 27, 4:25 PM EST to 5:15 PM EST
Where
New Hanover County, 1.12 mi SSE of Fernside to 1.18 mi SE of Fernside
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
34.236, -77.871

Significant flooding was reported on New Center Drive and Racine Drive. Roads were impassable.

Flash Flood, New Hanover

When
September 27, 4:25 PM EST to 5:15 PM EST
Where
New Hanover County, 0.23 mi WSW of East Wilmington to 0.32 mi W of East Wilmington
Cause
Heavy Rain
Property damage
$250,000
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
34.218, -77.883

Significant flooding was reported at the intersection of College Road and Wilshire. The roads were impassable.

Flash Flood, New Hanover

When
September 27, 4:25 PM EST to 5:15 PM EST
Where
New Hanover County, 0.93 mi NNE of Wrightsboro to 1.21 mi NE of Wrightsboro
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
34.291, -77.911

Residents along the intersection of Blue Clay Road an North Kerr reported minor flooding with flooded storage buildings.

Flash Flood, Brunswick

When
September 27, 4:40 PM EST to 5:30 PM EST
Where
Brunswick County, 0.63 mi NE of Leland to 0.78 mi NE of Leland
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
34.257, -78.042

Lincoln Road was flooded between Lincoln School and the railroad tracks.

Heavy Rain, New Hanover

When
September 27, 6:17 PM EST to 7:15 PM EST
Where
New Hanover County, 0.94 mi E of Wilmington to 1.08 mi ENE of Wilmington
Property damage
$150,000
Reported by
NWS Employee
Coordinates
34.231, -77.914

A small stream near Forrest Hills Elementary School overflowed its banks, flooding Colonial Drive.

What these are

Heavy Rain
Rainfall totals unusual for the place and season that did not produce a flood.
Flood
Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.
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 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyWarnings in North Carolina, September 2010

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: 261171, 261172, 261174, 261175, 261176, 261177, 261178, 261187, 261179, 261184, 261200, 261201, 261188, 261189, 261191, 261193, 261196, 261203, 261209.