Flash Flooding and Flooding in North Carolina, December 23 to 25, 2015

Name: Flash Flooding and Flooding in North Carolina, December 23 to 25, 2015
Start: 2015-12-23T21:45
End: 2015-12-25T01:00
Location: North Carolina

December 23 to 25, 2015 · NWS GSP · 9 events in 8 counties and zones

After a couple of days of moderate rain acted to saturate the soil across the mountains, foothills, and western Piedmont of North Carolina, a round of heavier rain on the 24th resulted in flooding and flash flooding.

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: $8,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 9

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 Dec 23, 7:08 PM EST, 2 hours 37 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 23, 7:08 PM EST, 2 hours 37 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
708 PM EST WED DEC 23 2015

.SYNOPSIS...
A VERY WARM AND MOIST PATTERN WILL PERSIST ACROSS THE REGION THROUGH
CHRISTMAS DAY. UNSETTLED WEATHER AND ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES WILL
CONTINUE THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT...BEFORE
COOLER AND DRIER AIR ARRIVE BY THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK.

&&

.NEAR TERM /THROUGH THURSDAY/...
AS OF 645 PM...SEEING AN INCREASING TREND IN RADAR COVERAGE AS LARGE
AREA OF RAIN WITH EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS SPREADS NE FROM N GA.
EARLIER MODEL RUNS DO NOT SEEM TO HAVE MUCH OF A HANDLE ON THIS
CONVECTION...BUT SOME OF THE CONVECTION-ALLOWING MODELS ARE DOING A
BETTER JOB AND WILL BE LEANED ON HEAVILY. FOR THE MOST PART THE
CONVECTION IS ELEVATED AND RUNNING ATOP A SHALLOW STABLE BOUNDARY
LAYER...SO SEVERE STORMS ARE NOT A BIG CONCERN FOR THE NEXT FEW
HOURS. HOWEVER...THIS ACTIVITY MOVING UP ACROSS STREAM BASINS
STRESSED BY EARLIER HEAVY RAIN WILL CAUSE ADDITIONAL FLOODING
PROBLEMS THRU THE EVENING AND EXACERBATE WHAT IS ALREADY IN FLOOD.

A SFC DEWPOINT BOUNDARY IS DRAPED SE OF INTERSTATE 85 AND THE REGION
OF MID TO UPPER 60S DEWPOINTS SHOULD MAKE SLOW PROGRESS NORTHWEST
TONIGHT. MEANWHILE...THE 850 MB JET WILL STRENGTHEN TO AROUND 50 KT
THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS AND SPREAD EAST ACROSS THE REGION. A HIGH
ELEVATION SW MTN WIND ADVISORY HAS BEEN POSTED. SOME OF THE MESO-
SCALE MODELS INDICATE A SURGE OF CELLULAR ACTIVITY OVERNIGHT IN THE
05Z TO 09Z PERIOD...COINCIDENT WITH THE ARRIVAL OF BETTER LAPSE
RATES ALOFT...BUT THERE IS SOME SPREAD IN THE TIMING. THE
COMBINATION OF LOW LEVEL SHEAR AND UNCOVERED INSTABILITY WILL
WARRANT THE SLIGHT RISK SEVERE MENTION FOR MOST OF THE AREA THROUGH
12Z THU...ESPECIALLY FAR SW MTNS AND THE SRN/ERN PIEDMONT. MINS WILL
BE 30 DEGREES ABOVE CLIMO OVERNIGHT.

UPSLOPE AND DEEPER LAYER FORCING WILL PARE BACK SLIGHTLY TOWARD THE
SW MTNS LATER TONIGHT THROUGH THU...AS A SURFACE COLD FRONT LAYS
OVER ACROSS THE LOWER OH VALLEY BUT THEN STALLS NW OF THE REGION.
INSTABILITY LOOKS MUCH BETTER FOR THU AFTN...WITH 1000 TO 1500 J/KG
OF SB CAPE SOUTHAST OF INTERSTATE 85 AND EAST OF I 77. THE LOW LEVEL
JET SHOULD WEAKEN AND VEER SLIGHTLY HOWEVER. EXPECT MAXES TO RUN 20
DEGREE ABOVE CLIMO THU AFTN. THE FFA WILL RUN THROUGH THU WITH NO
CHANGES.

&&

.SHORT TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/...
AT 245 PM WEDNESDAY...CHRISTMAS...SFC LOW PRESSURE WILL DEEPEN
ACROSS THE EASTERN SLOPES OF THE ROCKIES INTO THE GREAT
PLAINS...LIFTING THE COLD FRONT OVER THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIANS NORTH
AS A WARM FRONT. THE MOIST AND MILD AIRMASS WILL REMAIN ACROSS THE
REGION...WITH AFTERNOON CAPES ABOVE 1000 J/KG ACROSS THE FOOTHILLS
AND PIEDMONT. RECORD TEMPS POSSIBLE AT KAVL. A H5 596 DM RIDGE
CENTER OF THE WESTERN ATLANTIC WILL BUILD ACROSS THE SE...YIELDING A
DEEP LAYER OF MILD TEMPS. BASED ON FORECAST SOUNDINGS...IT WILL BE
HARD FOR FREE CONVECTION WITH LITTLE TO NO TRIGGER. I WILL FORECAST
LIKELY POPS ACROSS THE MTNS...WITH SCHC EAST...DECREASING THROUGH
THE DAY.

ON SATURDAY...H5 RIDGE CENTER WILL SHIFT WEST NEAR THE FL ATLANTIC
COAST AS A DEEP CLOSED LOW FORMS OVER THE US/MEXICO LINE. HIGH
THICKNESSES AND MILD MID LEVEL TEMPS WILL RESULT IN A WEAKLY
UNSTABLE AND CAPPED ENVIRONMENT. POPS WILL BE LIMITED TO SCHC...WITH
A FEW SPOTS OF CHC POPS ACROSS THE RIDGES. HIGH TEMPS SHOULD ONCE
AGAIN RANGE NEAR 70 WITHIN THE MTN VALLEYS TO LOW TO MID 70S EAST.

&&

.LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
AS OF 200 PM WEDNESDAY...THE MEDIUM RANGE BEGINS SUNDAY 00Z WITH THE
CWA ON THE EASTERN FRINGE OF AN ATLANTIC SURFACE HIGH AND ASSOCIATED
UPPER LEVEL RIDGE. AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH RAPIDLY DEEPENS OVER THE
CENTRAL PLAINS SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY...WITH A LOW PRESSURE
SYSTEM CLOSING OFF AT THE TROUGH BASE. THE ATLANTIC SURFACE HIGH
BREAKS DOWN THROUGH SUNDAY AND MONDAY...WHILE THE NORTHERN AND
SOUTHERN STREAM SPLIT ALOFT.

THOUGH LOW LEVEL SOUTHERLY FLOW WILL MAINTAIN DEEP-LAYER MOISTURE
SUNDAY AND MONDAY...THE LACK OF A SOURCE OF LIFT OTHER THAN WEAK
UPSLOPE FLOW WILL KEEP POPS CONFINED TO CHANCE OUTSIDE OF THE
MOUNTAINS...AND SLIGHTLY HIGHER IN THE HIGHER TERRAIN. A COLD FRONT
WILL APPROACH THE AREA MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY AS THE CLOSED LOW
FOLLOWS THE NORTHERN STREAM AND EJECTS OVER THE OHIO RIVER
VALLEY...PROVIDING A BETTER LARGE-SCALE LIFTING MECHANISM AND
INCREASING POPS TO LIKELY MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY. MODEL
GUIDANCE IS IN GOOD AGREEMENT UP UNTIL THIS POINT...BUT DIVERGES
LATE MONDAY AND TUESDAY AS TO THE LOCATION OF A QUICKLY TRANSLATING
SURFACE HIGH OVER THE NORTHEAST U.S. THE ECMWF POSITIONS THE CENTER
OF THE HIGH OVER THE SOUTHERN QUEBEC/ONTARIO BORDER SUCH THAT A
WEDGE IS ALLOWED TO DEVELOP LATE MONDAY AND REMAIN THROUGH
WEDNESDAY...WHILE THE GFS KEEPS THE CENTER OF THE HIGH OVER
NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO AND LACKS ANY SIGN OF CAD ALONG THE
APPALACHIANS. THE PRECIP FORECAST REMAINS SHOWERY MONDAY NIGHT
THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING REGRADLESS OF WHICH SOLUTION
VERIFIES...THOUGH THE QUESTION OF WHETHER OR NOT A WEDGE DEVELOPS
CREATES UNCERTAINTY IN THE TEMPERATURE FORECAST ON TUESDAY AND
WENESDAY.

MODELS THEN COME BACK INTO AGREEMENT ON A COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE
WEDNESDAY. COOLER AND DRIER AIR FILTERS IN BEHIND THE
BOUNDARY...THOUGH THERE IS SOME UNCERTAINTY IN JUST HOW DEEP THE
UPPER LEVEL TROUGH THAT MOVES IN BEHIND THE FRONT WILL BE. WILL
GRADUALLY TAPER MAX AND MIN TEMPERATURES DOWN TO JUST 5-10 DEGREES
ABOVE AVERAGE ON WEDNESDAY...AND POSSIBLY EVEN COOLER THAN THAT
THURSDAY.

&&

.AVIATION /00Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/...
AT KCLT...EXPECT FLIGHT RESTRICTIONS AT MOST TIMES FOR THE NEXT 24
HOURS. GENERALLY SPEAKING AN IFR/LOW IFR CLOUD DECK COVERS MOST OF
THE PIEDMONT...BUT THERE ARE SEVERAL VFR HOLES IN IT. WILL NOT TRY
TO HIT ANY OF THESE SUCKER HOLES IN THE NEW TAF...BUT WILL
ACKNOWLEDGE THERE WILL BE A FEW TIMES WHEN OBSERVATION WILL BRIEFLY
GO MVFR OR VFR. RETURN OF STEADIER PRECIP BY MID EVE...03Z...SHOULD
BRING CEILING AND/OR VIS BACK DOWN TO IFR/LIFR FOR THE OVERNIGHT.
WIND SHOULD REMAIN S. SOME MILD CONCERN ABOUT LOW LEVEL WIND
SHEAR...BUT THE STRONGER WINDS ALOFT LOOK TO REMAIN ABOVE THE
BOUNDARY LAYER...5K FEET OR HIGHER. THE MODELS SUGGEST MOST OF THE
ACTIVITY WILL SHIFT TOWARD THE BLUE RIDGE DURING THE EARLY MORNING
HOURS...AND WIND WILL STRENGTHEN FROM FROM THE S. SOME IMPROVEMENT
IS EXPECTED DURING THE MIDDLE PART OF THE DAY AND THINK IFR CLOUDS
WILL BREAK UPBY MID AFTERNOON. ONCE THAT HAPPENS...THUNDERSTORM
CHANCES WILL GO UP AS INSTABILITY INCREASES. WILL INCLUDE A PROB30
FOR THIS FROM 19Z ONWARD...BUT STORMS COULD FORM EARLIER THAN THAT.

ELSEWHERE...WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND MAINLY LIFR TO IFR CIGS ARE
EXPECTED THROUGH MOST OF THE TERMINAL FORECAST PERIOD. THERE IS SOME
POTENTIAL FOR CONVECTION TO DEVELOP FROM THE WEST LATE THIS EVENING
THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS AS LAPSE RATES INCREASE ALOFT...BUT
CONSIDERABLE SURFACE BASED INSTABILITY REMAINS. LIFR CIGS SHOULD
BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD TONIGHT BUT WITH BETTER SRLY MIXING FLOW AT
TIMES...AND LOW END GUSTS AT THE SC TAF SITES. ADDITIONAL CONVECTION
WILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGH THU...BUT PRESENTLY HARD TO TIME...SO WILL
KEEP JUST THE SHRA MENTION THROUGH 18Z.

OUTLOOK...DEEP LAYER MOISTURE AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT
WILL PERSIST OVER THE REGION THU NIGHT INTO FRIDAY. EXPECT
WIDESPREAD PRECIPITATION AT TIMES COUPLED WITH IFR OR WORSE VSBY AND
CIG RESTRICTIONS. MODEST IMPROVEMENT IS POSSIBLE OVER THE
WEEKEND...BUT WITH CONTINUED UNSETTLED CONDITIONS.

CONFIDENCE TABLE...

            00-06Z        06-12Z        12-18Z        18-00Z
KCLT       LOW   51%     LOW   48%     MED   65%     MED   79%
KGSP       LOW   59%     MED   61%     LOW   56%     HIGH  80%
KAVL       MED   77%     MED   70%     MED   78%     LOW   59%
KHKY       MED   62%     MED   64%     HIGH  84%     MED   67%
KGMU       MED   63%     LOW   57%     MED   71%     MED   74%
KAND       LOW   58%     LOW   40%     MED   66%     MED   62%

THE PERCENTAGE REFLECTS THE NUMBER OF GUIDANCE MEMBERS AGREEING
WITH THE SCHEDULED TAF ISSUANCE FLIGHT RULE CATEGORY. COMPLETE HOURLY
EXPERIMENTAL AVIATION FORECAST CONSISTENCY TABLES AND ENSEMBLE FORECASTS
ARE AVAILABLE AT THE FOLLOWING LINK: (MUST BE LOWER CASE)

WWW.WEATHER.GOV/GSP/AVIATION

&&

.CLIMATE...
DAILY MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE RECORDS FOR WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 23...

 AVL   69    1933
 CLT   73    1990
 GSP   70    1970...1933

DAILY MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE RECORDS FOR THURSDAY DECEMBER 24...

 AVL   72    1955
 CLT   71    1982...1931
 GSP   71    1964

DAILY MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE RECORDS FOR FRIDAY DECEMBER 25...

 AVL   67    1955...1944...1904
 CLT   77    1955
 GSP   78    1955

DAILY HIGH MINIMUM TEMPERATURE RECORDS FOR WEDNESDAY DEC 23...

 AVL   59    1990
 CLT   63    1990
 GSP   61    1990

DAILY HIGH MINIMUM TEMPERATURE RECORDS FOR THURSDAY DEC 24...

 AVL   54    1932
 CLT   56    1891
 GSP   55    1931

DAILY HIGH MINIMUM TEMPERATURE RECORDS FOR FRIDAY DEC 25...

 AVL   55    1982
 CLT   62    1932
 GSP   56    1964

&&

.GSP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
GA...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING FOR GAZ010-017-018-
     026-028-029.
NC...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING FOR NCZ033-035>037-
     048>053-056>059-062>065-068>072-082-501>510.
     WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 7 AM EST THURSDAY FOR NCZ051-052-058-059-
     062>064.
SC...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING FOR SCZ001>014-019.

&&

SYNOPSIS...LEV
NEAR TERM...HG/PM
SHORT TERM...NED
LONG TERM...LEV
AVIATION...PM
CLIMATE...

Hazardous weather outlook, Dec 23, 1:23 PM EST, 8 hours 22 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
123 PM EST WED DEC 23 2015

NCZ051-052-058-059-062>064-241830-
SWAIN-HAYWOOD-GRAHAM-NORTHERN JACKSON-MACON-SOUTHERN JACKSON-
TRANSYLVANIA-
123 PM EST WED DEC 23 2015

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING...
...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 AM EST THURSDAY ABOVE 3500 FEET...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   FLASH FLOOD WATCH.
   WIND ADVISORY.

THUNDERSTORMS ARE IN THE FORECAST TODAY AND TONIGHT. SOME OF THESE
THUNDERSTORMS COULD BE SEVERE...PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS...AND
POSSIBLY AN ISOLATED TORNADO.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY.

..THURSDAY...HEAVY RAIN WITH FLASH FLOODING LIKELY. SEE FLASH
FLOOD WATCH.
..FRIDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
..SATURDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
..SUNDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
..MONDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
..TUESDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SKYWARN SPOTTERS ARE REQUESTED TO FORWARD ANY REPORTS OF DAMAGING
WINDS OR FLASH FLOODING TO OUR OFFICE.

GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033-035>037-048>050-053-056-057-065-
068>072-082-501>510-SCZ001>014-019-241830-
RABUN-HABERSHAM-STEPHENS-FRANKLIN-HART-ELBERT-AVERY-ALEXANDER-
IREDELL-DAVIE-MADISON-YANCEY-MITCHELL-BUNCOMBE-CATAWBA-ROWAN-
HENDERSON-CLEVELAND-LINCOLN-GASTON-MECKLENBURG-CABARRUS-UNION-
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-CHESTER-GREENWOOD-
123 PM EST WED DEC 23 2015

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING...

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

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   FLASH FLOOD WATCH.

THUNDERSTORMS ARE IN THE FORECAST TODAY AND TONIGHT. SOME OF THESE
THUNDERSTORMS COULD BE SEVERE...PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS...AND
POSSIBLY AN ISOLATED TORNADO. THE ENVIRONMENT APPEARS THE MOST
SUPPORTIVE FOR SEVERE WEATHER EAST OF INTERSTATE 85.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY.

..THURSDAY...HEAVY RAIN WITH FLASH FLOODING LIKELY. SEE FLASH
FLOOD WATCH.
..FRIDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
..SATURDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
..SUNDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
..MONDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
..TUESDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SKYWARN SPOTTERS ARE REQUESTED TO FORWARD ANY REPORTS OF DAMAGING
WINDS...TORNADOES OR FLASH FLOODING TO OUR OFFICE.

NED

In the hours before

Local storm report, Dec 23, 4:56 PM EST, 4 hours 49 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
456 PM EST WED DEC 23 2015

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

0445 PM     FLOOD            3 SE CHARLOTTE          35.17N 80.79W
12/23/2015                   MECKLENBURG        NC   OFFICIAL NWS OBS

            AN AUTOMATED STREAM GAUGE ON MCMULLEN CREEK AT LINCREST
            PLACE OBSERVED A CREST OF 7.96 FEET. FLOOD STAGE IS 7.5
            FEET.

&&

LVISIN

Local storm report, Dec 23, 5:00 PM EST, 4 hours 45 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
500 PM EST WED DEC 23 2015

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

0500 PM     FLOOD            4 SW ROCK HILL          34.89N 81.07W
12/23/2015                   YORK               SC   OFFICIAL NWS OBS

            WILDCAT CREEK REACHED A LEVEL OF 9.24 FEET AND IS STILL
            RISING. FLOOD STAGE IS 9 FEET.

&&

LVISIN

Local storm report, Dec 23, 5:03 PM EST, 4 hours 42 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
503 PM EST WED DEC 23 2015

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

0503 PM     FLOOD            3 NNE ROCK HILL         34.99N 81.01W
12/23/2015                   YORK               SC   OFFICIAL NWS OBS

            BIG DUTCHMAN CREEK OBSERVED A LEVEL OF 9.72 FEET AT 500PM
            EST AND IS STILL RISING. FLOOD STAGE IS 9 FEET.

&&

LVISIN

The radar

The Greer radar (KGSP), 153 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 02:46 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 flash flood, 4 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flood, Cabarrus

When: December 23, 9:45 PM EST to December 24, 11:00 AM EST
Where: Cabarrus County, 1.33 mi WSW of Rocky River to 1.67 mi S of Rocky River
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $500
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 35.313, -80.622

After 2.5 to 4 inches of rain fell over Cabarrus County in about 2 days, a stream gauge on the Rocky River exceeded established flood stage during the late evening of the 23rd, and remained there through the morning of the 24th. High water backing into Back Creek resulted in flooding of Pharr Mill Rd as well as Stallings Rd.

Flash Flood, McDowell

When: December 24, 9:00 AM EST to 1:00 PM EST
Where: McDowell County, 1.02 mi WNW of Sevier to 2.96 mi NNE of Sevier
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 35.807, -82.036

After around 2 inches of rain fell across McDowell County in less than 12 hours, Emergency Manager reported flash flooding developing along small streams across the northern half of the county. Affected streams included Johns Creek, which flooded River Bend Dr and Hankins Rd, Armstrong Creek, which flooded the Highways 221 and 226 intersection, as well as Toms Creek, Mackey Creek, and Clear Creek. A few minor mudslides and some downed trees also occurred in this general area.

Flash Flood, Jackson

When: December 24, 9:30 AM EST to 12:00 PM EST
Where: Jackson County, 0.45 mi NE of Barkers Creek to 1.51 mi S of Fallcliff
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $2,000
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 35.385, -83.295

Newspaper reported flash flooding developed across portions of central Jackson County after more than 5 inches of rain fell in over 24 hours. Multiple tributaries of the Tuckasegee River overflowed their banks in the Tuckasegee and Cullowhee areas. Closed roads included Barkers Creek Rd, Caney Fork Rd, Wayehutta Rd, and Johns Creek Rd, which were all flooded by streams of the same names. Cullowhee Mountain Rd was also flooded by Cullowhee Creek and Old Settlement Rd was flooded by a small tributary to the Tuckasegee.

Flood, Macon

When: December 24, 11:15 AM EST to 5:30 PM EST
Where: Macon County, 3.25 mi SW of Franklin to 2.68 mi NE of Franklin Arpt
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $500
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 35.167, -83.441

After as much as 4 inches of rain fell across Macon County in about a 24-hour period, flooding developed across central portions of the county, just north and west of the city of Franklin. An automated stream gauge on the Little Tennessee River near Iotla exceeded its established flood stage, indicating Needmore Rd was flooded near the Swain County line. Also, Public reported Gibson Cove Branch flooded part of Old Murphy Rd west of Franklin, and the back yards of some homes in the same vicinity. A few small landslides also occurred in the general area.

Flash Flood, Burke

When: December 24, 12:00 PM EST to 1:30 PM EST
Where: Burke County, 1.95 mi ENE of Chesterfield to 1.8 mi E of Chesterfield
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: Social Media
Coordinates: 35.829, -81.637

After more than 3 inches of rain fell across Burke County in about 24 hours, public reported (via Social Media) that flash flooding developed along Lower Creek and a tributary near the intersection of Highway 64 and Antioch Rd. The bridge on Antioch Rd was closed due to being overtopped, while a nearby RV park was also flooded.

Flash Flood, Transylvania

When: December 24, 12:25 PM EST to 1:59 PM EST
Where: Transylvania County, 1.13 mi W of Davidson River to 0.15 mi NW of Grange
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 35.251, -82.700

After as much as 5 inches of rain fell across Transylvania County in more than 24 hours, automated stream gauges indicated flooding developed across small streams in the eastern part of the county. A gauge on the Little River indicated the river overflowed its banks and flooded Cascade Lake Rd. A stream gauge on the Davidson River in Pisgah Forest also exceeded flood stage, indicating flooding of Davidson River Rd and Wilson Rd and also Deavor Rd due to backwater into Turkey Creek.

Flash Flood, Haywood

When: December 24, 12:30 PM EST to 2:00 PM EST
Where: Haywood County, 2.34 mi ESE of Ironduff to 2.35 mi NNW of Clyde
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $500
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 35.566, -82.942

After as much as 3 inches of rain fell across Haywood County in about 24 hours, public reported flash flooding developed on Long Branch in the Lake Junaluska area, with Hyder Mountain Rd flooded and impassable.

Flood, Transylvania

When: December 24, 1:59 PM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where: Transylvania County, 1.13 mi W of Davidson River to 0.15 mi NW of Grange
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $500
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 35.251, -82.700

Although heavy rain began to taper off across Transylvania County during the afternoon, runoff from the rainfall resulted in persistent flooding along the Davidson River and Little River into the evening, with portions of Cascade Lake Rd, Davidson River Rd, Wilson Rd, and Deavor Rd under water.

Flood, Swain

When: December 24, 9:00 PM EST to December 25, 1:00 AM EST
Where: Swain County, 0.37 mi ENE of Lauada to 0.4 mi SSE of Needmore
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $500
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 35.372, -83.514

After as much as 4 inches of rain fell in about 36 hours across southern Swain County, a stream gauge on the Little Tennessee near Needmore exceeded its established flood stage, indicating flooding of multiple side roads across the southern part of the county, including Needmore Rd near the Franklin County border.

What these are

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

Every storm in North Carolina in 2015 Every state in 2015 This day in weather history Warnings in North Carolina, December 2015

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: 612692, 612541, 613237, 612553, 613246, 612561, 613247, 612571, 612862.