Flooding and Damaging Wind in North Carolina, April 24, 2017

Name: Flooding and Damaging Wind in North Carolina, April 24, 2017
Start: 2017-04-24T04:30
End: 2017-04-24T20:00
Location: North Carolina

April 24, 2017 · NWS GSP · 4 events in 3 counties and zones

A slow-moving wave of low pressure moving along a stalled frontal boundary stretching from the Gulf Coast through the South Carolina Midlands to the Carolina coast resulted in about 48 hours of moderate to occasionally heavy rainfall across the North Carolina Piedmont. Localized flooding developed as a result, with Cabarrus County seeing the greatest impact.

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: $56,000
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 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 Apr 24, 2:36 AM EST, 1 hour 54 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 24, 2:36 AM EST, 1 hour 54 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 24, 4:30 AM EST, 0 minutes before

Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
530 AM EDT Mon Apr 24 2017

NCZ033-035>037-048>053-056>059-062>065-068>072-082-501>510-
SCZ001>014-019-250930-
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-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-
530 AM EDT Mon Apr 24 2017

...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS EVENING...

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for piedmont North Carolina,
western North Carolina and upstate South Carolina.

.DAY ONE...Today and Tonight.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Flood Watch.

In addition to the Flood Watch, there will also be a threat of a few
embedded thunderstorms, which will produce some cloud-to-ground
lightning. Persistent northeast winds will have the potential to
produce gusts as high as 25 to 35 mph, which may knock a few trees
down, due to saturated soils. Isolated power outages will be
possible.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday.

..Tuesday...No hazardous weather is expected at this time.
..Wednesday...No hazardous weather is expected at this time.
..Thursday...No hazardous weather is expected at this time.
..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.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Skywarn spotters are requested to forward any reports of flooding to
our office.

GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-250930-
Rabun-Habersham-Stephens-Franklin-Hart-Elbert-
530 AM EDT Mon Apr 24 2017

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for northeast Georgia.

.DAY ONE...Today and Tonight.

There will be a threat of a few embedded thunderstorms, which will
produce some cloud-to-ground lightning. Persistent northeast winds
will have the potential to produce gusts as high as 25 to 35 mph,
which may knock a few trees down, due to saturated soils. Isolated
power outages will be possible.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday.

..Tuesday...No hazardous weather is expected at this time.
..Wednesday...No hazardous weather is expected at this time.
..Thursday...No hazardous weather is expected at this time.
..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.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Skywarn spotters are requested to forward any reports of flooding to
our office.

ARK

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Apr 24, 12:54 AM EST, 3 hours 36 minutes before

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
154 AM EDT MON APR 24 2017

NCZ036-056-057-069>072-082-SCZ009-014-240615-
Rowan NC-Gaston NC-Iredell NC-Union NC-Lincoln NC-Mecklenburg NC-
Cabarrus NC-Catawba NC-York SC-Chester SC-
154 AM EDT MON APR 24 2017

At 148 AM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking moderate to heavy rain
showers moving north around the interstate 77 corridor. Stream
gauges across the Charlotte metro area are beginning to rise and
some areas could see minor flooding over the next few hours. This
area will be watched for possible flood advisories or warnings
through the morning.

Locations to be impacted include...
Gastonia, Rock Hill, Uptown Charlotte, Huntersville, Kannapolis,
Downtown Concord, Monroe, Chester, Central Charlotte and South
Charlotte.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

The combination of gusty winds and saturated soil conditions will
cause scattered trees and power lines to fall. Seek shelter inside an
interior room.

Torrential rainfall may flood areas with poor drainage, such as
ditches and underpasses. Avoid these areas and do not cross flooded
roads. Water levels of small streams may also rise rapidly. Seek
higher ground if threatened by flood waters. Do not drive across
flooded roads.

&&

LAT...LON 3550 8021 3550 8030 3519 8051 3516 8044
      3519 8028 3481 8032 3482 8080 3494 8078
      3508 8091 3492 8086 3484 8087 3482 8090
      3470 8086 3464 8090 3456 8088 3454 8096
      3456 8124 3569 8117 3562 8026 3558 8021
TIME...MOT...LOC 0548Z 239DEG 48KT 3494 8081

KRENTZ

The radar

The Greer radar (KGSP), 143 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 09:31 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 flood, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Flood, Mecklenburg

When: April 24, 4:30 AM EST to 7:30 AM EST
Where: Mecklenburg County, 0.9 mi W of Hahn to 0.82 mi N of Hahn
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $500
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 35.319, -80.736

A stream gauge on Mallard Creek at Pavillion Blvd exceeded its established flood stage after 4 to 5 inches of rain fell over the Charlotte area in about a 48 hour period. This indicated that portions of Mallard Creek Church Rd, the parking lots of PNC Music Pavillion, and Pavillion Blvd were covered in flood water from the creek.

Flood, Cabarrus

When: April 24, 6:00 AM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where: Cabarrus County, 1.57 mi WSW of Rocky River to 2.62 mi SW of Rocky River
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 35.312, -80.626

Gradual stream rises developing as a result of 4 to 6 inches of rain falling over about a 48 hour period resulted in flooding of streams and roads across Cabarrus County during the morning of the 24th and continuing through much of the day. The main streams impacted were tributaries of the Rocky River, including Back Creek, Irish Buffalo Creek, and Dutch Buffalo Creek.

Thunderstorm Wind, Cabarrus

When: April 24, 4:00 PM EST
Where: Cabarrus County, 2.49 mi N of Cabarrus
Measured: 30 kt (35 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 35.266, -80.547

Newspaper reported a combination of gusty winds and saturated soils from more than 48 hours of moderate to heavy rain caused a tree to fall on a home on Bethel Church Rd, resulting in significant damage that made the home uninhabitable.

Flood, Union

When: April 24, 5:00 PM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where: Union County, 1.82 mi ESE of Indian Trail Arpt to 1.98 mi ESE of Indian Trail Arpt
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $500
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 35.113, -80.549

Public reported the South Fork of Crooked Creek overflowed its banks and flooded a portion of Lawyers Rd.

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.
Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in North Carolina in 2017 Every state in 2017 This day in weather history Warnings in North Carolina, April 2017

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 696525, 696240, 696566, 697135.