Flash Flood in North Carolina, July 31, 2019

Name: Flash Flood in North Carolina, July 31, 2019
Start: 2019-07-31T18:45
End: 2019-07-31T23:59
Location: North Carolina

July 31, 2019 · NWS RAH · 1 event in 1 county or zone

During the evening hours on the 31st, back-building thunderstorms produced a bullseye of heavy rainfall of 5 to 7 inches over the Greensboro urban area. This extreme heavy rainfall resulted in a record crest along North Buffalo Creek at Church Street with associated flooding causing numerous road closures and multiple water rescues in the area.

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: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 1

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 RAH 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 Raleigh, NC wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 31, 2:20 PM EST, 4 hours 25 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 31, 2:20 PM EST, 4 hours 25 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 31, 1:35 PM EST, 5 hours 10 minutes before

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In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 31, 4:38 PM EST, 2 hours 7 minutes before

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Special weather statement, Jul 31, 4:53 PM EST, 1 hour 52 minutes before

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Special weather statement, Jul 31, 5:14 PM EST, 1 hour 31 minutes before

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Special weather statement, Jul 31, 5:27 PM EST, 1 hour 18 minutes before

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Special weather statement, Jul 31, 5:47 PM EST, 58 minutes before

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Special weather statement, Jul 31, 6:34 PM EST, 11 minutes before

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The radar

The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 113 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:44 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Guilford

When: July 31, 6:45 PM EST to 11:59 PM EST
Where: Guilford County, 0.81 mi NNE of Greensboro to 1.49 mi NW of Greensboro
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: 911 Call Center
Coordinates: 36.081, -79.794

Multiple water rescues along Latham Road due to major flooding along North Buffalo Creek. Numerous roads were closed due to flooding, including Wendover Avenue at both Cridland Road and US Highway 29, Latham Road between Nottingham Road and Cridland Road, Bryan Blvd at North Holden Road, and portions of Interstate 40 near exit 201 at Lee Street.

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 2019 Every state in 2019 This day in weather history Warnings in North Carolina, July 2019

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 846392.