Flash flooding that originated on August 31st continued across portions of the northeast Piedmont and central Coastal Plain of central North Carolina during the early morning hours of September 1st. Rainfall amounts of up to 11 inches were reported across this area, resulting in lingering flash flooding.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
The episode as NWS RAH wrote it up.
Flash flooding that originated on August 31st continued across portions of the northeast Piedmont and central Coastal Plain of central North Carolina during the early morning hours of September 1st. Rainfall amounts of up to 11 inches were reported across this area, resulting in lingering flash flooding.
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 Aug 31, 8:55 PM EST, 3 hours 5 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION National Weather Service Raleigh NC 955 PM EDT Mon Aug 31 2020 .SYNOPSIS... Tropical Depression Fifteen located off the Carolina coast tonight will remain offshore as it tracks northeastward and away from the coast through Wednesday. Meanwhile, a series of upper level disturbances will cross the region through mid week, interacting with very warm and moist air and a nearly stationary front to produce unsettled weather. A cold front will approach from the northwest late in the week. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... As of 955 PM Monday... Widespread stratiform rain with embedded storms (including one particularly electrically active cell over S Harnett/N Cumberland co) persists in a corridor roughly between Hwy 1 and I-95 and continues to produce pockets of heavy downpours leading to flooding, especially in Raleigh and to the NNE to the state line. This precip should slowly decline in coverage and intensity over the next several hours as the low level jet from the SE and S drawing moisture into the region lifts NE, with diminishing moisture convergence overnight, in conjunction with a gradual decline in CAPE (with loss of heating) and the departure of a vertically coincident upper divergence maximum. But the risk of an isolated shower or two will be continued overnight, given the moist column and lingering weak elevated instability, and shower coverage may be back on the upswing toward morning as another weak mid level wave approaches from the W within the WSW steering flow. The wet ground and light winds overnight should facilitate stratus development, with areas of fog as well. The stratus should be thickest N of the wavy stationary front sitting over the region, where low level stability is greatest. Still anticipate lows from around 70 to the mid 70s. -GIH Earlier discussion from 325 pm: Flanked by a pair of quasi- stationary surface fronts; one just to our NE and the other just to our SW; an anomalously moist airmass, featuring PWATs of 2-2.25(1 to 2 S.D. above normal), will remain in place through Tuesday. While not as vigorous as the upper impulse that traversed the southern and central Appalachians earlier this morning, a weakly perturbed flow aloft will continue to support scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms through the evening with the greatest coverage expected across the NC Piedmont. Nocturnal stabilization and convective overturning should lead to a gradual decrease in convective intensity and coverage overnight, but given the deep moisture in place, we could see some weak convection linger all night. Now that the vigorous impulse has lifted near the Mason-Dixon Line, the belt of enhanced shear 25 to 35 kts that we had sitting over our NW Piedmont have shifted off to the north as well. Thus, expect the severe threat for the remainder of the afternoon and evening to be generally isolated. Localized/isolated flooding threat, mainly in urban/poor drainage areas, will persist across the NC Piedmont as well. Lows tonight in the 70s. && .SHORT TERM /TUESDAY AND TUESDAY NIGHT/... As of 325 PM Monday... The area of low pressure currently SE of Wilmington, which the NHC is tracking closely for tropical development, will move NE near but will remain offshore of the NC coast Tuesday and Tuesday night. The low will drag the front that's currently south of the area into SE NC on Tuesday. Meanwhile, a wedge of weak high pressure will extend over the NW Piedmont on Tuesday. With a moist and moderately unstable airmass in place, the continued perturbed flow aloft will support scattered showers and storms area- wide Tuesday afternoon. Modest shear could support an isolated severe storm or two. Convection will diminish with nocturnal cooling. Highs Tuesday will range from lower 80s NW to near 90 SE. Lows 70 to 75. && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... As of 230 PM Monday... The sub-tropical ridge will extend into the Carolinas through Wednesday night as an upper level trough swings through the southern Plains. Meanwhile at the surface, a trough will remain in place over the Appalachians as a low moves through New England. High pressure over the Gulf and Bermuda high over the Atlantic will be in place on Wednesday and linger through Thursday. The extended forecast period hints at a possible change in the summertime pattern that has persisted over the region with more highly amplified troughs digging into the CONUS. A strong low pressure system will progress east across southern Canada Thursday and Friday with the upper trough and attendant cold front at the surface extending south into the northern Plains/MS Valley, surging east through Friday. As the cold front moves into the mid-Atlantic Friday/Saturday, the surface trough will shift east and south of the area while the upper trough remains over the Northeast and mid- Atlantic. The front will move into central NC from the north, advecting cooler, drier air into the area before lifting northward again Sunday/Monday. Medium-range models indicate cold Canadian high pressure surging southeast through the CONUS Sunday through Monday as an upper level shortwave swings through and amplifies the trough. However, the cold front and best CAA are not expected to make it into the mid-Atlantic. Temperatures will be slightly above normal and gradually moderating Wednesday through Friday, with highs in the upper 80s to low 90s and lows in the low to mid 70s. From Friday night through Monday, expect a decreasing temperature trend with highs in the low to mid 80s and lows in the mid to upper 60s by Saturday and Sunday. && .AVIATION /00Z TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... As of 815 PM Monday... An area of showers/storms associated with an upper level disturbance is currently over E sections (including RDU/RWI/FAY) heading eastward, and these will continue to impact these sites for another hour or two. Patchy light rain will remain a risk areawide through the rest of the evening, but the storm threat will be diminished by 02z. Given the wet ground, generally light winds, and stable air across the far N and NE sections of central NC north of a nearly stationary front, we have high confidence that we'll see development of IFR conditions at INT/GSO/RDU/RWI mainly after 03z, dropping to LIFR after 06z. The exception to this is FAY, which is more likely to see MVFR conditions, perhaps dipping to IFR after 08z, although the confidence is a bit lower at FAY than elsewhere. Cigs/vsbys will remain low through mid morning with slow improvement to MVFR generally after 15z and to VFR after 18z. A few showers are possible Tue morning with another disturbance crossing the area, but we'll see a better chance of showers/storms late in the day, starting first at INT/GSO after 20z and progressing eastward thereafter. Surface winds will be light, mostly from the NE or E (except from the E or SE at FAY) through Tue. Looking beyond 00z Wed, scattered to numerous showers and storms will remain possible each day, mainly mid afternoon through mid evening, through Thu. Storm chances increase ahead of an approaching cold front Fri through early Sat, then high pressure and drier air builds in briefly starting late Sat. Periods of overnight/early- morning sub-VFR fog/stratus are possible through Fri. -GIH && .RAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && SYNOPSIS...CBL/GIH NEAR TERM...CBL/Hartfield SHORT TERM...CBL LONG TERM...KC AVIATION...Hartfield
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Raleigh NC 1218 AM EDT Tue Sep 1 2020 NCZ009>011-026>028-041>043-077-078-089-020430- Vance-Warren-Halifax-Franklin-Nash-Edgecombe-Wake-Johnston-Wilson- Harnett-Wayne-Sampson- 1218 AM EDT Tue Sep 1 2020 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for central North Carolina. .DAY ONE...Tonight. Persistent slow moving showers and thunderstorms with locally heavy rain overnight combined with heavy rain from Monday afternoon and evening, will result in areas of flash flooding and flooding into the early morning hours, particularly in Johnston, Warren, Wake, Vance and Sampson Counties. Accumulated water on roadways will also result in difficult travel conditions. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday. Many creeks and streams will run high and fast on Tuesday from rain that fell during the previous 24 hours. Heat indices of 103 to 105 degrees are possible Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. A heat advisory may be needed for portions of the area. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time. NCZ007-008-024-025-040-075-076-085-086-088-020430- Person-Granville-Orange-Durham-Chatham-Moore-Lee-Scotland-Hoke- Cumberland- 1218 AM EDT Tue Sep 1 2020 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for central North Carolina. .DAY ONE...Tonight. Some creeks and streams will continue to run high and fast overnight from rain that fell during the previous 24 hours. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday. Heat indices greater than 100 degrees are possible Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. A heat advisory may be needed for portions of the area. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation may be needed. NCZ021>023-038-039-073-074-083-084-020430- Forsyth-Guilford-Alamance-Davidson-Randolph-Stanly-Montgomery-Anson- Richmond- 1218 AM EDT Tue Sep 1 2020 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for central North Carolina. .DAY ONE...Tonight. A few creeks and streams will run high and fast on Tuesday from rain that fell during the previous 24 hours. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday. No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation may be needed.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
1149 PM EDT MON AUG 31 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1125 PM FLASH FLOOD 2 ENE FOUR OAKS 35.46N 78.39W
08/31/2020 JOHNSTON NC EMERGENCY MNGR
I-95 CLOSED DUE TO HIGH WATER. MULTIPLE
VEHICLES STRANDED.
&&
NLPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
1154 PM EDT MON AUG 31 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1120 PM FLASH FLOOD FOUR OAKS 35.44N 78.43W
08/31/2020 JOHNSTON NC TRAINED SPOTTER
AT LEAST 7 WATER RESCUES IN FOUR OAKS
REPORTED.
&&
NLPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
1206 AM EDT TUE SEP 1 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1203 AM FLASH FLOOD 2 ESE RALEIGH 35.82N 78.63W
09/01/2020 WAKE NC OFFICIAL NWS OBS
CRABTREE CREEK AT OLD WAKE FOREST ROAD IS IN
MINOR FLOOD STAGE (13.59FT AND RISING).
&&
CCPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
1211 AM EDT TUE SEP 1 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1120 PM FLASH FLOOD 3 ENE FOUR OAKS 35.47N 78.38W
08/31/2020 JOHNSTON NC EMERGENCY MNGR
HWY 301 BRIDGE CROSSING HOTLS LAKE WAS
UNDERWATER AND CLOSED.
&&
CCPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
1214 AM EDT TUE SEP 1 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1213 AM FLASH FLOOD 2 SSW DURHAM 35.95N 78.93W
09/01/2020 DURHAM NC OFFICIAL NWS OBS
THIRD FORK CK AT ML KING PKWY IN DURHAM
GAUGE REPORTED JUST BELOW MODERATE FLOOD
STAGE (7.94 FT).
&&
CCSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Raleigh NC
1245 AM EDT Tue Sep 1 2020
NCZ078-089-010530-
Sampson NC-Wayne NC-
1245 AM EDT Tue Sep 1 2020
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT SOUTHEASTERN WAYNE AND EAST
CENTRAL SAMPSON COUNTIES UNTIL 130 AM EDT...
At 1245 AM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Bowdens, or 7 miles west of Warsaw, moving east at 5 mph.
Locations impacted include...
Mount Olive, Walnut Creek, Turkey, Seven Springs and Cliffs Of The
Neuse State Park.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Seek shelter in a nearby building or vehicle. Wind gusts as high as
40 mph are capable of knocking down tree limbs and blowing around
trash cans, potted plants, lawn furniture and other light outdoor
objects.
Doppler radar has indicated weak rotation with this storm. If the
storm intensifies and rotation strengthens, a warning may need to be
issued.
&&
LAT...LON 3508 7831 3533 7782 3518 7784 3516 7788
3515 7789 3517 7793 3516 7797 3518 7799
3519 7803 3518 7807 3517 7813 3515 7816
3509 7817 3508 7816 3494 7815 3492 7820
TIME...MOT...LOC 0445Z 277DEG 5KT 3504 7821
23The Raleigh/Durham radar (KRAX), 21 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 05:01 UTC.
10 heavy rain, 4 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Crabtree Creek at Old Wake Forecast Road flooded due to heavy rain.
Flash flooding was reported along and near Crabtree Creek in Raleigh, which resulted in multiple cars stranded in flood waters.
Multiple roads and bridges were reported flooded in and around Norlina.
Flash flooding was reported at the intersection of Ridgeway Drewry Road and Bloomsbury Road. A car drove into the flood water and a person was swept away and drowned while trying to escape.
Storm total rainfall of 4.60 inches was reported.
Storm total rainfall of 4.13 inches was reported at the Henderson-Oxford Airport.
Storm total rainfall of 5.93 inches was reported.
Storm total rainfall of 5.23 inches was reported.
Storm total rainfall of 5.51 inches was reported.
Storm total rainfall of 11.40 inches was reported.
Storm total rainfall of 2.74 inches was reported.
Storm total rainfall of 3.84 inches was reported.
Storm total rainfall of 4.17 inches was reported.
Storm total rainfall of 4.14 inches was reported.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood, Warren | 2020-09-01 | 60 | Female | In Water | Direct |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in North Carolina in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in North Carolina, September 2020
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: 922268, 922269, 922270, 935707, 922257, 922258, 922259, 922260, 922261, 922262, 922263, 922264, 922266, 922267.