Flood and Heavy Rain in North Carolina, May 26 to 27, 2022

Name: Flood and Heavy Rain in North Carolina, May 26 to 27, 2022
Start: 2022-05-26T07:00
End: 2022-05-27T09:10
Location: North Carolina

May 26 to 27, 2022 · NWS RNK · 3 events in 1 county or zone

An upper level low pressure system passed east up the Ohio River Valley early on the 27th, resulting in strong south to southeasterly windflow across northwest North Carolina. 7 inch range along the Blue Ridge in northwest North Carolina.

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

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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 3

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 RNK wrote it up.

An upper level low pressure system passed east up the Ohio River Valley early on the 27th, resulting in strong south to southeasterly windflow across northwest North Carolina. A 35-knot low level jet carried deep tropical moisture northward, with precipitable water values rising into the 1.6 to 1.7 inch range along the Blue Ridge in northwest North Carolina. Orographic lift enhanced rainfall amounts, especially across Watuaga County, where the headwaters of the Watauga River observed totals ranging from 2.5 to 4.0 inches over an 18 to 24 hour period.

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 Blacksburg, VA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 26, 5:48 AM EST, 1 hour 12 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 26, 5:48 AM EST, 1 hour 12 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, May 26, 6:44 AM EST, 16 minutes before

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The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 heavy rain, 1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Rain, Watauga

When: May 26, 7:00 AM EST to May 27, 7:00 AM EST
Where: Watauga County, 1.97 mi WSW of Foscoe
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 36.155, -81.800

An automated weather station (Weather Underground: KNCSEVEN25) observed a 24-hour rainfall total, ending 8 AM EDT, of 3.28 inches. Rainfall rates remained mostly below 0.5 per hour. This amount is almost a 2-year rainfall event per NOAA Atlas 14 point frequency estimates for this duration. Runoff from this rainfall eventually flows into the Watauga River.

Heavy Rain, Watauga

When: May 26, 7:00 AM EST to May 27, 7:00 AM EST
Where: Watauga County, 0.45 mi E of Foscoe
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 36.169, -81.762

An automated weather station (Weather Underground: KNCBOONE156) observed a 24-hour rainfall total, ending 8 AM EDT, of 3.00 inches. Rainfall rates remained mostly below 0.5 per hour. This amount is about an 1-year rainfall event per NOAA Atlas 14 point frequency estimates for this duration. Runoff from this rainfall eventually flows into the Watauga River.

Flood, Watauga

When: May 27, 3:15 AM EST to 9:10 AM EST
Where: Watauga County, 0.92 mi N of Rominger to 0.69 mi NNW of Rominger
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: River/Stream Gage
Coordinates: 36.243, -81.831

The Watauga River at Sugar Grove crested at 7.11 feet at 5:15 am EDT on May 27th, causing the river to overflow its banks across portions of Watauga River Road. A few low water bridges along the river were also flooded and impassible. No damage was reported however.

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.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in North Carolina in 2022 Every state in 2022 This day in weather history Warnings in North Carolina, May 2022

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: 1019933, 1019936, 1019673.