Flash Flood — Iredell, North Carolina

2024-01-09 · near Oswalt, Iredell, North Carolina

Event narrative

Fire dept and newspaper reported flash flooding developed throughout Iredell County after 3 to 5 inches of rain fell in around 12 hours. Multiple roads were inundated throughout the county due to a combination of poor drainage and small stream flooding. Fire dept and newspaper reported flash flooding developed throughout Iredell County after 3 to 5 inches of rain fell in around 12 hours. Multiple roads were inundated throughout the county due to a combination of poor drainage and small stream flooding. Roads that became closed and/or impassable included Old Mocksville Rd and Seed House Rd, Beauty St, Crestridge Rd and Flint Rd in Statesville, Williamsburg Rd (due to Rock Creek), Bussell Rd, Bess Rd, and Linneys Mill Rd in the northern part of the county, and Ridge Creek Dr in Troutman, where access to several homes was cut off. Finally, a stream gauge on Hunting Creek near Harmony exceeded its established flood stage for a few hours, indicating inundation of low water crossing and other low lying areas along the stream.

Wider weather episode

A major/complex frontal system brought widespread rain with embedded thunderstorms to western North Carolina, mainly during the afternoon of the 9th. Widespread rainfall amounts of 3 to 5 inches (with locally higher amounts) in around 12 hours resulted in numerous reports of flooding. Isolated severe thunderstorms also resulted in a number of damaging wind gusts reports over the Piedmont, along with an EF1 tornado that impacted portions of Catawba and Iredell Counties.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (35.6580, -80.8600)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1159547. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.