Flood — Mcdowell, North Carolina

2024-01-09 · near Greenlee, Mcdowell, North Carolina

Event narrative

Stream gauges on the Catawba River in central McDowell County briefly exceeded flood stage after 3 to 5 inches of rain fell in around 12 hours. Multiple low water crossings and several campgrounds along the river were inundated with a couple of feet of water. Some water may have briefly entered basements and crawl spaces of a few homes along the river. At least one tributary of the Catawba (Cane Creek) also overflowed its banks, inundating Chelsey Dr and McCoy Rd in the Greenlee community.

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 → (35.6570, -82.1380)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1160801. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.