Flash Flood — Cabarrus, North Carolina

2024-01-09 · near Mt Pleasant, Cabarrus, North Carolina

Event narrative

Stream gauges on the Rocky River above Irish Buffalo Creek and on Back Creek indicated flash flooding developed along multiple tributaries of the river, including Irish Buffalo Creek and Dutch Buffalo Creek after 3 to 5 inches of rain fell across Cabarrus County in about 12 hours. Multiple roads were inundated, including Stallings Rd, Poplar Tent Rd, Bowman-Berrier Rd, Mount Pleasant Rd, Highway 200, and Stough Rd.

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 → (35.3970, -80.4240)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1160811. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.