Flash Flood — Stokes, North Carolina

2024-09-17 · near Dillard, Stokes, North Carolina

Event narrative

Reed Creek rose several feet out of its banks across Bethesda Church Road. The culvert underneath the road was completely washed out several feet downstream, causing the road to collapse and be impassible to traffic until repairs are complete. Debris lines indicate that the creek was over 80 feet wide (normally around 25 feet) at the height of the flooding event. Because of the dark, one car drove into the flood waters and became stranded, with one occupant needing rescue. No injuries were reported. MRMS data indicated 6-hour rainfall amounts ending 9 pm EDT were 1.5 to 1.6 times that of 6-hour flash flood guidance, while the average recurrence interval for 6-hours was a 25 year event.

Wider weather episode

A stationary front draped east to west across northern North Carolina provided the focus for training showers and thunderstorms during the evening of the 17th. Winds were from the east along the North Carolina & Virginia state border around high pressure centered over New England. The easterly windflow carried moist Atlantic air across Stokes and Rockingham Counties, with precipitable water values ranging from 1.5 to 1.7 inches during the evening. Several rounds of showers and storms passed across the area, with rainfall rates times exceeding four inches per hour per rain gage data and MRMS (Multi-Radar/Multi-Sensor System) estimates. This caused flash flooding of several local waterways, with at least two roads washed out in Stokes County, as well as a water rescue of stranded motorists.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (36.3833, -80.0669)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1218692. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.