Flash Flood — Watauga, North Carolina

2011-09-25 · near Perkinsville, Watauga, North Carolina

Event narrative

Flash flooding occurred along parts of Route 321 in and southeast of Boone to the Mall area as Kraut Creek flooded. Flash flooding along Boone Creek within the Appalachian State University resulted in flooding with several buildings on campus including Rankin Science West, Edwin Duncan Hall and Newland Hall. Evacuations were ordered for 12 to 15 people in six apartments when dirt around a culvert washed away prompting concern for structural damage to nearby apartments. Others were ordered to shelter in place along Boone Docks where water surrounded, but did not flood their apartments. Water inundated most of the parking lot of the Boone Mall. Damage values are estimated.

Wider weather episode

Heavy rain showers, and some isolated thunderstorms in advance of an approaching cold front, produced as much as three to four inches of rain in several hours. The most intense rates were across parts of Watauga County where this amount of rain fell in only two to three hours. Significant flash flooding occurred over both Watauga and Ashe Counties.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (36.2030, -81.6637)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 347509. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.