Flood — Polk, North Carolina

2020-02-06 to 2020-02-07 · near Valhalla, Polk, North Carolina

Event narrative

Although heavy rain tapered off across Polk County throughout the afternoon and evening, runoff from the excessive rainfall that fell throughout the 6th resulted in continued high water conditions into the overnight hours, with multiple roads remaining closed.

Wider weather episode

Unusually high levels of moisture for early February combined with a slow-moving frontal system to produce an extended period of moderate to heavy rainfall across western North Carolina from the morning of the 5th until the early morning hours of the 7th. Intense rain rates associated with bands of heavy rain showers and embedded thunderstorms developing along the front during the morning and afternoon of the 7th resulted in rather widespread flash flooding. Isolated tornadoes also developed during this time across the Piedmont. Total rainfall of 3 to 6 inches resulted in flooding persisting along some main stem rivers and larger streams well into the 7th.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (35.2330, -82.2630)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 878445. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.