Flood — Cabarrus, North Carolina

2020-04-30 · near Rocky River, Cabarrus, North Carolina

Event narrative

A stream gauge on the Rocky River above Irish Buffalo Creek indicated flooding developed, mainly along tributaries of the river, including Back Creek, Irish Buffalo Creek, and Dutch Buffalo Creek after 2 to 3.5 inches of rain fell across the basin in just a few hours. Multiple roads were inundated, including Stallings Rd, Poplar Tent Rd, Bowman-Berrier Rd, Mount Pleasant Rd, and Highway 200. An 82-year-old man drowned in his vehicle after driving around a barrier where Miami Church Road crossed Dutch Buffalo Creek.

Wider weather episode

An area of widespread rainfall developed across the western Carolinas in advance of a cold front late on the 29th into the early morning hours of the 30th. Embedded thunderstorms and heavy rain showers developed and trained over the Charlotte metro area shortly after midnight on the 30th. Flash flooding developed across the city and adjacent urban areas after 2 to 3.5 inches of rain fell, mostly in under four hours.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (35.3120, -80.6260)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 887797. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.