Flood in Caldwell County, North Carolina

Although heavy rain tapered off across Caldwell County during the morning, stream gauges indicated continued runoff from the heavy rain resulted in high water conditions persisting along Johns River as well as Lower Creek in Lenoir through the afternoon. Multiple roads remained inundated, particularly in the Collettsville areas.

Tropical moisture and heavy rain overspread western North Carolina throughout the 28th through the morning of the 29th as the center of Tropical Storm Zeta moved quickly from the mouth of the Mississippi River into the southern Appalachians. Strong winds developed across portions of western North Carolina during the morning, downing hundreds of trees across the area. Multiple trees fell on structures and vehicles. Upslope flow into the Blue Ridge escarpment enhanced rainfall rates such that widespread totals of 3 to 5 with locally higher amounts inches occurred over about a 24 hour period. This resulted in development of flash flooding across portions of the southern mountains and northern foothills.