1,184
Recorded events
95
Counties affected
36
Direct deaths
$1.1B
Property damage
North Carolina flood history: 1,184 recorded events across 95 counties between 1996 and 2025.
Decade by decade
North Carolina flood history by decade
The 2010s are the busiest decade on record with 539 reported flood events across North Carolina. Earlier decades are thinner because systematic reporting for this hazard expanded over time, not because the weather was calmer.
County ranking
Counties with the most flood events in North Carolina
| Rank | County | Events | Deaths | Damage | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New Hanover County | 62 | 0 | $27K | 1997–2024 |
| #2 | Watauga County | 61 | 0 | $785K | 1999–2025 |
| #3 | Brunswick County | 40 | 0 | $6K | 1997–2024 |
| #4 | Transylvania County | 38 | 0 | $1.1M | 2008–2024 |
| #5 | Henderson County | 33 | 0 | $1.0M | 2001–2024 |
| #6 | Rockingham County | 33 | 0 | $5K | 1999–2024 |
| #7 | Cabarrus County | 33 | 1 | $43K | 2000–2024 |
| #8 | Burke County | 29 | 0 | $201K | 1998–2024 |
| #9 | Surry County | 28 | 0 | $40K | 1996–2024 |
| #10 | Pender County | 26 | 0 | $35K | 1997–2023 |
| #11 | Mecklenburg County | 21 | 0 | $127K | 1999–2025 |
| #12 | Ashe County | 17 | 0 | $199K | 1996–2023 |
| #13 | Wilkes County | 16 | 0 | $30K | 2011–2024 |
| #14 | Union County | 16 | 1 | $59K | 1999–2020 |
| #15 | McDowell County | 15 | 0 | $304K | 2013–2024 |
| #16 | Carteret County | 15 | 0 | $5K | 2007–2015 |
| #17 | Columbus County | 15 | 0 | $26K | 2011–2025 |
| #18 | Onslow County | 13 | 0 | $50K | 2006–2018 |
| #19 | Caldwell County | 13 | 0 | $43K | 2013–2024 |
| #20 | Pitt County | 13 | 0 | $0 | 2010–2014 |
| #21 | Stokes County | 12 | 0 | $10K | 2012–2024 |
| #22 | Gaston County | 11 | 1 | $2.9M | 1997–2021 |
| #23 | Bladen County | 10 | 0 | $20K | 2008–2023 |
| #24 | Lenoir County | 10 | 5 | $0 | 2009–2017 |
| #25 | Robeson County | 10 | 1 | $7K | 2008–2024 |
Significant events
Deadliest flood events in North Carolina
| Date | County | Scale | Deaths | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 30, 2010 | Washington County | — | 5 | 0 |
| Oct 9, 2016 | Johnston County | — | 4 | 0 |
| Oct 9, 2016 | Cumberland County | — | 2 | 0 |
| Oct 9, 2016 | Wayne County | — | 2 | 0 |
| Oct 9, 2016 | Wilson County | — | 2 | 0 |
| Apr 30, 2020 | Cabarrus County | — | 1 | 0 |
| Oct 9, 2016 | Harnett County | — | 1 | 0 |
| Sep 17, 2018 | Union County | — | 1 | 0 |
| Jun 13, 2009 | Craven County | — | 1 | 0 |
| Oct 11, 2016 | Lenoir County | — | 1 | 0 |