44
Recorded events
1
Direct deaths
1
Direct injuries
$32.8M
Property damage
Flash Flood in Columbus County, North Carolina: 44 recorded events between 1996 and 2025. The strongest on record measured 0. That places the county #723 nationally and #33 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Flash Flood in Columbus County, North Carolina: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for flash flood in Columbus County is the 2010s, when 16 of the county's 44 recorded events were logged. Comparing decades is useful for spotting active periods, but the earliest years are thin because systematic reporting for this hazard began later.
Within the Columbus County archive, flash flood makes up 7.7% of all recorded severe weather across 9 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #723 for this hazard and #33 within North Carolina, putting it in the 76.0 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Aug is the peak month for flash flood in Columbus County with 11 recorded events, while Jan is the quietest. Seasonality here is a property of the archive as much as the climate: reports cluster where population and spotter networks are densest.
Significant events
Deadliest on record
| Date | Location | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 15, 1999 | BOLTON | 0 | 1 | 1 | $30.0M |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 12, 2025 | WHITEVILLE | 0 | $3K |
| Oct 12, 2025 | CERRO GORDO | 0 | $3K |
| Aug 6, 2025 | CHERRY GROVE | 0 | $1K |
| Aug 6, 2025 | WHITEVILLE | 0 | $1K |
| Sep 16, 2024 | FREEMAN | 0 | $10K |
| Aug 8, 2024 | NAKINA | 0 | $1K |
| Aug 8, 2024 | WHITEVILLE | 0 | $1K |
| Aug 31, 2023 | CHADBOURN | 0 | $0 |
| Aug 31, 2023 | TABOR CITY ARPT | 0 | $0 |
| Aug 31, 2023 | PLEASANT PLAINS | 0 | $0 |
Other hazards here
More from Columbus County
- Thunderstorm Wind 271
- Hail 179
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
Heavy rains from Hurricane Floyd accumulated around 12 inches in the western part and near 20 inches in the eastern part of the county, causing the worst flooding in county history. High water closed many roads, including newly completed U.S. 74/76, and inundated low-lying areas. Water in downtown Whiteville was 5 feet deep, necessitating rescues by boat. Lake Waccamaw rose to the highest level ever, covering piers and flooding homes. Downstream, 600 were evacuated from Crusoe Island.
Portions of Jefferson, Canal, and Madison Street were closed due to flooding, with high water reported downtown. A driver was rescued from his flooded vehicle on Washington Street. Water was a foot deep in the Whiteville Public Works building.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many flash flood events are on record in Columbus County, North Carolina?
44 flash flood events are recorded in Columbus County between 1996 and 2025, causing 1 direct deaths.
What is the strongest flash flood recorded in Columbus County?
The strongest flash flood on record in Columbus County measured 0.
Where does the flash flood data for Columbus County come from?
All events come from the NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database, the federal public-domain archive of severe weather reports. Dates are UTC, damage is as reported and not inflation-adjusted, and the most recent entries may still be revised.
Cite this page
“Flash Flood in Columbus County, North Carolina.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/north-carolina/columbus-county/flash-flood/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.