45
Recorded events
0
Direct deaths
10
Direct injuries
$61.8M
Property damage
Flash Flood in Transylvania County, North Carolina: 45 recorded events between 1996 and 2024. The strongest on record measured 0. That places the county #703 nationally and #32 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Flash Flood in Transylvania County, North Carolina: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for flash flood in Transylvania County is the 2010s, when 20 of the county's 45 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 Transylvania County archive, flash flood makes up 16.3% of all recorded severe weather across 7 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #703 for this hazard and #32 within North Carolina, putting it in the 76.9 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Mar is the peak month for flash flood in Transylvania County with 7 recorded events, while May 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 8, 1998 | ROSMAN | 0 | 0 | 10 | $1.5M |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 27, 2024 | ROSMAN | 0 | $50.0M |
| Sep 26, 2024 | ECUSTA | 0 | $1K |
| May 26, 2022 | ROSMAN | 0 | $1K |
| Mar 24, 2022 | SELICA | 0 | $1K |
| Aug 17, 2021 | BALSAM GROVE | 0 | $4.0M |
| Aug 16, 2021 | POWELLTOWN | 0 | $6.0M |
| Oct 29, 2020 | GRANGE | 0 | $5K |
| Apr 13, 2020 | POWELLTOWN | 0 | $10K |
| Feb 6, 2020 | MIDDLE FORK | 0 | $2K |
| Apr 19, 2019 | ROSMAN | 0 | $10K |
Other hazards here
More from Transylvania County
- Hail 91
- Thunderstorm Wind 83
- Flood 38
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
Stream gauges indicated and an NWS flood survey confirmed significant flash flooding developed near the upper reaches of the French Broad River after as much as a foot of rain fell in the headwaters in less than six hours. Multiple structures along the river were inundated in the town of Rosman, including on Depot St, Highway 178, Main St, and Chestnut St. This was the worst flooding along this portion of the French Broad in almost 30 years, while the stream gauge at Rosman registered its 4th-highest level on record. (Continuous observations at that site date back to 1935). Newspaper reported significant flash flooding also occurred upstream of Rosman along the North Fork of the French Broad in the Balsam Grove community, where vehicles were swept downstream and multiple structures were damaged or destroyed. In addition, flash flooding developed along the Davidson River in Pisgah Forest, briefly inundating portions of Davidson River Rd and Deavor Rd.
Stream gauges indicated significant flash flooding developed for the second day in a row near the upper reaches of the French Broad River after 3 to 6 inches of rain fell in the headwaters in just a few hours. This was on top of the 6-12 inches that fell durimg the morning of the 16th. Flooding was slightly worse in the Rosman and Balsam Grove area than what was observed on the 16th, with the stream gauge at Rosman reaching its second highest level on record (4 October 1964). Multiple structures along the river were once again inundated, including on Depot St, Highway 178, Main St, and Chestnut St in Rosman. Flash flooding again developed along the Davidson River in the Pisgah Forest area, overflowing portions of Davidson River Rd and Deavor Rd and inundating several businesses near the intersection of Highways 64 and 276.
Excessive rain in conjunction with significant flooding of the French Broad and North Transylvania Rivers resulted in 40 to 50 mobile homes and 2 bridges destroyed. In addition, 34 roads were under water through noon on the 8th.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many flash flood events are on record in Transylvania County, North Carolina?
45 flash flood events are recorded in Transylvania County between 1996 and 2024, causing 0 direct deaths.
What is the strongest flash flood recorded in Transylvania County?
The strongest flash flood on record in Transylvania County measured 0.
Where does the flash flood data for Transylvania 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 Transylvania County, North Carolina.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/north-carolina/transylvania-county/flash-flood/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.