280
Recorded events
1
Direct deaths
0
Direct injuries
$70.3M
Property damage
Flash Flood in Wake County, North Carolina: 280 recorded events between 1996 and 2025. The strongest on record measured 0. That places the county #15 nationally and #1 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Flash Flood in Wake County, North Carolina: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for flash flood in Wake County is the 2020s, when 134 of the county's 280 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 Wake County archive, flash flood makes up 18.5% of all recorded severe weather across 8 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #15 for this hazard and #1 within North Carolina, putting it in the 99.6 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Aug is the peak month for flash flood in Wake County with 68 recorded events, while Feb 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 12, 2020 | ROLESVILLE | 0 | 1 | 0 | $0 |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 15, 2025 | ASBURY | 0 | $10K |
| Aug 15, 2025 | COLLEGE VIEW | 0 | $0 |
| Aug 15, 2025 | MILLBROOK | 0 | $0 |
| Aug 15, 2025 | MILLBROOK | 0 | $0 |
| Aug 15, 2025 | RALEIGH | 0 | $0 |
| Aug 11, 2025 | KNIGHTDALE WNDLL ARP | 0 | $10K |
| Aug 11, 2025 | WILDERS GROVE | 0 | $0 |
| Aug 11, 2025 | BRENTWOOD | 0 | $10K |
| Aug 11, 2025 | RALEIGH | 0 | $0 |
| Aug 11, 2025 | RALEIGH | 0 | $5K |
Other hazards here
More from Wake County
- Thunderstorm Wind 727
- Hail 393
- Lightning 41
- Tornado 40
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
Heavy rainfall of 7 to 10 inches caused widespread flash flooding across the county. Roads all throughout the county were closed due to flooding. Numerous homes and businesses were flooded as well, with numerous water rescues from people trapped in homes and vehicles. Flooding damaged approximately 2503 structures throughout the county, resulting in $65.5 million in property damage.
Multiple businesses had to be evacuated from the 1600-1800 block of Capital Boulevard. As many as 71 people had to be rescued and evacuated from businesses in this area. In addition, at the nearby intersection of Atlantic Avenue and Old Louisburg Road cars were reported flooded and stuck in the flood waters. Another car was reported stranded in the flood waters nearby at the intersection of Atlantic Avenue and Hodges Street. Monetary damages were estimated to be around 2-3 million dollars.
Several roads were closed in northwest Raleigh, many in the vicinity of Crabtree Valley Mall and Crabtree Creek, due to flash flooding. Newton Road near Six Forks Road washed out and collapsed. Several cars were stranded in flood water near the intersection of Leesville Road and Millbrook Road. Several cars were underwater at the Crabtree Valley Mall due to flooding along Crabtree Creek overflowing its banks into the parking garage.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many flash flood events are on record in Wake County, North Carolina?
280 flash flood events are recorded in Wake County between 1996 and 2025, causing 1 direct deaths.
What is the strongest flash flood recorded in Wake County?
The strongest flash flood on record in Wake County measured 0.
Where does the flash flood data for Wake 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 Wake County, North Carolina.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/north-carolina/wake-county/flash-flood/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.