63
Recorded events
0
Direct deaths
1
Direct injuries
$41.2M
Property damage
Flash Flood in Caldwell County, North Carolina: 63 recorded events between 1996 and 2025. The strongest on record measured 0. That places the county #413 nationally and #16 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Flash Flood in Caldwell County, North Carolina: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for flash flood in Caldwell County is the 2010s, when 25 of the county's 63 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 Caldwell County archive, flash flood makes up 16.8% of all recorded severe weather across 8 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #413 for this hazard and #16 within North Carolina, putting it in the 86.5 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Jun is the peak month for flash flood in Caldwell County with 13 recorded events, while Dec 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 16, 2011 | MORTIMER | 0 | 0 | 1 | $50K |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 19, 2025 | WARRIOR | 0 | $100K |
| Sep 26, 2024 | MORTIMER | 0 | $40.0M |
| Aug 8, 2024 | CEDAR VLY | 0 | $3K |
| Jan 9, 2024 | VALMEAD | 0 | $5K |
| Jul 16, 2023 | YADKIN VLY | 0 | $2K |
| Nov 11, 2022 | EDGEMONT | 0 | $500 |
| Nov 12, 2020 | RICHLAND | 0 | $50K |
| Oct 29, 2020 | YADKIN VLY | 0 | $3K |
| Apr 13, 2020 | GLOBE | 0 | $100K |
| Feb 6, 2020 | LENOIR | 0 | $2K |
Other hazards here
More from Caldwell County
- Thunderstorm Wind 148
- Hail 127
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
Stream gauges indicated flash flooding developed across western Caldwell County, particularly Johns River, Yadkin River and their tributaries after 7-12 inches fell across the western half of the county over three days. Flash flooding first developed along Wilson Creek, followed by flooding developing downstream along Johns River. After briefly subsiding during the evening, flash flooding rapidly redeveloped and became catastrophic as tropical rainbands around the remnant center of Helene swept across the area around sunrise. In addition to Wilson Creek and Johns River, major flash flooding also developed along the Yadkin River during this time. Hundreds of structures and roads were inundated and damaged or destroyed throughout the area. Several landslides were also discovered, primarily near the Avery and Watuaga County lines.
Several buildings were submerged in water on John Kirby Place, off of Indian Grave Road. Several buildings were also flooded along Echo Drive on the north side of Lenoir. The road itself was covered by deep water. Water from Long Branch Creek flooded the yard up to the porch of a house on Hazel Lee Street.
Globe Road was closed due to flash flooding along the Johns River. Anthony Creek Road off of Globe Road was flooded. Old Johns River Road and Wilson's Creek Road were closed due to flooding. The North Carolina Forestry Service evacuated over 100 people from Mortimer Campgrounds near Edgemont. Upper Playmore Beach Road was also closed due to flooding.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many flash flood events are on record in Caldwell County, North Carolina?
63 flash flood events are recorded in Caldwell County between 1996 and 2025, causing 0 direct deaths.
What is the strongest flash flood recorded in Caldwell County?
The strongest flash flood on record in Caldwell County measured 0.
Where does the flash flood data for Caldwell 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 Caldwell County, North Carolina.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/north-carolina/caldwell-county/flash-flood/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.