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Flash Flood — McDowell, NC

Oct 7, 2021

A slow moving area of upper level low pressure over the Mid-Mississippi Valley pumped semi-tropical weather into the western Carolinas for a couple of days, resulting in occasional rounds of moderate to heavy in the day leading up to the 7th. Scattered slow-moving thunderstorm clusters developed over the foothills during the morning of the 7th, producing torrential rainfall rates of 2 to 3 inches per hour and total rainfall amounts of 3 to 7 inches, much of which fell in just 2 to 3 hours. This

Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database (event 988939). Narrative written by NWS staff at the time of the event.

Flood Risk Context for McDowell, NC

This event is one of many recorded floods in McDowell County. See the full FEMA flood zone map, NFIP claim totals, and disaster history for the area.

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