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Flood in Cherokee County, North Carolina
20 floods and flash floods events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Flood, Flash Flood, Coastal Flood, Lakeshore Flood.
NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. Storm records through 30 Jun 2026.
NCEI records 20 flood events in Cherokee County, North Carolina, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 11 years.
July is the busiest month, with 5 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 10 events against 10 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.4% of the 5,375 flood events recorded in North Carolina; its 4.4 per 100 square miles compares with 11.1 statewide.
Compared with North Carolina
| Measure | Cherokee County | North Carolina | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flood events since 1950 | 20 | 5,375 | 183,559 |
| Per 100 square miles | 4.4 | 11.1 | 5.2 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 6.9 | 5.1 | 5.5 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 186 | 2,961 |
| Busiest month | July | September | June |
By year
Seasonality
3Feb
1Mar
1Apr
0May
3Jun
3Jul
5Aug
0Sep
2Oct
0Nov
0Dec
2
Recorded events
All 20 events, most recent first. Magnitude is hail size, tornado rating or wind speed as recorded.
| Date | Event type | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 Jul 2022 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 2022 | Flash Flood | — | $1.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jul 2022 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 2021 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Mar 2021 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Dec 2015 | Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Dec 2015 | Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jan 2013 | Flood | — | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Sep 2009 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Sep 2009 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jul 2003 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 2003 | Flash Flood | — | $1.7M | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2002 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jul 1999 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 1999 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jan 1998 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jan 1998 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 1997 | Flash Flood | — | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Feb 1997 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 1996 | Flash Flood | — | $2K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many flood events has Cherokee County had?
20 events in the NCEI Storm Events record between 1950 and 2026. Reporting of floods and flash floods became far more complete after 1996, so early decades undercount.
When was the last recorded flood event in Cherokee County?
21 Jul 2022 (Flash Flood). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging flood event recorded in Cherokee County?
The flash flood of 6 May 2003, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $1.7M.
How does Cherokee County compare with North Carolina for flood?
4.4 events per 100 square miles against 11.1 statewide; the county holds 20 of the state's 5,375 recorded events.
Provenance
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026, public domain. County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county (marked "Forecast zone"). Population and area from the US Census Bureau (2021). Built 1 Oct 2026. See the methodology, the Flood hub and the county page.