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Flood in Chowan County, North Carolina
14 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 14 flood events in Chowan County, North Carolina, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 9 years.
September is the busiest month, with 4 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 11 events against 3 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.3% of the 5,375 flood events recorded in North Carolina; its 8.1 per 100 square miles compares with 11.1 statewide.
Compared with North Carolina
| Measure | Chowan County | North Carolina | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flood events since 1950 | 14 | 5,375 | 183,559 |
| Per 100 square miles | 8.1 | 11.1 | 5.2 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 10.2 | 5.1 | 5.5 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 186 | 2,961 |
| Busiest month | September | September | June |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
0Apr
2May
0Jun
0Jul
0Aug
3Sep
4Oct
3Nov
1Dec
1
Recorded events
All 14 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Aug 2024 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Dec 2023 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Apr 2021 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Nov 2020 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Aug 2020 | Coastal Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 13 Apr 2020 | Coastal Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 6 Sep 2019 | Coastal Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 8 Oct 2016 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Oct 2016 | Flood | — | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Sep 2016 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Aug 2011 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Sep 2006 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Oct 1999 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Sep 1999 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many flood events has Chowan County had?
14 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 Chowan County?
10 Aug 2024 (Flash Flood). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging flood event recorded in Chowan County?
The flood of 8 Oct 2016, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $500K.
How does Chowan County compare with North Carolina for flood?
8.1 events per 100 square miles against 11.1 statewide; the county holds 14 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.