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Flood in Columbus County, North Carolina
59 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 59 flood events in Columbus County, North Carolina, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 17 years.
August is the busiest month, with 17 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 47 events against 12 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.1% of the 5,375 flood events recorded in North Carolina; its 6.3 per 100 square miles compares with 11.1 statewide.
NCEI attributes 1 death in the county to floods and flash floods.
Compared with North Carolina
| Measure | Columbus County | North Carolina | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flood events since 1950 | 59 | 5,375 | 183,559 |
| Per 100 square miles | 6.3 | 11.1 | 5.2 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 11.8 | 5.1 | 5.5 |
| Deaths recorded | 1 | 186 | 2,961 |
| Busiest month | August | September | June |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
2Mar
0Apr
0May
6Jun
6Jul
7Aug
17Sep
10Oct
11Nov
0Dec
0
Recorded events
All 59 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Oct 2025 | Flash Flood | — | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Oct 2025 | Flash Flood | — | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Aug 2025 | Flash Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Aug 2025 | Flash Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Aug 2025 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Sep 2024 | Flash Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Aug 2024 | Flash Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Aug 2024 | Flash Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Aug 2023 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Aug 2023 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Aug 2023 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Aug 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Jul 2023 | Flash Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Jul 2023 | Flash Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 2021 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 2020 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 2020 | Flash Flood | — | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 2020 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 2020 | Flash Flood | — | $4K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 2020 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Sep 2018 | Flash Flood | — | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Sep 2018 | Flash Flood | — | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Sep 2018 | Flash Flood | — | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Sep 2018 | Flash Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Sep 2018 | Flash Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Sep 2018 | Flash Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Sep 2018 | Flash Flood | — | $40K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 2018 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 2018 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 2017 | Flash Flood | — | $7K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 2017 | Flood | — | $4K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Oct 2016 | Flash Flood | — | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Oct 2016 | Flash Flood | — | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Oct 2016 | Flash Flood | — | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Oct 2016 | Flash Flood | — | $1.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Oct 2016 | Flash Flood | — | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Aug 2016 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Aug 2016 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Oct 2015 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Oct 2015 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Aug 2014 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Aug 2014 | Flood | — | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 2013 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 2013 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 2013 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jun 2013 | Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 2011 | Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Aug 2006 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Sep 2000 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Oct 1999 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Sep 1999 | Flash Flood | — | $30M | $10M | 1 | 1 | County |
| 1 May 1999 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 1998 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Feb 1998 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Feb 1998 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Oct 1996 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Aug 1996 | Flash Flood | — | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Aug 1996 | Flash Flood | — | — | $200K | — | — | County |
| 2 Aug 1996 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many flood events has Columbus County had?
59 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 Columbus County?
12 Oct 2025 (Flash Flood). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging flood event recorded in Columbus County?
The flash flood of 15 Sep 1999, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $30M and crop damage at $10M; 1 death recorded.
How does Columbus County compare with North Carolina for flood?
6.3 events per 100 square miles against 11.1 statewide; the county holds 59 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.