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Flood in Madison County, North Carolina
44 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.
Madison County, North Carolina, has 44 flood events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 17 different years.
July is the busiest month, with 13 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 11 events against 33 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.8% of the 5,375 flood events recorded in North Carolina; its 9.8 per 100 square miles compares with 11.1 statewide.
NCEI attributes 6 deaths in the county to floods and flash floods.
Compared with North Carolina
| Measure | Madison County | North Carolina | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flood events since 1950 | 44 | 5,375 | 183,559 |
| Per 100 square miles | 9.8 | 11.1 | 5.2 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 20.5 | 5.1 | 5.5 |
| Deaths recorded | 6 | 186 | 2,961 |
| Busiest month | July | September | June |
By year
Seasonality
3Feb
1Mar
2Apr
2May
4Jun
8Jul
13Aug
6Sep
4Oct
0Nov
1Dec
0
Recorded events
All 44 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 Sep 2024 | Flash Flood | — | $10M | — | 5 | — | County |
| 27 Sep 2024 | Flood | — | $25M | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Aug 2021 | Flash Flood | — | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 2020 | Flash Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 2019 | Flash Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Aug 2017 | Flash Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 2013 | Flash Flood | — | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 2013 | Flash Flood | — | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 2011 | Flash Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Aug 2010 | Flash Flood | — | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 2009 | Flash Flood | — | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 2005 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 2005 | Flash Flood | — | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2005 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 2005 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Sep 2004 | Flood | — | $8.0M | $920K | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 7 Sep 2004 | Flood | — | $1.0M | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 2 Aug 2004 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jul 2004 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 2004 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Nov 2003 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 31 Jul 2003 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 2003 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 2003 | Flash Flood | — | $50K | $750K | 1 | 1 | County |
| 6 Jul 2003 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 2003 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 2003 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 6 May 2003 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Feb 2003 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2002 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Mar 2002 | Flash Flood | — | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Mar 2002 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jan 2002 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Aug 2001 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Aug 2001 | Flash Flood | — | $1.7M | $2.0M | — | — | County |
| 30 Jul 2001 | Flash Flood | — | $100K | $2.5M | — | — | County |
| 29 Jul 2001 | Flash Flood | — | $1.0M | $2.5M | — | — | County |
| 29 Jul 2001 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 2001 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 2001 | Flash Flood | — | — | $500K | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 1999 | Flash Flood | — | $3.0M | $3.0M | — | — | County |
| 8 Jan 1998 | Flood | — | $50K | — | — | 1 | Forecast zone |
| 17 Jun 1996 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jan 1996 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
Questions and answers
How many flood events has Madison County had?
44 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 Madison County?
27 Sep 2024 (Flood). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging flood event recorded in Madison County?
The flood of 27 Sep 2024, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $25M.
How does Madison County compare with North Carolina for flood?
9.8 events per 100 square miles against 11.1 statewide; the county holds 44 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.