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Flood in Union County, North Carolina
81 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.
Union County, North Carolina, has 81 flood events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 26 different years.
August is the busiest month, with 15 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 41 events against 40 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.5% of the 5,375 flood events recorded in North Carolina; its 12.8 per 100 square miles compares with 11.1 statewide.
NCEI attributes 3 deaths in the county to floods and flash floods.
Compared with North Carolina
| Measure | Union County | North Carolina | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flood events since 1950 | 81 | 5,375 | 183,559 |
| Per 100 square miles | 12.8 | 11.1 | 5.2 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 3.3 | 5.1 | 5.5 |
| Deaths recorded | 3 | 186 | 2,961 |
| Busiest month | August | September | June |
By year
Seasonality
5Feb
5Mar
4Apr
5May
2Jun
11Jul
14Aug
15Sep
12Oct
1Nov
4Dec
3
Recorded events
All 81 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 May 2026 | Flash Flood | — | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2026 | Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Sep 2024 | Flash Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Aug 2024 | Flash Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Sep 2023 | Flash Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 2022 | Flash Flood | — | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Nov 2020 | Flash Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Feb 2020 | Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Feb 2020 | Flash Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Sep 2018 | Flood | — | $5K | — | 1 | — | County |
| 16 Sep 2018 | Flash Flood | — | $50K | — | 1 | — | County |
| 23 Jul 2017 | Flash Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Apr 2017 | Flood | — | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 2016 | Flash Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Dec 2015 | Flash Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Dec 2015 | Flood | — | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Dec 2015 | Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Nov 2015 | Flood | — | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Nov 2015 | Flood | — | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Aug 2015 | Flash Flood | — | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Aug 2015 | Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Aug 2015 | Flash Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Aug 2015 | Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 2015 | Flash Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Sep 2014 | Flash Flood | — | — | $5K | — | — | County |
| 13 Sep 2014 | Flash Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 2014 | Flash Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 2014 | Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Aug 2012 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Aug 2012 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Aug 2012 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Sep 2011 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Aug 2011 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 2010 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 2010 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 2010 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 2010 | Flash Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Feb 2010 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 2009 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Mar 2009 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Aug 2008 | Flash Flood | — | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Nov 2006 | Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Aug 2006 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2006 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2006 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 2005 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 2005 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 28 Sep 2004 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 27 Sep 2004 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 2004 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Feb 2004 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Aug 2003 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Aug 2003 | Flash Flood | — | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Aug 2003 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jul 2003 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 2003 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 2003 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | 1 | — | County |
| 18 Jun 2003 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2003 | Flash Flood | — | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 2003 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 2003 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 20 Mar 2003 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Mar 2003 | Flood | — | $100K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 6 Mar 2003 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 27 Feb 2003 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Oct 2002 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 31 Aug 2002 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 13 Jun 2001 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Sep 2000 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jul 1999 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jan 1999 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Sep 1998 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jul 1998 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Apr 1998 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jan 1998 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jan 1998 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jan 1998 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jul 1997 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 1997 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Sep 1996 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jan 1996 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
Questions and answers
How many flood events has Union County had?
81 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 Union County?
30 May 2026 (Flood). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging flood event recorded in Union County?
The flood of 20 Mar 2003, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $100K.
How does Union County compare with North Carolina for flood?
12.8 events per 100 square miles against 11.1 statewide; the county holds 81 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.