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Flood in Wayne County, North Carolina
55 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 55 flood events in Wayne County, North Carolina, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 21 years.
August is the busiest month, with 17 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 36 events against 19 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1% of the 5,375 flood events recorded in North Carolina; its 9.9 per 100 square miles compares with 11.1 statewide.
NCEI attributes 5 deaths in the county to floods and flash floods.
Compared with North Carolina
| Measure | Wayne County | North Carolina | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flood events since 1950 | 55 | 5,375 | 183,559 |
| Per 100 square miles | 9.9 | 11.1 | 5.2 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 4.7 | 5.1 | 5.5 |
| Deaths recorded | 5 | 186 | 2,961 |
| Busiest month | August | September | June |
By year
Seasonality
2Feb
1Mar
0Apr
0May
0Jun
2Jul
8Aug
17Sep
16Oct
4Nov
3Dec
2
Recorded events
All 55 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 Aug 2025 | Flash Flood | — | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Aug 2025 | Flash Flood | — | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Aug 2025 | Flash Flood | — | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Sep 2024 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Sep 2024 | Flash Flood | — | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Aug 2024 | Flash Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Aug 2024 | Flash Flood | — | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Aug 2024 | Flash Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Aug 2024 | Flash Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Aug 2024 | Flash Flood | — | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Aug 2024 | Flash Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Dec 2023 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Dec 2023 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jul 2023 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Aug 2021 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Aug 2021 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Nov 2020 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Nov 2020 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Aug 2020 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 2019 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Sep 2018 | Flood | — | $21M | $30M | — | — | County |
| 14 Sep 2018 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 2018 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Oct 2016 | Flood | — | $121M | $25M | 2 | — | County |
| 8 Oct 2016 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | 1 | — | County |
| 29 Sep 2016 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Aug 2011 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Aug 2011 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Sep 2010 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 2010 | Flash Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jul 2009 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Sep 2008 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Sep 2008 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Sep 2008 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Aug 2008 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Aug 2007 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Nov 2006 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Jul 2005 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jul 2005 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jul 2005 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jul 2003 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 2001 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Aug 2000 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Oct 1999 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Sep 1999 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Sep 1999 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Sep 1999 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Sep 1999 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Sep 1999 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | 2 | — | County |
| 6 Sep 1999 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jan 1999 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Feb 1998 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 19 Jan 1998 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 8 Oct 1996 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Sep 1996 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many flood events has Wayne County had?
55 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 Wayne County?
11 Aug 2025 (Flash Flood). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging flood event recorded in Wayne County?
The flood of 9 Oct 2016, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $121M and crop damage at $25M; 2 deaths recorded.
How does Wayne County compare with North Carolina for flood?
9.9 events per 100 square miles against 11.1 statewide; the county holds 55 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.