Receive alerts from your local agencies
...or text your ZIP CODE to 888777 for mobile alerts

Full Notification

McDowell County Emergency Management
Wednesday July 22nd, 2026 :: 02:32 p.m. EDT

Advisory

Flood Watch until 08:00PM Thursday

* WHAT...Flash flooding caused by excessive rainfall is possible.

* WHERE...Portions of Piedmont and western North Carolina, including the following areas, in Piedmont North Carolina, Alexander, Cabarrus, Catawba, Cleveland, Davie, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, Mecklenburg and Rowan. In western North Carolina, Avery, Buncombe, Burke Mountains, Caldwell Mountains, Eastern McDowell, Eastern Polk, Graham, Greater Burke, Greater Caldwell, Greater Rutherford, Haywood, Henderson, Macon, Madison, McDowell Mountains, Mitchell, Northern Jackson, Polk Mountains, Rutherford Mountains, Southern Jackson, Swain, Transylvania and Yancey.

* WHEN...From 8 PM EDT this evening through Thursday evening.

* IMPACTS...Excessive runoff may result in flooding of creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations, including urban areas along the I-77 and I-40 corridors.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - Waves of heavy rain showers and scattered thunderstorms are forecast to move along a slow-moving cold front tonight into early Thursday. While widespread 1-2 inch rainfall amounts are expected across western North Carolina from this afternoon through tonight, isolated locations are expected to see multiple rounds of very heavy rainfall, and localized amounts as high as 5 inches are possible. - http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood

* AFFECTED AREAS: AVERY ... ALEXANDER ... IREDELL ... DAVIE ... MADISON ... YANCEY ... MITCHELL ... SWAIN ... HAYWOOD ... BUNCOMBE ... CATAWBA ... ROWAN ... GRAHAM ... NORTHERN JACKSON ... MACON ... SOUTHERN JACKSON ... TRANSYLVANIA ... HENDERSON ... CLEVELAND ... LINCOLN ... GASTON ... MECKLENBURG ... CABARRUS ... CALDWELL MOUNTAINS ... GREATER CALDWELL ... BURKE MOUNTAINS ... GREATER BURKE ... MCDOWELL MOUNTAINS ... EASTERN MCDOWELL ... RUTHERFORD MOUNTAINS ... GREATER RUTHERFORD ... POLK MOUNTAINS ... EASTERN POLK

Instructions:

A Flood Watch for flash flooding means there is a potential for rapid onset flooding based on current forecasts. Flash flooding is a very dangerous situation and may impact areas that do not typically flood. Please monitor the latest forecasts and be prepared to take action quickly should Flash Flood Warnings be issued.

Address/Location
McDowell County Emergency Management
129 Barnes Rd
Marion, NC 28752

Contact
Emergency: 9-1-1
Non-emergencies: 828-652-3241

TEXT-A-TIP -  Text TIP MCDOWELLEM followed by your message, to 888777

Submit an anonymous web tip

Alert Details

Severity:
Severe - Significant threat to life or property
Urgency:
Future - Responsive action SHOULD be taken in the near future
Certainty:
Possible (p <= ~50%)
Category:
Meteorological (inc. flood)
Event:
Flood Watch

Navigate & Discover