 Satellite image of the storm over the Eastern United States on October 3, with Hurricane Joaquin to the southeast. | |
| Type | Extratropical storm; nor'easter |
|---|---|
| Formed | September 29, 2015 |
| Dissipated | October 7, 2015 |
| Lowest pressure | 998 mbar (hPa; 29.47 inHg)[1] |
| Maximum rainfall | 26.88 in (683 mm) near Mount Pleasant, South Carolina[2] |
| Fatalities | At least 25 deaths |
| Damage | $2 billion (2015 USD)[3] |
| Areas affected | Eastern United States (especially South Carolina), Atlantic Canada |
The October 2015 North American storm complex was an extratropical storm that triggered a high precipitation event, which caused historic flash flooding across North and South Carolina. The incipient cold front traversed the Eastern United States on September 29–30, producing heavy rain in multiple states. The system subsequently stalled just offshore. Tapping into moisture from the nearby Hurricane Joaquin, a developing surface low brought heavy, continuous rain to southeastern States, with the worst effects concentrated in South Carolina where catastrophic flooding occurred. The event culminated in South Carolina on October 4 when numerous rivers burst their banks, washing away roads, bridges, vehicles, and homes. Hundreds of people required rescue and the state's emergency management department urged everyone in the state not to travel.[4] Some areas of the state saw rainfall equivalent to a 1-in-1000-year event.
At least 25 deaths have been attributed to the weather complex: 19 in South Carolina, 2 in New York, 2 in North Carolina, 1 in Florida, and 1 in New Brunswick. Damage from the storm reached $2 billion.[3]
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
WPC4was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Jason Krekeler (October 5, 2015). Storm Summary Number 13 for Southeast U.S. Heavy Rain and Coastal Storm (Report). Weather Prediction Center. Archived from the original on October 7, 2015. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
- ^ a b "Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters: Table of Events". NOAA. 2015. Retrieved September 6, 2018.
- ^ Ben Brumfield, Nick Valencia & Greg Botelho (October 4, 2015). "Flash flood emergencies spread in South Carolina; motorists stranded in water". CNN. Turner Broadcasting System. Retrieved October 4, 2015.