Key road open at NC coast nearly a year after 20+ inches of rain; no-name storm was 1,000-year flooding event

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WNCN) — A key road at the North Carolina coast reopened last week, nearly a year after an unnamed weather system dumped 20 inches of rain in Brunswick and New Hanover counties, washing out many roads, damaging homes, triggering at least 120 rescues, and leaving at least one person dead.

On Sept. 16, 2024, areas of Brunswick and southern New Hanover counties may have had 18 inches of rain within 12 hours, an event expected to occur, on average, once every 1,000 years, the National Weather Service said.

The storm, Potential Tropical Cyclone 8, spurred a tornado near Emerald Isle, flooded and washed out U.S. 17 in Brunswick County and U.S. 74/76 was closed in Columbus County.

An 80-year-old man from Southport was found dead in a submerged vehicle after driving along N.C. 211 near Stone Chimney Road, which was flooded.

Carolina Beach was hit with nearly 21 inches of rain, while Southport received 19 inches of rain.

Two days after the storm, at least 60 roads and bridges were still closed in North Carolina coastal counties.

The town of Belville, a riverfront community in Brunswick County, announced on Friday that N.C. 133 was back open after it was washed out by PTC8. The road N.C. 133 is a key passage from U.S. 17 down to Southport and Oak Island.

The storm was a surprise to most along the coast — with no name and a lack of organization.

Just 11 days after PTC8 swamped the coast, Tropical Storm Helene hit the North Carolina mountains with widespread flooding, destruction and many deaths.

The no-named storm at the coast hit Carolina Beach during the morning hours with flash flooding — and nearly 120 people were rescued during 50 calls in Carolina Beach alone.

A state of emergency was declared in eight coastal counties, including New Hanover, Brunswick, Bladen and Columbus. PTC8 even spawned a tornado near Emerald Isle in Carteret County.

Southern areas of Brunswick County were unreachable from Wilmington because of destroyed roads, including U.S. 17, which did not fully reopen until four days before Helene hit.

North Carolina officials estimated damages from PTC8 at more than $36.7 million.