HISTORIC: Florence swamps region with record rainfall

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Hurricane Florence was one for the record books. And we’re not done yet.

The National Weather Service says Florence dropped 23.59 inches of rain in Wilmington through 10 a.m. Sunday. That breaks the record for the wettest single weather event in the city’s history. The old record was 22.54 inches in late September 2010.

Florence also topped the rain impact for a named tropical system. That record was held by Hurricane Floyd, which dumped 19.06 inches of rain on the Port City in September 1999.

But that’s not all.

Florence’s rain also helped Wilmington break the record for annual rainfall set more than a century ago. Through this morning, 86.79 inches of rain has fallen this year in Wilmington. That tops the old record of 83.65 inches that fell during 1877.

The National Weather Service says with more than three months still left in the year, it is possible the annual rainfall at the recording station at Wilmington International Airport could end up at more than 100 inches.

The epic rain from Florence is likely to be followed by epic flooding. Many rivers and creeks are already overflowing, and the water is only expected to rise more before things start to get back to normal.

Stay with WWAY on-air and online for continuing coverage of the aftermath of Florence.