Tropical Storm Debby left Wilmington a week ago, but the storm is still causing problems

Gareth McGrath, USA TODAY NETWORK
Updated ·4 min read

Debby isn't done with Wilmington just yet.

Although the tropical storm's last few rain bands blew through the Cape Fear region nearly a week ago, the storm's soggy legacy continues to cause problems across Southeastern North Carolina.

And the saturated ground Debby left behind after dumping more than a month's worth of rain in just a few days in some areas means it's going to take quite a while for it to dry out.

King tides, starting this weekend and running through Wednesday, also could help continue the flooding misery for some residents, especially near the coast.

Flooded roads remain a problem in some areas of Southeastern N.C. nearly a week after Tropical Storm Debby moved through the region.
Flooded roads remain a problem in some areas of Southeastern N.C. nearly a week after Tropical Storm Debby moved through the region.

WHAT ARE KING TIDES? We're likely going to find out at local beaches starting this weekend

River flooding

After rising for more than a week, the region's rivers are slowly starting to see water levels receding from flood stage. But it still could be days before some of the soggy areas near the bloated waterways start drying out.

Here's the status of some of the area's major waterways:

  • Northeast Cape Fear River: The river entered major flood stage at the N.C. 53 bridge east of Burgaw Monday and stayed that way until Wednesday afternoon. The waterway, which drains much of Pender and Duplin counties, is expected to stay above flood stage well into next week.

  • Black River: The Black River near Tomahawk, Sampson County, crested just below major flood stage on Sunday. It has since been gradually falling and is finally expected to drop back below flood stage before the weekend.

  • Cape Fear River: King tides will help slow the flow of all the freshwater traveling down the broad river to the Atlantic for a bit, meaning the river will remain above minor flood stage through downtown Wilmington over the weekend and into next week.

  • Waccamaw River: The river crested in western Brunswick County last weekend and has been slowly, but steadily falling since. The waterway is forecast to fall below flood stage by Monday.

  • For real-time river level information, go to the state's Flood Inundation Mapping and Alert Network (fiman.nc.gov).

Flooded roads

With Debby swamping many parts of the Wilmington area, the region's network of drains, creeks, grassy swales and detention ponds has had trouble keeping up with the demands placed on it.

The result has often been floodwaters causing road closures across the region − with Pender County the epicenter of this ongoing mess.

According to the N.C. Department of Transportation and local officials, here are some of the major roads and streets in the Wilmington area that remained closed or sometimes impassable due to flooding.

Residents also are reminded to check DriveNC.gov, the DOT's real-time traffic and road condition website, for the latest information.

WASHED OUT: Debby flooded, damaged popular street in Ogden. How long will it be closed?

Eastwood Road in Belville has been closed due to standing water for several days.
Eastwood Road in Belville has been closed due to standing water for several days.

Pender County

  • N.C. 53 roughly between Interstate 40 and Maple Hill remains closed and is expected to remain impassable into next week. Pender County Emergency Management said parts of the roadway were flooded with more than 5 feet of water. Residential roads off N.C. 53 also remain treacherous and largely impassable.

  • N.C. 210 and other roads in western Pender County near the Black River remain covered in water. Drivers should proceed with caution.

  • N.C. 210 between Rocky Point and Hampstead is open, but officials warn that flooding is possible as floodwaters moves toward the coast − especially during high tide and after heavy rain events.

STORMY WEATHER AHEAD? As Wilmington dries out from Debby, more storm activity is stirring up in the tropics

Brunswick County

  • In Belville standing water remains on Eastwood Road, River Birch Ridge Court and Two Pine Road.

  • A stretch of N.C. 904 between Horseshoe Road in western Brunswick County to the Columbus County line remains flooded and closed.

  • Officials warn motorists to remain vigilant to standing water on low-lying roadways as floodwaters keep making their slow trek toward the Atlantic. This is especially true in coastal areas, where high tides could push water back up some creeks and drainage ditches.

A stretch of Pireway Road, also known as N.C. 904, in western Brunswick County remains closed due to flooding.
A stretch of Pireway Road, also known as N.C. 904, in western Brunswick County remains closed due to flooding.

New Hanover County

  • Dove Field Drive in Ogden is closed after it was overwashed by a flash flood late last week. It isn't known how long repairs will take.

  • Carolina Beach and Kure Beach officials are warning drivers to be careful after heavy, isolated storms earlier this week dropped several inches of rain in a very short period of time, leading to several instances of flash flooding and standing water on streets. While conditions have improved, there's still the chance for more flooding if there's additional rain or during King Tide events.

Reporter Gareth McGrath can be reached at GMcGrath@Gannett.com or @GarethMcGrathSN on X/Twitter. This story was produced with financial support from the Green South Foundation and the Prentice Foundation. The USA TODAY Network maintains full editorial control of the work.

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Tropical Storm Debby still causing flooding in Wilmington, NC