October 2015 North American storm complex
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) |
| Maximum rainfall | 26.88 in (683 mm) near Mount Pleasant, South Carolina |
| Fatalities | At least 25 deaths |
| Damage | $2 billion (2015 USD) |
| 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. 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.