Bynum, NC – The Haw River near Bynum Bridge in Chatham County, North Carolina, bore the brunt of Tropical Storm Chantal’s wrath as it roared through the region, leaving behind a trail of devastation and record-breaking floodwaters. The storm, which made landfall as a tropical storm near Litchfield Beach, South Carolina, on July 6, 2025, before weakening to a tropical depression, dumped up to 10 inches of rain across central North Carolina, pushing the Haw River to levels not seen since Hurricane Fran in 1996.
On Monday morning, the Haw River at Bynum Bridge reached 22.48 feet, surpassing the previous record of 21.76 feet set during Hurricane Fran, according to the National Weather Service (NWS) Raleigh office. The record crest of the Haw River at Bynum was back on September 6, 1996.
The impacts were immediate and severe. By Sunday night, over 100 roads in and around Chatham County were flooded, including a portion of NC Highway 902 near Chatham Central Road, which collapsed under the force of the rushing waters. Sheriff Mike Roberson warned residents to avoid travel, noting that even as waters began to recede in some areas, hidden dangers remained.
Tragically, the storm claimed at least one life in Chatham County. On Sunday night around 11:30 p.m., 83-year-old Sandra Portnoy Hirschman of Pittsboro perished when her car was swept away by floodwaters on Farrington Point Road near Hinton Road. State Highway Patrol reported that her vehicle was carried approximately 100 feet off the roadway
Residents along the Haw River’s banks faced difficult conditions. At just 17 feet, several homes on the river’s bank began to flood, and by Monday morning, the river’s crest at Bynum Bridge had submerged several properties. The NWS warned that the Haw River would not fall below flood stage until Tuesday morning.
Chantal’s impacts extended beyond flooding. The NWS confirmed four tornadoes touched down across central North Carolina, including one near Moncure in Chatham County, where trees were toppled and minor structural damage reported. Power outages affected thousands, with Duke Energy reporting 18,000 customers without electricity in central North Carolina by Monday morning.
The North Carolina Department of Transportation reported that crews were working around the clock to inspect and reopen roads, including sections of Interstate 40/85, which had been closed due to flooding.