Alert archive / Virginia / Flash Flood Warnings in 1999

Flash Flood Warning 2, NWS Wakefield, VA

July 24, 1999City of Portsmouth, City of Suffolk, Virginia

NWS Wakefield, VA issued this flash flood warning at Jul 24, 1999, 4:45 PM EDT for City of Portsmouth, City of Suffolk, Virginia. It was in force for 3 hr. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 24, 1999, 4:45 PM EDT (20:45 UTC)
Expired
Jul 24, 1999, 7:45 PM EDT
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Wakefield, VA
Area
Whole counties

Counties City of Portsmouth, VA, City of Suffolk, VA

The nearest sounding before it

Wallops Is Stn, VA (KWAL), launched 12:00Z, 8.8 hours before the alert went out and 159 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Wallops Is Stn, VA at 12:00Z on 1999-07-24Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 924 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Wallops Is Stn, VA at 12:00Z on 1999-07-24The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 47 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
924 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-76 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1083 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
25 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
47 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
71 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.1
Supercell composite
2.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
TTAA00 KAKQ 242046
FFWAKQ
VAC550-710-740-800-810-242345-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
445 PM EDT SAT JUL 24 1999

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR
  THE CITY OF CHESAPEAKE IN SOUTHEASTERN VIRGINIA
  THE CITY OF NORFOLK IN SOUTHEASTERN VIRGINIA
  THE CITY OF PORTSMOUTH IN SOUTHEASTERN VIRGINIA
  THE CITY OF SUFFOLK IN SOUTHEASTERN VIRGINIA
  THE CITY OF VIRGINIA BEACH IN SOUTHEASTERN VIRGINIA

* UNTIL 745 PM EDT

* AT 441 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED STRONG TO
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS NEARLY STATIONARY FROM SUFFOLK THROUGH
PORTSMOUTH...CHESAPEAKE...NORFOLK AND VIRGINIA BEACH.  REPORTS OF
THREE TO SIX INCHES OF RAIN /3.00 TO 6.00/ HAVE BEEN REPORTED AS
WELL AS MAJOR PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS.  MANY ROADS ARE BECOMING
IMPASSABLE IN LOW SPOTS.  THE STORMS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH 7 PM...
WHEN THEY WILL BEGIN TO MOVE OUT OF HAMPTON ROADS.

IF YOU ARE IN THESE AREAS... MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND. DO NOT DRIVE
THROUGH WATER COVERING THE ROAD.

DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE
ROADWAY. WATER DEPTH OF FOOT OR LESS CAN QUICKLY BECOME A RAGING
TORRENT...CAPABLE OF SWEEPING VEHICLES OFF THE ROAD. VEHICLES
CAUGHT IN RISING WATER SHOULD BE ABANDONED QUICKLY. MOVE TO
HIGHER GROUND.

NS

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this flash flood warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Wakefield, VA wrote its last area forecast discussion before this flash flood warning went out at Jul 24, 1:50 PM EDT, 2 hours 55 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 24, 1:50 PM EDT, 2 hours 55 minutes before
WAKEFIELD FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
150 PM EDT SAT JUL 24 1999

TNGT...LOTS OF CNVCTN FIRING NOW...VIL OF DAY SEEMS TO BE LWR 60S...
AND WL KP AN EYE FOR BOWING STORMS.  EXTREME LTG ASSOC WTH STORMS...
SO LTG CUD KNOCK DOWN TREES AND POWER LINES JUST AS WNDS CUD.  WL
UP POPS JUST ABOUT EVERYWHERE TNGT...AND LOWS SHUD BE IN 70S
THROUGHOUT.  SFC WNSHFT TO W AND NW OVRNGT MOST AREAS.

TMRW...BESIDES A PSBL LINGERING TSTM OVR HMPTN RDS OR NERN NC...
CLRG AND DEW PTS DROPPING INTO UPR 60S.  H8 TEMPS ONLY DROP A LTL...
SO HGHS IN LWR/MID 90S MOST AREAS WTH STDY W TO NW WNDS.  DEW PTS
SHUD BE LOW ENUF TO PRVNT HT ADVSY WTH TEMPS IN LWR/MID 90S.

TMRW NGT...UPR TROF AMPLIFIES ALG THE COAST AND CONT COOLING AT
H8.  TEMPS WL FALL TO UPR 60S LWR MD TO ARND 70 MANY OTHE RPLCS...
LWR 70S HMPTN RDS AND NERN NC.

MONDAY...WNDS WL SHFT TO MORE N AND NE SO CSTL AREAS SHUD SEE UPR
80S TO ARND 90 WHL INLAND AREAS WL SEE ARND 90.

NOW ITS TIME TO GET BACK TO THE RADAR

.AKQ...SVR TSTM WATCH VAZ048-049-060-064 UNTIL 7 PM AND
SVR TSTM WATCH ALL OTHER VAZ AND MDZ UNTIL 9 PM.

NS

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 24, 11:30 AM EDT, 5 hours 15 minutes before
MDZ021>025-VAZ048-049-061>064-067>100-250000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
1130 AM EDT SAT JUL 24 1999

...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS...A FEW POSSIBLY SEVERE...ARE EXPECTED
THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH THIS EVENING ACROSS THE LOWER MARYLAND EASTERN
SHORE AND CENTRAL AND EASTERN VIRGINIA...

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE AFFECTING AREAS ALONG THE VIRGINIA
MOUNTAINS...AND WILL TRACK INTO OUR AREA LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING. A FEW THUNDERSTORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE WITH DAMAGING WINDS
AND LARGE HAIL. THE GREATEST THREAT FOR THE LOWER MARYLAND EASTERN
SHORE IS AFTER 3 PM...AND CONTINUING INTO THE EVENING.  THE
THUNDERSTORMS WILL BEGIN TO AFFECT CENTRAL VIRGINIA AFTER 4 PM...
REACHING THE RICHMOND AND TRI-CITIES AREA TO SOUTH HILL AFTER 5 PM.
THE GREATEST THREAT FROM EMPORIA TO HAMPTON ROADS AND THE VIRGINIA
EASTERN SHORE IS AFTER 6 PM.

FREQUENT LIGHTNING IS LIKELY WITH THE THUNDERSTORMS SO ALL INTERESTS
ARE ADVISED TO SEEK SAFE SHELTER IF THREATENING WEATHER
APPROACHES. HEAVY DOWNPOURS COULD CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL TELEVISION OR RADIO
STATIONS...OR YOUR CABLE TELEVISION PROVIDER FOR LATER STATEMENTS
CONCERNING THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SEVERE WEATHER THREAT.

NS
Special weather statement, Jul 24, 11:30 AM EDT, 5 hours 15 minutes before
MDZ021>025-VAZ048-049-061>064-067>100-250000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
1130 AM EDT SAT JUL 24 1999

...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS...A FEW POSSIBLY SEVERE...ARE EXPECTED
THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH THIS EVENING ACROSS THE LOWER MARYLAND EASTERN
SHORE AND CENTRAL AND EASTERN VIRGINIA...

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE AFFECTING AREAS ALONG THE VIRGINIA
MOUNTAINS...AND WILL TRACK INTO OUR AREA LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING. A FEW THUNDERSTORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE WITH DAMAGING WINDS
AND LARGE HAIL. THE GREATEST THREAT FOR THE LOWER MARYLAND EASTERN
SHORE IS AFTER 3 PM...AND CONTINUING INTO THE EVENING.  THE
THUNDERSTORMS WILL BEGIN TO AFFECT CENTRAL VIRGINIA AFTER 4 PM...
REACHING THE RICHMOND AND TRI-CITIES AREA TO SOUTH HILL AFTER 5 PM.
THE GREATEST THREAT FROM EMPORIA TO HAMPTON ROADS AND THE VIRGINIA
EASTERN SHORE IS AFTER 6 PM.

FREQUENT LIGHTNING IS LIKELY WITH THE THUNDERSTORMS SO ALL INTERESTS
ARE ADVISED TO SEEK SAFE SHELTER IF THREATENING WEATHER
APPROACHES. HEAVY DOWNPOURS COULD CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL TELEVISION OR RADIO
STATIONS...OR YOUR CABLE TELEVISION PROVIDER FOR LATER STATEMENTS
CONCERNING THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SEVERE WEATHER THREAT.

NS
Special weather statement, Jul 24, 1:02 PM EDT, 3 hours 43 minutes before
VAZ048-049-060>064-242300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
102 PM EDT SAT JUL 24 1999

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 580 HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR PARTS OF
CENTRAL VIRGINIA UNTIL 7 PM EDT...

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...

...PRINCE EDWARD...CUMBERLAND...GOOCHLAND...FLUVANNA...LOUISA...
HANOVER...CAROLINE...

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING OVER NORTHERN VIRGINIA ARE
MOVING SOUTHEAST AND WILL AFFECT AREAS FROM FARMVILLE TO HANOVER
AND CAROLINE THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON.  SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS
COULD BE SEVERE WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS.

FREQUENT LIGHTNING WILL OCCUR WITH ANY THUNDERSTORMS SO IF
THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES...SEEK SAFE SHELTER.  HEAVY DOWNPOURS
COULD CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS.

REMEMBER...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS ARE POSSIBLE IN AND NEAR THE
WATCH AREA.  STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL TELEVISION
OR RADIO STATIONS...OR YOUR CABLE TELEVISION PROVIDER FOR LATER
STATEMENTS CONCERNING THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SEVERE WEATHER
THREAT.

NS
Special weather statement, Jul 24, 1:02 PM EDT, 3 hours 43 minutes before
VAZ048-049-060>064-242300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
102 PM EDT SAT JUL 24 1999

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 580 HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR PARTS OF
CENTRAL VIRGINIA UNTIL 7 PM EDT...

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...

...PRINCE EDWARD...CUMBERLAND...GOOCHLAND...FLUVANNA...LOUISA...
HANOVER...CAROLINE...

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING OVER NORTHERN VIRGINIA ARE
MOVING SOUTHEAST AND WILL AFFECT AREAS FROM FARMVILLE TO HANOVER
AND CAROLINE THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON.  SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS
COULD BE SEVERE WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS.

FREQUENT LIGHTNING WILL OCCUR WITH ANY THUNDERSTORMS SO IF
THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES...SEEK SAFE SHELTER.  HEAVY DOWNPOURS
COULD CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS.

REMEMBER...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS ARE POSSIBLE IN AND NEAR THE
WATCH AREA.  STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL TELEVISION
OR RADIO STATIONS...OR YOUR CABLE TELEVISION PROVIDER FOR LATER
STATEMENTS CONCERNING THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SEVERE WEATHER
THREAT.

NS
Special weather statement, Jul 24, 2:00 PM EDT, 2 hours 45 minutes before
MDZ021>025-VAZ065>100-250100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
200 PM EDT SAT JUL 24 1999

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 581 HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR CENTRAL
AND EASTERN VIRGINIA AND THE LOWER MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE UNTIL 9 PM
EDT...

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN
VIRGINIA...

...ACCOMACK-AMELIA-BRUNSWICK-CAROLINE-CHARLES CITY-CHESAPEAKE-
CHESTERFIELD INCLUDING COLONIAL HEIGHTS-DINWIDDIE--ESSEX-
GLOUCESTER-GREENSVILLE INCLUDING EMPORIA-HANOVER-
HENRICO INCLUDING THE CITY OF RICHMOND-ISLE OF WIGHT-
JAMES CITY COUNTY INCLUDING WILLIAMSBURG-KING AND QUEEN-KING
WILLIAM-LANCASTER-LUNENBURG-MARYLAND BEACHES INCLUDING OCEAN CITY-
MATHEWS-MECKLENBURG-MIDDLESEX-NEW KENT-NEWPORT NEWS/HAMPTON-
NORFOLK/PORTSMOUTH-NORTHAMPTON-NORTHUMBERLAND-NOTTOWAY-POWHATAN-
PRINCE GEORGE INCLUDING PETERSBURG & HOPEWELL-RICHMOND--
SOUTHAMPTON INCLUDING FRANKLIN-SUFFOLK-SURRY-SUSSEX-VIRGINIA BEACH-
WESTMORELAND-YORK INCLUDING POQUOSON CITY-

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN
MARYLAND...

...WICOMICO-DORCHESTER-SOMERSET-WORCESTER INCLUDING OCEAN CITY

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING OVER NORTHERN VIRGINIA ARE
MOVING SOUTHEAST AND WILL AFFECT CENTRAL AND EASTERN VIRGINIA
AND THE LOWER MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING. SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS COULD BE SEVERE WITH LARGE HAIL
AND DAMAGING WINDS.

FREQUENT LIGHTNING WILL OCCUR WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS SO IF
THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES...SEEK SAFE SHELTER.  HEAVY DOWNPOURS
COULD CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS.

REMEMBER...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS ARE POSSIBLE IN AND NEAR THE
WATCH AREA.  STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL TELEVISION
OR RADIO STATIONS...OR YOUR CABLE TELEVISION PROVIDER FOR LATER
STATEMENTS CONCERNING THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SEVERE WEATHER
THREAT.

NS
Special weather statement, Jul 24, 2:00 PM EDT, 2 hours 45 minutes before
MDZ021>025-VAZ065>100-250100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
200 PM EDT SAT JUL 24 1999

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 581 HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR CENTRAL
AND EASTERN VIRGINIA AND THE LOWER MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE UNTIL 9 PM
EDT...

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN
VIRGINIA...

...ACCOMACK-AMELIA-BRUNSWICK-CAROLINE-CHARLES CITY-CHESAPEAKE-
CHESTERFIELD INCLUDING COLONIAL HEIGHTS-DINWIDDIE--ESSEX-
GLOUCESTER-GREENSVILLE INCLUDING EMPORIA-HANOVER-
HENRICO INCLUDING THE CITY OF RICHMOND-ISLE OF WIGHT-
JAMES CITY COUNTY INCLUDING WILLIAMSBURG-KING AND QUEEN-KING
WILLIAM-LANCASTER-LUNENBURG-MARYLAND BEACHES INCLUDING OCEAN CITY-
MATHEWS-MECKLENBURG-MIDDLESEX-NEW KENT-NEWPORT NEWS/HAMPTON-
NORFOLK/PORTSMOUTH-NORTHAMPTON-NORTHUMBERLAND-NOTTOWAY-POWHATAN-
PRINCE GEORGE INCLUDING PETERSBURG & HOPEWELL-RICHMOND--
SOUTHAMPTON INCLUDING FRANKLIN-SUFFOLK-SURRY-SUSSEX-VIRGINIA BEACH-
WESTMORELAND-YORK INCLUDING POQUOSON CITY-

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN
MARYLAND...

...WICOMICO-DORCHESTER-SOMERSET-WORCESTER INCLUDING OCEAN CITY

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING OVER NORTHERN VIRGINIA ARE
MOVING SOUTHEAST AND WILL AFFECT CENTRAL AND EASTERN VIRGINIA
AND THE LOWER MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING. SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS COULD BE SEVERE WITH LARGE HAIL
AND DAMAGING WINDS.

FREQUENT LIGHTNING WILL OCCUR WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS SO IF
THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES...SEEK SAFE SHELTER.  HEAVY DOWNPOURS
COULD CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS.

REMEMBER...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS ARE POSSIBLE IN AND NEAR THE
WATCH AREA.  STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL TELEVISION
OR RADIO STATIONS...OR YOUR CABLE TELEVISION PROVIDER FOR LATER
STATEMENTS CONCERNING THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SEVERE WEATHER
THREAT.

NS

The office that day

Everything else NWS Wakefield, VA issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 24, 2:12 PM EDTTornado WarningAKQCaroline33 min
Jul 24, 3:13 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQCumberland, Prince Edward32 min
Jul 24, 3:18 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQSouthampton32 min
Jul 24, 3:50 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQPrince Edward35 min
Jul 24, 4:04 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQDinwiddie31 min
Jul 24, 4:09 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQCity of Chesapeake, City of Portsmouth, City of Suffolk36 min
Jul 24, 4:17 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQIsle of Wight18 min
Jul 24, 4:45 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningAKQCity of Chesapeake, City of Norfolk, City of Virginia Beach3 hr
Jul 24, 7:45 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningAKQCity of Chesapeake, City of Norfolk, City of Portsmouth, City of Suffolk, City of Virginia Beach75 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Virginia, 1999Every flash flood warning in 1999

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.