Alert archive / Virginia / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2009

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 26, NWS Blacksburg, VA

May 8, 2009Carroll County, Grayson County, City of Galax, Virginia; Alleghany County, Ashe County, North Carolina

NWS Blacksburg, VA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 8, 2009, 7:47 PM EDT for Carroll County, Grayson County, City of Galax, Virginia; Alleghany County, Ashe County, North Carolina. It was in force for 24 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 8, 2009, 7:47 PM EDT (23:47 UTC)
Expired
May 8, 2009, 8:11 PM EDT
In force
24 min
Issued by
NWS Blacksburg, VA
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Alleghany County, NC, Ashe County, NC, Carroll County, VA, City of Galax, VA, Grayson County, VA

The radar

The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 88 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:48 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

The watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
May 8, 6:32 PM EDTTornado WatchSPC7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC (KGSO), launched 12:00Z, 11.8 hours before the alert went out and 122 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, Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC at 12:00Z on 2009-05-08Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 44 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, Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC at 12:00Z on 2009-05-08The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 45 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
44 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-125 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1315 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
42 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
45 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
138 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

What forecasters said that day

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

NWS Blacksburg, VA wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at May 8, 7:43 PM EDT, 4 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 8, 7:43 PM EDT, 4 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, May 8, 7:22 PM EDT, 25 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
722 PM EDT FRI MAY 8 2009

NCZ001>003-018-019-VAZ009-012-013-015-016-092330-
ASHE-ALLEGHANY NC-SURRY-WATAUGA-WILKES-SMYTH-WYTHE-PULASKI-GRAYSON-
CARROLL-
722 PM EDT FRI MAY 8 2009

...TORNADO WATCH 273 IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 AM EDT SATURDAY...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH CENTRAL NORTH
CAROLINA...NORTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA AND SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT.

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   TORNADO WATCH.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE AGAIN SATURDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED.

VAZ007-010-011-WVZ042-092330-
TAZEWELL-BLAND-GILES-MERCER-
722 PM EDT FRI MAY 8 2009

...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING...
...TORNADO WATCH 273 IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 AM EDT SATURDAY...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA AND
SOUTHEAST WEST VIRGINIA.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT.

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   TORNADO WATCH.
   FLOOD WATCH.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY.

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   FLOOD WATCH.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE AGAIN SATURDAY. THE HEAVY RAIN
THREAT WILL CONTINUE.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED.

VAZ018>020-WVZ043>045-092330-
CRAIG-ALLEGHANY VA-BATH-SUMMERS-MONROE-GREENBRIER-
722 PM EDT FRI MAY 8 2009

...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA...WEST
CENTRAL VIRGINIA AND SOUTHEAST WEST VIRGINIA.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT.

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   FLOOD WATCH.

THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN WILL IMPACT THE AREA TONIGHT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY.

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   FLOOD WATCH.

THE HEAVY RAIN THREAT WILL CONTINUE SATURDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED.

VAZ014-017-022>024-092330-
MONTGOMERY-FLOYD-ROANOKE-BOTETOURT-ROCKBRIDGE-
722 PM EDT FRI MAY 8 2009

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA AND WEST
CENTRAL VIRGINIA.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT.

THUNDERSTORMS MAY BRING GUSTY WINDS AND A DOWNPOUR OF RAIN TO THE
AREA TONIGHT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY.

THERE IS AN ISOLATED RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER SATURDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED.

NCZ004>006-020-VAZ032>035-043>047-058-059-092330-
STOKES-ROCKINGHAM-CASWELL-YADKIN-PATRICK-FRANKLIN-BEDFORD-AMHERST-
HENRY-PITTSYLVANIA-CAMPBELL-APPOMATTOX-BUCKINGHAM-HALIFAX-CHARLOTTE-
722 PM EDT FRI MAY 8 2009

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH CENTRAL NORTH
CAROLINA...NORTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA...CENTRAL VIRGINIA...SOUTH
CENTRAL VIRGINIA...SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA AND WEST CENTRAL VIRGINIA.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT.

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AFTER MIDNIGHT
TONIGHT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY.

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS SATURDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 8, 6:47 PM EDT, 1 hour before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
647 PM EDT FRI MAY 8 2009

NCZ001>003-018-019-VAZ007-009>013-015-016-WVZ042-090100-
ASHE-ALLEGHANY NC-SURRY-WATAUGA-WILKES-TAZEWELL-SMYTH-BLAND-GILES-
WYTHE-PULASKI-GRAYSON-CARROLL-MERCER-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...WEST JEFFERSON...SPARTA...DOBSON...
BOONE...WILKESBORO...TAZEWELL...MARION...BLAND...PEARISBURG...
WYTHEVILLE...PULASKI...INDEPENDENCE...WHITETOP...TROUTDALE...
VOLNEY...GALAX...BLUEFIELD...FLAT TOP
647 PM EDT FRI MAY 8 2009

A LARGE AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE EAST AT 40 MPH
AND OVERSPREAD MUCH OF NORTHWESTERN NORTH CAROLINA...SOUTHWESTERN
VIRGINIA AND EXTREME SOUTHERN WEST VIRGINIA BY MID EVENING. SOME
OF THE STRONGER STORMS MAY BE ACCOMPANIED BY DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE
HAIL...AND TORRENTIAL RAINFALL THAT COULD PRODUCE LOCALIZED FLOODING
IN AREAS OF POOR DRAINAGE. RAIN SHOULD TAPER OFF IN INTENSITY AND
AREAL COVERAGE BY LATE EVENING.

VAZ014-017>020-022>024-WVZ043>045-090100-
MONTGOMERY-FLOYD-CRAIG-ALLEGHANY VA-BATH-ROANOKE-BOTETOURT-
ROCKBRIDGE-SUMMERS-MONROE-GREENBRIER-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...RADFORD...BLACKSBURG...FLOYD...
NEW CASTLE...CLIFTON FORGE...HOT SPRINGS...ROANOKE...SALEM...
FINCASTLE...LEXINGTON...HINTON...HIX...UNION...LEWISBURG...
QUINWOOD...DUO...RAINELLE
647 PM EDT FRI MAY 8 2009

A LARGE AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE EAST AT 40 MPH
AND OVERSPREAD MUCH OF SOUTHEASTERN WEST VIRGINIA INTO WESTERN
VIRGINIA...INCLUDING THE NEW RIVER VALLEY...GREENBRIER VALLEY...AND
ALLEGHANY HIGHLANDS BY MID EVENING. SOME OF THE STRONGER STORMS
MAY BE ACCOMPANIED BY GUSTY WINDS TO 50 MPH...SMALL HAIL...AND
TORRENTIAL RAINFALL THAT COULD PRODUCE LOCALIZED FLOODING IN AREAS
OF POOR DRAINAGE. RAIN SHOULD TAPER OFF IN INTENSITY AND AREAL
COVERAGE BY LATE EVENING.

WERT

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 8, 3:51 PM EDTFlood WatchRNKAlleghany, Bath, Bland, Botetourt, Carroll, Craig and 18 more26 hr

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Virginia, 2009Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in North Carolina, 2009Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2009

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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.