Alert archive / Virginia / Flash Flood Warnings in 2011

Flash Flood Warning 1, NWS Blacksburg, VA

March 10, 20115 counties in Virginia

NWS Blacksburg, VA issued this flash flood warning at Mar 10, 2011, 3:05 PM EST for 5 counties in Virginia. It was in force for 5 hr. 1 report came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Mar 10, 2011, 3:05 PM EST (20:05 UTC)
Expired
Mar 10, 2011, 8:17 PM EST
In force
5 hr
Issued by
NWS Blacksburg, VA
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

Counties Amherst County, VA, Botetourt County, VA, City of Buena Vista, VA, City of Lexington, VA, Rockbridge County, VA

The radar

The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 96 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:07 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.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Mar 10, 3:30 PM ESTFLASH FLOOD1 Ssw Lithia, VART 64 LITHIA RD CLOSED DUE TO FLOODING FROM BACK CREEK

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

The nearest sounding before it

Roanoke, VA (KRNK), launched 12:00Z, 8.1 hours before the alert went out and 47 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, Roanoke, VA at 12:00Z on 2011-03-10Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 8 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Roanoke, VA at 12:00Z on 2011-03-10The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 170 square meters per square second.1939587897117Sfc1 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
8 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-47 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
486 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
77 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
170 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
217 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

978 
WGUS51 KRNK 102005
FFWRNK
VAC009-023-163-530-678-110200-
/O.NEW.KRNK.FF.W.0001.110310T2005Z-110311T0200Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
305 PM EST THU MAR 10 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BLACKSBURG HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  ROCKBRIDGE COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL VIRGINIA
  CITY OF BUENA VISTA IN WEST CENTRAL VIRGINIA
  CITY OF LEXINGTON IN WEST CENTRAL VIRGINIA
  BOTETOURT COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL VIRGINIA
  AMHERST COUNTY IN CENTRAL VIRGINIA

* UNTIL 900 PM EST.

* AT 303 PM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED   
  VERY HEAVY RAIN FROM A CLUSTER OF THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO THE 
  WARNED AREA.

* LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO ORISKANY...
  LEXINGTON CITY...VESUVIUS...ROCKBRIDGE BATHS...NATURAL BRIDGE...
  GOSHEN...GLASGOW...FAIRFIELD...CORNWALL...COLLIERSTOWN...
  BROWNSBURG...BELLS VALLEY...ORONOCO...NEW GLASGOW...LOWESVILLE...
  FORKS OF BUFFALO...CLIFFORD...ALTO...GLEN WILTON...GALA...EAGLE
  ROCK AND BUENA VISTA CITY.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FLOODING OF SMALL
CREEKS AND STREAMS...HIGHWAYS AND UNDERPASSES. ADDITIONALLY...COUNTRY
ROADS AND FARMLANDS ALONG THE BANKS OF CREEKS...STREAMS AND OTHER LOW
LYING AREAS ARE SUBJECT TO FLOODING.

DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE
ROADWAY. THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO CROSS
SAFELY. MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND.

PLEASE RELAY ANY REPORTS OF FLOODING INCLUDING MUDSLIDES...OR ROAD
CLOSURES TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BLACKSBURG BY CALLING
TOLL FREE...1...8 6 6...2 1 5...4 3 2 4. DELAYED REPORTS ARE WELCOME.

&&

LAT...LON 3789 7916 3782 7916 3779 7909 3753 7890
      3740 7909 3751 7923 3750 7926 3762 7944
      3757 7944 3747 7959 3749 7967 3741 7981
      3733 7985 3742 8004 3755 7997 3763 8002
      3779 7981 3776 7966 3805 7947

$$

JJ
2 follow-up statements
614 
WGUS71 KRNK 102156
FFSRNK

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
456 PM EST THU MAR 10 2011

VAC009-023-163-530-678-110200-
/O.CON.KRNK.FF.W.0001.000000T0000Z-110311T0200Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
ROCKBRIDGE VA-CITY OF BUENA VISTA VA-CITY OF LEXINGTON VA-
BOTETOURT VA-AMHERST VA-
456 PM EST THU MAR 10 2011

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM EST FOR THE
CITY OF BUENA VISTA...THE CITY OF LEXINGTON... AMHERST...BOTETOURT
AND ROCKBRIDGE COUNTIES...

AT 447 PM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED 
THAT THUNDERSTORM WITH HEAVY RAINFALL HAD MOVED OUT OF THE AREA. 
HOWEVER...RUNOFF FROM THE HEAVY RAIN IS CAUSING SMALL STREAMS TO 
COME OUT OF THEIR BANKS. IN ADDITION...RADAR SHOWS MORE MODERATE TO 
HEAVY RAIN WILL MOVE INTO THE WARNED AREA THROUGH 600 PM. 

ROUTE 640...LITHIA RD...WAS REPORTED CLOSED BY BACK CREEK IN EASTERN 
BOTETOURT COUNTY.   

LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO LEXINGTON
CITY...VESUVIUS...ROCKBRIDGE BATHS...NATURAL BRIDGE...GOSHEN...
GLASGOW...FAIRFIELD...CORNWALL...COLLIERSTOWN...BROWNSBURG...BELLS
VALLEY...PLEASANT VIEW...ORONOCO...NEW GLASGOW...LOWESVILLE...FORKS
OF BUFFALO...CLIFFORD...ALTO...ORISKANY...GLEN WILTON...GALA...EAGLE
ROCK AND BUENA VISTA CITY

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FLOODING OF SMALL
CREEKS AND STREAMS...COUNTRY ROADS...AS WELL AS FARMLAND ALONG THE
BANKS OF CREEKS AND STREAMS.

DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE
ROADWAY. THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO CROSS
SAFELY. MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM EST
THURSDAY EVENING FOR NORTH CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA AND SOUTH CENTRAL
VIRGINIA.

&&

LAT...LON 3789 7916 3782 7916 3779 7909 3753 7890
      3740 7909 3751 7923 3750 7926 3762 7944
      3757 7944 3747 7959 3749 7967 3741 7981
      3733 7985 3742 8004 3755 7997 3763 8002
      3779 7981 3776 7966 3805 7947

$$

JJ
649 
WGUS71 KRNK 110117
FFSRNK

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
817 PM EST THU MAR 10 2011

VAC009-023-163-530-678-110126-
/O.CAN.KRNK.FF.W.0001.000000T0000Z-110311T0200Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
ROCKBRIDGE VA-CITY OF BUENA VISTA VA-CITY OF LEXINGTON VA-
BOTETOURT VA-AMHERST VA-
817 PM EST THU MAR 10 2011

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR THE CITY OF BUENA
VISTA...THE CITY OF LEXINGTON... AMHERST...BOTETOURT AND ROCKBRIDGE
COUNTIES...

REPORTS FROM COUNTY OFFICIALS INDICATED THAT WATER WAS RECEDING IN 
ALL AREAS WHERE IT HAD FLOODED EARLIER. STREAMS IN THE AREA WILL 
STILL RISE SOME THIS EVENING BEFORE RECEDING OVERNIGHT. THE HEAVY 
RAIN THREAT HAS ALSO ENDED...THEREFORE...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING HAS 
BEEN CANCELLED.

LAT...LON 3789 7916 3782 7916 3779 7909 3753 7890
      3740 7909 3751 7923 3750 7926 3762 7944
      3757 7944 3747 7959 3749 7967 3741 7981
      3733 7985 3742 8004 3755 7997 3763 8002
      3779 7981 3776 7966 3805 7947

$$

WP

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 10, 4:09 AM ESTWinter Weather AdvisoryRNKBland, Grayson, Smyth, Tazewell33 hr
Mar 10, 12:33 PM ESTSpecial Weather StatementRNKCraig, Giles57 min
Mar 10, 1:09 PM ESTSpecial Weather StatementRNKMontgomery, Roanoke, City of Roanoke, City of Salem66 min
Mar 10, 1:56 PM ESTSpecial Weather StatementRNKCampbell, Pittsylvania, City of Danville64 min
Mar 10, 1:57 PM ESTSpecial Weather StatementRNKBotetourt, Rockbridge, City of Buena Vista, City of Lexington, City of Roanoke48 min
Mar 10, 2:47 PM ESTSpecial Weather StatementRNKAmherst, Appomattox, Buckingham, Campbell, Charlotte, Rockbridge and 3 more58 min
Mar 10, 3:38 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKCharlotte, Halifax41 min
Mar 10, 3:41 PM ESTAreal Flood AdvisoryRNKCarroll, Floyd, Franklin, Patrick4 hr
Mar 10, 4:16 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKAppomattox, Buckingham46 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Virginia, 2011Every flash flood warning in 2011

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.