Alert archive / Virginia / Flash Flood Warnings in 2011

Flash Flood Warning 30, NWS Blacksburg, VA

May 22, 20115 counties in Virginia

NWS Blacksburg, VA issued this flash flood warning at May 22, 2011, 8:48 PM EDT for 5 counties in Virginia. It was in force for 4 hr. 2 reports 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: May 22, 2011, 8:48 PM EDT (00:48 UTC)
Expired: May 23, 2011, 12:45 AM EDT
In force: 4 hr
Issued by: NWS Blacksburg, VA
Area: Storm-based polygon
Flood severity: None

Counties Bland County, VA, Craig County, VA, Giles County, VA, Montgomery County, VA, Pulaski County, VA

The radar

The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 46 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:50 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

Time	Report	Where	Remark
May 22, 10:32 PM EDT	FLASH FLOOD	1 Sw Mc Coy, VA	DRY BRANCH FLOODED ROUTE 602.
May 22, 11:01 PM EDT	FLASH FLOOD	5 S Mountain Lake, VA	SPRUCE RUN FLOODED A PORTION OF ROUTE 605.

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 00:00Z, 0.8 hours before the alert went out and 111 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 69 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -41 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 2383 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 28 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 57 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 106 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

830 
WGUS51 KRNK 230048
FFWRNK
VAC021-045-071-121-155-230445-
/O.NEW.KRNK.FF.W.0030.110523T0048Z-110523T0445Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
848 PM EDT SUN MAY 22 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BLACKSBURG HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  NORTHERN PULASKI COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA
  SOUTHERN GILES COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA
  SOUTHWESTERN CRAIG COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA
  EAST CENTRAL BLAND COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA
  NORTHERN MONTGOMERY COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA

* UNTIL 1245 AM EDT.

* AT 845 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
  VERY HEAVY RAIN FROM A THUNDERSTORM OVER THE WARNED AREA.

* LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
  SIMMONSVILLE...HUFFMAN...THESSALIA...PEMBROKE...NEWPORT...MOUNTAIN
  LAKE...EGGLESTON...BANE AND MC DONALDS MILL.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

FLOODING IS OCCURRING OR IS IMMINENT. MOST FLOOD RELATED DEATHS OCCUR
IN AUTOMOBILES. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS WATER COVERED BRIDGES...
DIPS...OR LOW WATER CROSSINGS. NEVER TRY TO CROSS A FLOWING STREAM...
EVEN A SMALL ONE...ON FOOT. TO ESCAPE RISING WATER MOVE UP TO HIGHER
GROUND.

IN HILLY TERRAIN THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF LOW WATER CROSSINGS WHICH ARE
POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS IN HEAVY RAIN. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO TRAVEL ACROSS
FLOODED ROADS. FIND ALTERNATE ROUTES. IT TAKES ONLY A FEW INCHES OF
SWIFTLY FLOWING WATER TO CARRY VEHICLES AWAY.

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 3721 8098 3745 8033 3725 8023 3703 8090
      3707 8091 3707 8093

$$

16

2 follow-up statements

165 
WGUS71 KRNK 230200
FFSRNK

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
1000 PM EDT SUN MAY 22 2011

VAC021-045-071-121-155-230445-
/O.CON.KRNK.FF.W.0030.000000T0000Z-110523T0445Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
PULASKI VA-GILES VA-CRAIG VA-BLAND VA-MONTGOMERY VA-
1000 PM EDT SUN MAY 22 2011

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1245 AM EDT FOR
NORTHERN MONTGOMERY...EASTERN BLAND...SOUTHWESTERN CRAIG...SOUTHERN
GILES AND NORTHERN PULASKI COUNTIES...

AT 954 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO 
INDICATE MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN SHOWERS ACROSS THE WARNED AREA. SOME 
OF THIS RAIN IS OCCURRING OVER AREAS WHICH RECEIVED VERY HEAVY 
DOWNPOURS FROM THUNDERSTORMS EARLIER THIS EVENING. 

LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
SIMMONSVILLE...HUFFMAN...WHITE GATE...THESSALIA...POPLAR HILL...
PEMBROKE...NEWPORT...MOUNTAIN LAKE...EGGLESTON...BANE...PRICES
FORK...MERRIMAC...MC DONALDS MILL...BLACKSBURG...PARROTT AND MC COY

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS IMMINENT OR OCCURRING.
IF YOU ARE IN THE WARNING AREA MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND IMMEDIATELY.
RESIDENTS LIVING ALONG STREAMS AND CREEKS SHOULD TAKE IMMEDIATE
PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS
SWIFTLY FLOWING WATERS OR WATERS OF UNKNOWN DEPTH BY FOOT OR BY
AUTOMOBILE.

&&

LAT...LON 3721 8098 3745 8033 3725 8023 3703 8090
      3707 8091 3707 8093

$$

16

806 
WGUS71 KRNK 230440
FFSRNK

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
1240 AM EDT MON MAY 23 2011

VAC021-045-071-121-155-230449-
/O.EXP.KRNK.FF.W.0030.000000T0000Z-110523T0445Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
PULASKI VA-GILES VA-CRAIG VA-BLAND VA-MONTGOMERY VA-
1240 AM EDT MON MAY 23 2011

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 1245 AM EDT FOR NORTHERN
MONTGOMERY...EASTERN BLAND...SOUTHWESTERN CRAIG...SOUTHERN GILES AND
NORTHERN PULASKI COUNTIES...

CREEKS AND STREAMS WERE SLOWLY RECEDING THIS MORNING. THUS THE FLASH 
FLOOD WARNING WAS REPLACED BY A FLOOD WARNING FOR THE AREA. 

LAT...LON 3721 8098 3745 8033 3725 8023 3703 8090
      3707 8091 3707 8093

$$

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 22, 8:02 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Grayson, Smyth, Wythe	58 min
May 22, 8:20 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Craig, Giles, Montgomery, Pulaski, City of Radford	55 min
May 22, 8:28 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Bland, Pulaski, Smyth, Tazewell, Wythe	32 min
May 22, 8:33 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	RNK	Carroll, Grayson, Pulaski, Smyth, Wythe, City of Galax	4 hr
May 22, 9:11 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Botetourt, Craig, Giles, Montgomery, Pulaski, Roanoke and 3 more	64 min
May 22, 10:27 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Amherst, Bedford, Rockbridge, City of Buena Vista, City of Lexington, City of Lynchburg	63 min
May 22, 10:39 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Campbell, Pittsylvania, City of Danville, City of Martinsville	36 min
May 22, 11:19 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Amherst, Appomattox, Buckingham, Campbell, Charlotte, Halifax and 3 more	56 min
May 23, 12:24 AM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Charlotte, Halifax	66 min
May 23, 12:38 AM EDT	Areal Flood Warning	RNK	Bland, Craig, Giles, Montgomery, Pulaski	6 hr
May 23, 1:17 AM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Carroll, Patrick, City of Galax	58 min
May 23, 2:11 AM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Henry, Patrick, City of Martinsville	64 min
May 23, 2:37 AM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Carroll, Floyd, Franklin, Patrick	53 min
May 23, 2:45 AM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Henry, Pittsylvania, City of Danville, City of Martinsville	60 min
May 23, 3:38 AM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Henry, Pittsylvania, City of Danville, City of Martinsville	67 min
May 23, 3:48 AM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Franklin, Henry, Pittsylvania, City of Martinsville	57 min
May 23, 4:55 AM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Campbell	65 min
May 23, 5:38 AM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Charlotte, Halifax	67 min
May 23, 6:11 AM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Campbell	64 min
May 23, 6:41 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Amherst, Appomattox, Buckingham	52 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Virginia, 2011 Every 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.