Alert archive / Virginia / Flash Flood Warnings in 2011

Flash Flood Warning 36, NWS Blacksburg, VA

May 26, 20116 counties in Virginia; 4 counties in North Carolina

NWS Blacksburg, VA issued this flash flood warning at May 26, 2011, 9:04 PM EDT for 6 counties in Virginia; 4 counties in North Carolina. It was in force for 4 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: May 26, 2011, 9:04 PM EDT (01:04 UTC)
Expired: May 27, 2011, 1:26 AM EDT
In force: 4 hr
Issued by: NWS Blacksburg, VA
Area: Storm-based polygon
Flood severity: None

Counties Alleghany County, NC, Ashe County, NC, Surry County, NC, Wilkes County, NC, Carroll County, VA, City of Galax, VA, Floyd County, VA, Grayson County, VA, Pulaski County, VA, Wythe County, VA

The radar

The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 78 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 01:07 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

Time	Report	Where	Remark
May 26, 10:30 PM EDT	FLASH FLOOD	5 Sw Fries, VA	MUDSLIDE ON ROUTE 274 BETWEEN INDEPENDENCE AND FRIES.

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

The nearest sounding before it

Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC (KGSO), launched 00:00Z, 1.1 hours before the alert went out and 112 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: 758 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -24 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1903 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 30 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 90 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 173 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 3.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

113 
WGUS51 KRNK 270104
FFWRNK
NCC005-009-171-193-VAC035-063-077-155-197-640-270700-
/O.NEW.KRNK.FF.W.0036.110527T0104Z-110527T0700Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
904 PM EDT THU MAY 26 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BLACKSBURG HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  ALLEGHANY COUNTY IN NORTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA
  SOUTHEASTERN ASHE COUNTY IN NORTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA
  NORTHWESTERN SURRY COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA
  WESTERN WILKES COUNTY IN NORTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA
  PULASKI COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA
  EASTERN WYTHE COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA
  CITY OF GALAX IN SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA
  EASTERN GRAYSON COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA
  WEST CENTRAL FLOYD COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA
  CARROLL COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA

* UNTIL 300 AM EDT.

* AT 903 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED   
VERY HEAVY RAIN FROM A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE WARNED AREA.

* LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO MC GRADY...
  DOUGHTON PARK...CUMBERLAND KNOB...STONE MOUNTAIN STATE PARK...
  CLAYTOR LAKE STATE PARK...PULASKI...DUBLIN...DRAPER...COPPER
  VALLEY...ALLISONIA...INDIAN VALLEY...PATTERSON...MAX MEADOWS...
  IVANHOE...GUNTON PARK...GRAHAMS FORGE...COLEMAN STORE...WOODLAWN...
  SYLVATUS...PIPERS GAP...HILLSVILLE...DUGSPUR...BYLLESBY...GALAX
  HILLSVILLE AIRPORT...SPRING VALLEY...INDEPENDENCE...FRIES...
  BAYWOOD...GALAX CITY...LAUREL SPRINGS...WHITEHEAD...TWIN OAKS...
  STRATFORD...SPARTA...ROARING GAP...GLADE VALLEY...ENNICE...
  BARRETT...LOW GAP...TRAPHILL AND ABSHERS.

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.

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM THESE STORMS WILL CAUSE FLASH FLOODING OF
CREEKS AND STREAMS...ROADS AND ROADSIDE CULVERTS. THE HEAVY RAIN
COULD ALSO CAUSE ROCK AND MUDSLIDES.

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 3605 8140 3610 8150 3657 8124 3718 8080
      3703 8056 3699 8054 3700 8051 3697 8046
      3602 8127

$$

JH

2 follow-up statements

879 
WGUS71 KRNK 270325
FFSRNK

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
1125 PM EDT THU MAY 26 2011

NCC005-009-171-193-VAC035-063-077-155-197-640-270700-
/O.CON.KRNK.FF.W.0036.000000T0000Z-110527T0700Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
ALLEGHANY NC-ASHE NC-SURRY NC-WILKES NC-PULASKI VA-WYTHE VA-
CITY OF GALAX VA-GRAYSON VA-FLOYD VA-CARROLL VA-
1125 PM EDT THU MAY 26 2011

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 300 AM EDT FOR THE
CITY OF GALAX... CARROLL...WESTERN FLOYD...EASTERN GRAYSON...EASTERN 
WYTHE...WESTERN WILKES...NORTHWESTERN SURRY...SOUTHEASTERN ASHE... 
ALLEGHANY...AND PULASKI COUNTIES...

AT 1119 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO 
INDICATE BANDS OF HEAVY RAIN PRODUCING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS 
ACROSS THE REGION. THIS HAS ALREADY RESULTED IN MUDSLIDES ACROSS 
ROADS IN GRAYSON COUNTY AND ADDITIONAL FLOODING IS LIKELY OVER THE 
NEXT FEW HOURS ESPECIALLY NEAR THE BLUE RIDGE.

LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO CLAYTOR LAKE
STATE PARK...PULASKI...DUBLIN...DRAPER...COPPER VALLEY...ALLISONIA...
INDIAN VALLEY...PATTERSON...MAX MEADOWS...IVANHOE...GUNTON PARK...
GRAHAMS FORGE...COLEMAN STORE...WOODLAWN...SYLVATUS...HILLSVILLE...
DUGSPUR...BYLLESBY...GALAX HILLSVILLE AIRPORT...SPRING VALLEY...FRIES
AND GALAX CITY

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE IN THE 
WARNED AREA.

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.

MOST FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES. NEVER DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO
AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE ROADWAY. FLOOD WATERS ARE USUALLY
DEEPER THAN THEY APPEAR. JUST ONE FOOT OF FLOWING WATER IS POWERFUL
ENOUGH TO SWEEP VEHICLES OFF THE ROAD. WHEN ENCOUNTERING FLOODED
ROADS MAKE THE SMART CHOICE...TURN AROUND...DONT DROWN.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT
FRIDAY MORNING FOR NORTHWESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND SOUTHWESTERN
VIRGINIA AND SOUTHEAST WEST VIRGINIA.

&&

LAT...LON 3605 8140 3610 8150 3657 8124 3718 8080
      3703 8056 3699 8054 3700 8051 3697 8046
      3602 8127

$$

JH

270 
WGUS71 KRNK 270526
FFSRNK

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
126 AM EDT FRI MAY 27 2011

NCC005-009-171-193-VAC035-063-077-155-197-640-270535-
/O.CAN.KRNK.FF.W.0036.000000T0000Z-110527T0700Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
ALLEGHANY NC-ASHE NC-SURRY NC-WILKES NC-PULASKI VA-WYTHE VA-
CITY OF GALAX VA-GRAYSON VA-FLOYD VA-CARROLL VA-
126 AM EDT FRI MAY 27 2011

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR THE CITY OF
GALAX... CARROLL...WESTERN FLOYD...EASTERN GRAYSON...EASTERN WYTHE...
WESTERN WILKES...NORTHWESTERN SURRY...SOUTHEASTERN ASHE... 
ALLEGHANY...AND PULASKI COUNTIES...

FLOODING HAS ENDED OVER THE WARNED AREA...THUS THE FLASH FLOOD
WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

LAT...LON 3605 8140 3610 8150 3657 8124 3718 8080
      3703 8056 3699 8054 3700 8051 3697 8046
      3602 8127

$$

JH

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 26, 8:03 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Carroll, Pulaski, Wythe, City of Galax	42 min
May 26, 8:12 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Bland, Carroll, Grayson, Pulaski, Wythe	48 min
May 26, 8:15 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Craig, Giles, Pulaski	44 min
May 26, 8:16 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Carroll, Grayson, City of Galax	59 min
May 26, 8:43 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Carroll, Floyd, Montgomery, Pulaski, Wythe, City of Radford	62 min
May 26, 8:57 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Alleghany, Botetourt, Craig, Montgomery, Roanoke, City of Covington and 2 more	63 min
May 26, 9:15 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Carroll, Grayson, City of Galax	60 min
May 26, 9:38 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Carroll, Patrick	67 min
May 26, 10:17 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Carroll, Floyd, Grayson, Montgomery, Pulaski, Wythe and 2 more	58 min
May 26, 10:25 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Alleghany, Bath, Botetourt, City of Covington	48 min
May 26, 10:36 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	RNK	Alleghany, Bath, Botetourt, Craig, Floyd, Giles and 5 more	6 hr
May 26, 10:52 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Henry, Patrick	53 min
May 26, 10:58 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Carroll, Floyd, Franklin, Henry, Patrick	62 min
May 27, 12:09 AM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Bedford, Botetourt, Franklin, City of Martinsville, City of Roanoke, City of Salem	36 min
May 27, 12:13 AM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Amherst, Bedford, Botetourt, Campbell, Franklin, Pittsylvania and 2 more	47 min
May 27, 12:40 AM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Alleghany, Bath, Bedford, Botetourt, Roanoke, Rockbridge	50 min
May 27, 1:13 AM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Rockbridge, City of Buena Vista, City of Lexington	17 min
May 27, 6:08 AM EDT	Flash Flood Watch	RNK	Alleghany, Bath, Bland, Carroll, Craig, Floyd and 8 more	16 hr
May 27, 1:21 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Charlotte, Halifax	54 min
May 27, 2:18 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Franklin, Henry, Pittsylvania, City of Danville, City of Martinsville	57 min
May 27, 2:54 PM EDT	Areal Flood Advisory	RNK	City of Danville	3 hr
May 27, 3:15 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Appomattox, Bedford, Campbell, Charlotte, Halifax, Pittsylvania and 1 more	60 min
May 27, 3:52 PM EDT	Areal Flood Advisory	RNK	City of Lynchburg	3 hr
May 26, 9:17 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Wilkes	48 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Virginia, 2011 Flash Flood Warnings in North Carolina, 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.