Alert archive / Virginia / Flash Flood Warnings in 2011

Flash Flood Warning 65, NWS Blacksburg, VA

August 14, 2011Amherst County, Rockbridge County, Virginia

NWS Blacksburg, VA issued this flash flood warning at Aug 14, 2011, 7:14 PM EDT for Amherst County, Rockbridge County, Virginia. It was in force for 4 hr. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
Aug 14, 2011, 7:14 PM EDT (23:14 UTC)
Expired
Aug 14, 2011, 11:10 PM EDT
In force
4 hr
Issued by
NWS Blacksburg, VA
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

Counties Amherst County, VA, Rockbridge County, VA

The radar

The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 132 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:17 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 nearest sounding before it

Roanoke, VA (KRNK), launched 12:00Z, 11.2 hours before the alert went out and 75 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 2011-08-14Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 3 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 2011-08-14The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 57 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
3 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-238 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1016 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
42 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
57 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
73 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.

508 
WGUS51 KRNK 142314
FFWRNK
VAC009-163-150515-
/O.NEW.KRNK.FF.W.0065.110814T2314Z-110815T0515Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
714 PM EDT SUN AUG 14 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BLACKSBURG HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  NORTHEAST ROCKBRIDGE COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL VIRGINIA
  NORTHWEST AMHERST COUNTY IN CENTRAL VIRGINIA

* UNTIL 115 AM EDT MONDAY.

* AT 703 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 CORNWALL...
  VESUVIUS AND FAIRFIELD.

RADAR ESTIMATES THAT BETWEEN 3 AND 4 INCHES OF RAIN HAS FALLEN NEAR 
THE CREST OF THE BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY...NEAR CORNWALL...JUST SOUTH OF 
MONTEBELLO.  FLASH FLOODING IS LIKELY ALONG IRISH CREEK NEAR
CORNWALL.

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.

FLOODING IS OCCURRING OR IS IMMINENT. IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHERE
YOU ARE RELATIVE TO STREAMS...RIVERS...OR CREEKS WHICH CAN BECOME
KILLERS IN HEAVY RAINS. CAMPERS AND HIKERS SHOULD AVOID STREAMS OR
CREEKS.

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 3790 7916 3787 7914 3782 7916 3781 7913
      3779 7911 3779 7909 3777 7906 3765 7905
      3778 7939 3786 7934 3794 7922

$$
2 follow-up statements
134 
WGUS71 KRNK 150047
FFSRNK

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
847 PM EDT SUN AUG 14 2011

VAC009-163-150515-
/O.CON.KRNK.FF.W.0065.000000T0000Z-110815T0515Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
ROCKBRIDGE VA-AMHERST VA-
847 PM EDT SUN AUG 14 2011

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 115 AM EDT FOR
EASTERN ROCKBRIDGE AND NORTHERN AMHERST COUNTIES...

AT 840 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO 
INDICATE SHOWERS OVER THE WARNED AREA. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL OF A 
QUARTER OF AN INCH IS POSSIBLE THROUGH 1000 PM.

LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO VESUVIUS

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.

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 900 PM EDT SUNDAY
EVENING FOR NORTHWESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND SOUTH CENTRAL VIRGINIA.

&&

LAT...LON 3790 7916 3787 7914 3782 7916 3781 7913
      3779 7911 3779 7909 3777 7906 3765 7905
      3778 7939 3786 7934 3794 7922

$$

RCS
875 
WGUS71 KRNK 150310
FFSRNK

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
1110 PM EDT SUN AUG 14 2011

VAC009-163-150320-
/O.CAN.KRNK.FF.W.0065.000000T0000Z-110815T0515Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
ROCKBRIDGE VA-AMHERST VA-
1110 PM EDT SUN AUG 14 2011

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR EASTERN ROCKBRIDGE
AND NORTHERN AMHERST COUNTIES...

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

LAT...LON 3790 7916 3787 7914 3782 7916 3781 7913
      3779 7911 3779 7909 3777 7906 3765 7905
      3778 7939 3786 7934 3794 7922

$$

PH

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 13, 8:50 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKBedford55 min
Aug 13, 9:13 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRNKBedford5 hr
Aug 13, 10:25 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKBedford65 min
Aug 13, 11:59 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKTazewell61 min
Aug 14, 12:47 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKAmherst, Bath, Bedford, Rockbridge, City of Buena Vista, City of Lexington and 1 more58 min
Aug 14, 1:01 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKTazewell59 min
Aug 14, 1:21 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKSmyth54 min
Aug 14, 2:13 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKGrayson, Wythe, City of Galax62 min
Aug 14, 3:24 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKFloyd, Montgomery, Pulaski, City of Radford66 min
Aug 14, 2:47 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKTazewell43 min
Aug 14, 2:59 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKBland, Smyth, Tazewell61 min
Aug 14, 3:45 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKPatrick45 min
Aug 14, 4:14 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKHenry, Patrick61 min
Aug 14, 4:43 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKMontgomery62 min
Aug 14, 4:57 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKFloyd, Montgomery45 min
Aug 14, 5:16 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKCity of Salem59 min
Aug 14, 5:28 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKAmherst, Rockbridge, City of Buena Vista, City of Lexington62 min
Aug 14, 5:40 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKGrayson, City of Galax35 min
Aug 14, 5:45 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKFranklin60 min
Aug 14, 6:30 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKGrayson, Smyth38 min
Aug 14, 6:34 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKBedford56 min
Aug 14, 6:37 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKAmherst, Rockbridge41 min
Aug 14, 6:55 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKPatrick35 min
Aug 14, 7:13 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKHalifax47 min
Aug 14, 7:24 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKBuckingham96 min
Aug 14, 7:55 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKCharlotte65 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.