Alert archive / Virginia / Flash Flood Warnings in 2012

Flash Flood Warning 19, NWS Blacksburg, VA

May 14, 2012Franklin County, Virginia

NWS Blacksburg, VA issued this flash flood warning at May 14, 2012, 7:23 PM EDT for Franklin County, Virginia. It was in force for 6 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 14, 2012, 7:23 PM EDT (23:23 UTC)
Expired: May 15, 2012, 1:15 AM EDT
In force: 6 hr
Issued by: NWS Blacksburg, VA
Area: Storm-based polygon
Flood severity: None

County Franklin County, VA

The radar

The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 47 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:26 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 14, 9:00 PM EDT	FLASH FLOOD	Burnt Chimney, VA	EXTENSIVE FLOODING REPORTED ACROSS NORTHERN AND EASTERN FRANKLIN COUNTY. BIGGEST PROBLEMS BETWEEN ROCKY MOUNT AND SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKE. NINE VEHICLES STRANDED IN FLOOD WATERS ALONG VA 122. TWO 60-INCH CULVERTS WASHED OUT AT THE WINDY RIDGE FARM SUBDIVISION WITH
May 14, 9:13 PM EDT	FLASH FLOOD	1 Ssw Western Smith Mou, VA	SIX TO EIGHT INCHES OF WATER FLOWING OVER A BRIDGE ON POWELLS STORE ROAD

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, 11.4 hours before the alert went out and 26 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: 77 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: 0 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 460 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 24 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 131 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 185 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.

000
WGUS51 KRNK 142323
FFWRNK
VAC067-150515-
/O.NEW.KRNK.FF.W.0019.120514T2323Z-120515T0515Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
723 PM EDT MON MAY 14 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BLACKSBURG HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  EASTERN FRANKLIN COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL VIRGINIA

* UNTIL 115 AM EDT.

* AT 717 PM EDT...A LOCAL METEOROLOGIST REPORTED THAT OVER 5 INCHES  
  OF RAIN HAD FALLEN SINCE THIS MORNING JUST NORTHEAST OF ROCKY      
  MOUNT.   THIS HAS RESULTED IN SOME MINOR FLOODING OF LOW LYING     
  AREAS ACROSS THE WARNED AREA. 

* LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO NORTHWEST
  SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE IN THE 
WARNED AREA.

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 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.

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 3696 8001 3722 7979 3719 7975 3719 7972
      3715 7970 3716 7968 3710 7964 3709 7961
      3707 7962 3689 7979

$$

JH

3 follow-up statements

510 
WGUS71 KRNK 150040
FFSRNK

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
840 PM EDT MON MAY 14 2012

VAC067-150515-
/O.CON.KRNK.FF.W.0019.000000T0000Z-120515T0515Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
FRANKLIN VA-
840 PM EDT MON MAY 14 2012

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 115 AM EDT FOR
EASTERN FRANKLIN COUNTY...

AT 834 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO 
INDICATE CLUSTERS OF THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING HEAVY RAIN OVER THE 
WARNED AREA. THIS HAS RESULTED IN FLOODING OF ROADS ACROSS MUCH OF 
THE REGION NORTHEAST OF ROCKY MOUNT.

LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO WESTERN SMITH
MOUNTAIN LAKE...NORTHWEST SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKE...WIRTZ AND BURNT
CHIMNEY

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE IN THE 
WARNED AREA.

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.

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 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 3696 8001 3722 7979 3719 7975 3719 7972
      3715 7970 3716 7968 3710 7964 3709 7961
      3707 7962 3689 7979

$$

JH

745 
WGUS71 KRNK 150212
FFSRNK

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
1012 PM EDT MON MAY 14 2012

VAC067-150515-
/O.CON.KRNK.FF.W.0019.000000T0000Z-120515T0515Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
FRANKLIN VA-
1012 PM EDT MON MAY 14 2012

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 115 AM EDT FOR
EASTERN FRANKLIN COUNTY...

AT 1004 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO 
INDICATE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAINFALL FROM WIRTZ EAST 
TO BURNT CHIMNEY TO NEAR SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKE. THESE STORMS WILL 
RESULT IN ANOTHER ROUND OF VERY HEAVY RAIN BETWEEN ROCKY MOUNT AND 
THE BEDFORD COUNTY LINE THROUGH 1 AM. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 3 TO 4 
INCHES HAS OCCURRED IN SPOTS WITHIN THE WARNED AREA AND WIDESPREAD 
FLASH FLOODING IS LIKELY INTO THE EARLY MORNING HOURS. 

LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO NORTHWEST 
SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 3 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE IN THE 
WARNED AREA.

BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE THE
DANGERS OF FLOODING. IF FLASH FLOODING IS OBSERVED ACT QUICKLY. MOVE
UP TO HIGHER GROUND TO ESCAPE FLOOD WATERS. DO NOT STAY IN AREAS
SUBJECT TO FLOODING WHEN WATER BEGINS RISING.

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.

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 3696 8001 3722 7979 3719 7975 3719 7972
      3715 7970 3716 7968 3710 7964 3709 7961
      3707 7962 3689 7979

$$

JH

897 
WGUS71 KRNK 150514
FFSRNK

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
114 AM EDT TUE MAY 15 2012

VAC067-150523-
/O.EXP.KRNK.FF.W.0019.000000T0000Z-120515T0515Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
FRANKLIN VA-
114 AM EDT TUE MAY 15 2012

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 115 AM EDT FOR EASTERN
FRANKLIN COUNTY...

HOWEVER...WIDESPREAD FLOODING CONTINUES ACROSS EASTERN FRANKLIN 
COUNTY AS A RESULT OF FIVE TO SEVEN INCHES OF RAIN THAT FELL ACROSS 
THIS AREA MONDAY EVENING. AS A RESULT...AN AERIAL FLOOD WARNING WILL 
BE ISSUED FOR THIS SAME AREA FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE NIGHT INTO THE 
EARLY MORNING HOURS.

LAT...LON 3696 8001 3722 7979 3719 7975 3719 7972
      3715 7970 3716 7968 3710 7964 3709 7961
      3707 7962 3689 7979

$$

RAB

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 14, 6:20 PM EDT	Flash Flood Watch	RNK	Amherst, Bedford, Carroll, Franklin, Henry, Patrick and 5 more	11 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Virginia, 2012 Every flash flood warning in 2012

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.