Alert archive / Virginia / Flash Flood Warnings in 2012

Flash Flood Warning 30, NWS Blacksburg, VA

May 22, 2012Charlotte County, Virginia

NWS Blacksburg, VA issued this flash flood warning at May 22, 2012, 9:14 PM EDT for Charlotte County, Virginia. It was in force for 3 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
May 22, 2012, 9:14 PM EDT (01:14 UTC)
Expired
May 22, 2012, 11:59 PM EDT
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Blacksburg, VA
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

County Charlotte County, VA

The radar

The Norfolk radar (KAKQ), 136 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 01:15 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 00:00Z, 1.2 hours before the alert went out and 89 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 00:00Z on 2012-05-23Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 88 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 00:00Z on 2012-05-23The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 5 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 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
88 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-56 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
935 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
10 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
5 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
22 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.

080 
WGUS51 KRNK 230114
FFWRNK
VAC037-230415-
/O.NEW.KRNK.FF.W.0030.120523T0114Z-120523T0415Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
914 PM EDT TUE MAY 22 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BLACKSBURG HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  EAST CENTRAL CHARLOTTE COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL VIRGINIA

* UNTIL 1215 AM EDT.

* AT 907 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED   
THAT REPEATED THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN HAVE BEEN MOVING 
ACROSS CENTRAL CHARLOTTE COUNTY DURING THE PAST TWO HOURS. DOPPLER 
RADAR ESTIMATES THAT 2.0 TO 2.5 INCHES OF RAIN HAS FALLEN ACROSS 
MUCH OF CENTRAL CHARLOTTE COUNTY...WITH 3.0 TO 4.0 INCHES OF RAIN 
NEAR CHARLOTTE COURT HOUSE AND DRAKES BRANCH. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL OF 
1.0 TO 2.0 INCHES CAN BE EXPECTED IN THESE SAME AREAS DURING THE 
NEXT HOUR AS RADAR SHOWS ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS SPREADING INTO 
THIS REGION FROM THE WEST.

THE GROUND IN THIS AREA IS COMPLETELY SATURATED FROM RECENT HEAVY 
RAINFALL. THE EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF RAINFALL BEING EXPERIENCED 
TONIGHT WILL SIMPLY RESULT IN NEAR TOTAL RUNOFF INTO AREA CREEKS AND 
STREAMS...RESULTING IN FLOODING AND FLASH FLOODING.


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.

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.

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 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 3694 7847 3689 7848 3687 7850 3685 7861
      3688 7867 3707 7868 3709 7864 3710 7849
      3708 7844 3705 7844

$$

RAB
2 follow-up statements
481 
WGUS71 KRNK 230223
FFSRNK

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
1023 PM EDT TUE MAY 22 2012

VAC037-230415-
/O.CON.KRNK.FF.W.0030.000000T0000Z-120523T0415Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
CHARLOTTE VA-
1023 PM EDT TUE MAY 22 2012

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1215 AM EDT FOR
EASTERN CHARLOTTE COUNTY...

AT 1020 PM EDT...ALTHOUGH RAIN HAD DIMINISHED ACROSS EASTERN 
CHARLOTTE COUNTY...RAINFALL ON THE ORDER OF 1/2 TO 3/4 INCH PER HOUR 
CONTINUED ACROSS MUCH OF CHARLOTTE COUNTY. NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE 
DOPPLER RADAR INDICATES THAT AS MUCH AS FOUR INCHES OF RAIN MAY HAVE 
FALLEN ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN PORTION OF THE COUNTY DURING 
THE LAST 2 TO 3 HOURS. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL WILL RESULT IN COMPLETE 
RUNOFF INTO AREAS CREEKS AND STREAMS.

LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO KEYSVILLE...
DRAKES BRANCH AND CHARLOTTE COURT HOUSE

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.

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.

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 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 3694 7847 3689 7848 3687 7850 3685 7861
      3688 7867 3707 7868 3709 7864 3710 7849
      3708 7844 3705 7844

$$



RAB
124 
WGUS71 KRNK 230359
FFSRNK

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
1159 PM EDT TUE MAY 22 2012

VAC037-230408-
/O.CAN.KRNK.FF.W.0030.000000T0000Z-120523T0415Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
CHARLOTTE VA-
1159 PM EDT TUE MAY 22 2012

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR EASTERN CHARLOTTE
COUNTY...

NO SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL HAS FALLEN IN CHARLOTTE COUNTY IN THE PAST 
COUPLE OF HOURS. WHILE ADDITIONAL RAINFALL IS EXPECTED 
OVERNIGHT...FLASH FLOODING IS NO LONGER IMMINENT AT THIS TIME. 
THUS...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

LAT...LON 3694 7847 3689 7848 3687 7850 3685 7861
      3688 7867 3707 7868 3709 7864 3710 7849
      3708 7844 3705 7844

$$

RAB

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 22, 8:14 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKHenry, Pittsylvania, City of Martinsville42 min
May 22, 8:40 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryRNKCharlotte3 hr
May 22, 10:37 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKCity of Martinsville53 min
May 22, 10:42 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKHalifax63 min
May 22, 11:09 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRNKHenry, City of Martinsville3 hr
May 23, 4:16 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKHalifax59 min
May 23, 10:51 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKRockbridge54 min
May 23, 6:14 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKBuckingham46 min
May 23, 6:49 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKAppomattox41 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Virginia, 2012Every 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.