Alert archive / Virginia / Special Weather Statements in 2012

Special Weather Statement, NWS Blacksburg, VA

May 3, 2012Wythe County, Virginia

NWS Blacksburg, VA issued this special weather statement at May 3, 2012, 3:28 PM EDT for Wythe County, Virginia. It was in force for 32 min. 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 3, 2012, 3:28 PM EDT (19:28 UTC)
Expired
May 3, 2012, 4:00 PM EDT
In force
32 min
Issued by
NWS Blacksburg, VA

County Wythe County, VA

The radar

The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 75 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 19:30 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, 7.5 hours before the alert went out and 146 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 2012-05-03Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1044 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Roanoke, VA at 12:00Z on 2012-05-03The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 30 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
1044 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-93 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1230 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
14 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
30 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.

<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="utf-8">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
  <title>Service Notice</title>
  <link rel="stylesheet" href="index.css">
</head>
<body>
  <main class="wrap">
    <section class="card" role="status" aria-live="polite">
      <div class="status" id="status">Temporary Notice</div>
      <h1 id="headline">This service is currently unavailable.</h1>
      <p id="message1">
        The site you requested is temporarily down for maintenance or an unexpected outage.
      </p>
      <p id="message2">
        Please try again in a few minutes.
      </p>
      <p class="small" id="detail">
        If you are an administrator, restore upstream service and remove the redirect/fallback rule when normal operations resume.
      </p>
    </section>
  </main>
  <script src="index.js"></script>
</body>
</html>

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this special weather statement went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Blacksburg, VA wrote its last area forecast discussion before this special weather statement went out at May 3, 2:29 PM EDT, 59 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 3, 2:29 PM EDT, 59 minutes before
<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="utf-8">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
  <title>Service Notice</title>
  <link rel="stylesheet" href="index.css">
</head>
<body>
  <main class="wrap">
    <section class="card" role="status" aria-live="polite">
      <div class="status" id="status">Temporary Notice</div>
      <h1 id="headline">This service is currently unavailable.</h1>
      <p id="message1">
        The site you requested is temporarily down for maintenance or an unexpected outage.
      </p>
      <p id="message2">
        Please try again in a few minutes.
      </p>
      <p class="small" id="detail">
        If you are an administrator, restore upstream service and remove the redirect/fallback rule when normal operations resume.
      </p>
    </section>
  </main>
  <script src="index.js"></script>
</body>
</html>
Hazardous weather outlook, May 3, 4:43 AM EDT, 10 hours 45 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
443 AM EDT THU MAY 3 2012

NCZ001>006-018>020-VAZ007-009>020-022>024-032>035-043>047-058-059-
WVZ042>045-040845-
ASHE-ALLEGHANY NC-SURRY-STOKES-ROCKINGHAM-CASWELL-WATAUGA-WILKES-
YADKIN-TAZEWELL-SMYTH-BLAND-GILES-WYTHE-PULASKI-MONTGOMERY-GRAYSON-
CARROLL-FLOYD-CRAIG-ALLEGHANY VA-BATH-ROANOKE-BOTETOURT-ROCKBRIDGE-
PATRICK-FRANKLIN-BEDFORD-AMHERST-HENRY-PITTSYLVANIA-CAMPBELL-
APPOMATTOX-BUCKINGHAM-HALIFAX-CHARLOTTE-MERCER-SUMMERS-MONROE-
GREENBRIER-
443 AM EDT THU MAY 3 2012

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH CENTRAL NORTH
CAROLINA...NORTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA...CENTRAL VIRGINIA...SOUTH
CENTRAL VIRGINIA...SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA...WEST CENTRAL VIRGINIA AND
SOUTHEAST WEST VIRGINIA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.

THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY.

THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 3, 1:11 PM EDT, 2 hours 17 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
111 PM EDT THU MAY 3 2012

VAZ009-015-031745-
SMYTH VA-GRAYSON VA-
111 PM EDT THU MAY 3 2012

AT 110 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A NEARLY STATIONARY
THUNDERSTORM LOCATED NEAR WEST OF TROUTDALE. VERY HEAVY
RAIN...FREQUENT LIGHTNING...AND HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF PENNIES IS
POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. THE STORM IS MOVING VERY SLOWLY NORTHEAST.

LAT...LON 3676 8144 3662 8133 3658 8150 3667 8156

DS
Special weather statement, May 3, 1:16 PM EDT, 2 hours 12 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
116 PM EDT THU MAY 3 2012

NCZ001-031745-
ASHE NC-
116 PM EDT THU MAY 3 2012

AT 115 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A NEARLY STATIONARY
THUNDERSTORM NEAR CLIFTON. VERY HEAVY RAIN...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND
SMALL HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. IT WILL MOVE SLOWLY
NORTHEAST.

LAT...LON 3652 8155 3645 8147 3641 8158 3645 8162

DS
Special weather statement, May 3, 1:51 PM EDT, 1 hour 37 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENTNATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA151
PM EDT THU MAY 3 2012

NCZ001-002-VAZ009-015-031830-
ALLEGHANY NC-ASHE NC-SMYTH VA-GRAYSON VA-
151 PM EDT THU MAY 3 2012

AT 150 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A CLUSTER OF SLOWLY MOVING
THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF NORTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA
AND THE MOUNT ROGERS AREA OF FAR SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA. THESE STORMS
WILL PRODUCE VERY HEAVY RAINFALL...AS WELL AS SMALL HAIL AND WIND
GUSTS AS HIGH AS 40 MPH. THEY ARE MOVING NORTHEAST AT ABOUT 10 TO 15
MPH. SOME AREAS IMPACTED INCLUDE MOUNT ROGERS...GRAYSON HIGHLANDS
STATE PARK...LANSING...AND VOLNEY THROUGH 230 PM.

LAT...LON 3661 8164 3663 8160 3665 8163 3670 8162
      3675 8125 3657 8101 3631 8145 3637 8164
      3659 8167

SK
Special weather statement, May 3, 2:31 PM EDT, 57 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
231 PM EDT THU MAY 3 2012

NCZ001-002-018-031900-
WATAUGA NC-ALLEGHANY NC-ASHE NC-
231 PM EDT THU MAY 3 2012

...SLOW MOVING THUNDERSTORMS OVER ASHE COUNTY...

A NEARLY STATIONARY THUNDERSTORMS FROM SHATLEY SPRINGS SOUTHWEST TO
ASHLAND...COULD PRODUCE PEA SIZED HAIL ALONG WITH AN INCH OR TWO OF
RAIN IN 30 MINUTES.

LAT...LON 3647 8169 3658 8167 3654 8132 3633 8163
      3643 8172
Special weather statement, May 3, 3:19 PM EDT, 9 minutes before
<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="utf-8">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
  <title>Service Notice</title>
  <link rel="stylesheet" href="index.css">
</head>
<body>
  <main class="wrap">
    <section class="card" role="status" aria-live="polite">
      <div class="status" id="status">Temporary Notice</div>
      <h1 id="headline">This service is currently unavailable.</h1>
      <p id="message1">
        The site you requested is temporarily down for maintenance or an unexpected outage.
      </p>
      <p id="message2">
        Please try again in a few minutes.
      </p>
      <p class="small" id="detail">
        If you are an administrator, restore upstream service and remove the redirect/fallback rule when normal operations resume.
      </p>
    </section>
  </main>
  <script src="index.js"></script>
</body>
</html>
Special weather statement, May 3, 3:28 PM EDT, 0 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
328 PM EDT THU MAY 3 2012

VAZ012-015-016-032000-
CARROLL VA-GRAYSON VA-WYTHE VA-
328 PM EDT THU MAY 3 2012

...STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER SPEEDWELL...

WINDS MAY GUST TO 50 MPH AND HAIL THE SIZE OF DIMES IS EXPECTED. THE
STORM WAS MOVING TO THE EAST NORTHEAST AT 10 MPH.

LAT...LON 3688 8101 3676 8096 3674 8119 3682 8122

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 3, 1:11 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKGrayson34 min
May 3, 1:51 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKGrayson39 min
May 3, 2:54 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKGrayson36 min
May 3, 3:19 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKFloyd26 min
May 3, 3:37 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKCarroll, Grayson, Wythe53 min
May 3, 3:41 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKCarroll, Floyd34 min
May 3, 3:43 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKPulaski32 min
May 3, 4:10 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKBland, Giles, Pulaski65 min
May 3, 4:14 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKFloyd31 min
May 3, 4:28 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKCarroll, Floyd, Montgomery, Pulaski, Wythe, City of Radford51 min
May 3, 4:36 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKGiles39 min
May 3, 5:15 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKFloyd30 min
May 3, 6:28 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKFranklin32 min
May 3, 6:32 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKBotetourt28 min
May 3, 6:41 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKBedford, Franklin, Pittsylvania48 min
May 3, 6:48 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKBotetourt27 min
May 3, 6:52 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKAlleghany, Amherst, Botetourt, Rockbridge, City of Buena Vista, City of Lexington28 min
May 3, 7:02 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKBedford28 min
May 3, 7:57 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKPittsylvania33 min
May 3, 1:16 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKAshe29 min
May 3, 2:31 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKAshe29 min
May 3, 6:57 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKGreenbrier33 min

Nearby

Special Weather Statements in Virginia, 2012Every special weather statement 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.