Alert archive / Virginia / Flash Flood Warnings in 2015

Flash Flood Warning 21, NWS Blacksburg, VA

August 18, 2015Patrick County, Virginia

NWS Blacksburg, VA issued this flash flood warning at Aug 18, 2015, 7:31 PM EDT for Patrick County, Virginia. It was in force for 5 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
Aug 18, 2015, 7:31 PM EDT (23:31 UTC)
Expired
Aug 19, 2015, 12:30 AM EDT
In force
5 hr
Issued by
NWS Blacksburg, VA
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

County Patrick County, VA

The radar

The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 41 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:31 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

TimeReportWhereRemark
Aug 18, 8:05 PM EDTFLASH FLOOD3 Se Meadows Of Dan, VAWATER FROM BIG CHERRY CREEK FLOODED SHOTGUN ROAD. THE DEPTH OF THE WATER WAS ESTIMATED TO BE AT LEAST A FOOT DEEP.
Aug 18, 8:35 PM EDTFLASH FLOOD3 Ese Meadows Of Dan, VAAN ESTIMATED 6 TO 8 INCHES OF WATER FLOWING ACROSS HIGHWAY 58 WHERE IT CROSSES BIG IVY CREEK.

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 12:00Z, 11.5 hours before the alert went out and 82 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, Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC at 12:00Z on 2015-08-18Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 40 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, Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC at 12:00Z on 2015-08-18The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 21 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
40 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-83 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1043 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
15 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
21 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
29 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.

235 
WGUS51 KRNK 182331
FFWRNK
VAC141-190430-
/O.NEW.KRNK.FF.W.0021.150818T2331Z-150819T0430Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
731 PM EDT TUE AUG 18 2015

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BLACKSBURG HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  CENTRAL PATRICK COUNTY IN SOUTHWESTERN VIRGINIA...

* UNTIL 1230 AM EDT

* AT 730 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED HEAVY RAIN ACROSS THE
  WARNED AREA. UP TO THREE INCHES OF RAIN HAVE ALREADY FALLEN. FLASH
  FLOODING IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN SHORTLY.

* SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL EXPERIENCE FLOODING INCLUDE...
  AND STUART. 

ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF ONE TO TWO INCHES ARE POSSIBLE IN THE 
WARNED AREA.

THIS INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING STREAMS AND DRAINAGES...
IVY CREEK...
HOOKERS CREEK...
SQUALL CREEK...
AND TUGGLE CREEK...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TURN AROUND...DONT DROWN WHEN ENCOUNTERING FLOODED ROADS. MOST FLOOD
DEATHS OCCUR IN VEHICLES.

WHEN IT IS SAFE TO DO SO...PLEASE SEND YOUR REPORTS OF FLOODING...
INCLUDING MUDSLIDES OR ROAD CLOSURES...TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE BY CALLING TOLL FREE AT 1...8 6 6...2 1 5...4 3 2 4. REPORTS
AND PICTURES CAN ALSO BE SHARED ON THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
BLACKSBURG FACEBOOK PAGE AND ON TWITTER.

&&

LAT...LON 3664 8050 3665 8049 3667 8049 3667 8047
      3670 8045 3671 8046 3673 8045 3674 8028
      3663 8027

$$

PH
2 follow-up statements
162 
WGUS71 KRNK 190049
FFSRNK

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
849 PM EDT TUE AUG 18 2015

VAC141-190430-
/O.CON.KRNK.FF.W.0021.000000T0000Z-150819T0430Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
PATRICK VA-
849 PM EDT TUE AUG 18 2015

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1230 AM EDT FOR 
CENTRAL PATRICK COUNTY...

AT 843 PM EDT...THE PUBLIC REPORTED RAINFALL OVER 4.5 INCHES SOUTH 
OF MEADOWS OF DAN. THIS HAS RESULTED FLOODING OF SMALL STREAMS AND 
CREEKS...INCLUDING BIG CHERRY CREEK. RUNOFF FROM THIS HEAVY 
RAIN IS EXPECTED TO BRING ADDITIONAL FLASH FLOODING THIS EVENING. 

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN ARE MOVING NORTH AND 
ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF ONE-HALF INCH OR LESS ARE EXPECTED IN 
THE WARNED AREA.

SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL EXPERIENCE FLOODING INCLUDE...
AREAS BETWEEN MEADOWS OF DAN AND STUART. 

THIS INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING STREAMS AND DRAINAGES...
IVY CREEK...
HOOKERS CREEK...
SQUALL CREEK...
TUGGLE CREEK...
BIG CHERRY CREEK.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TURN AROUND...DONT DROWN WHEN ENCOUNTERING FLOODED ROADS. MOST FLOOD
DEATHS OCCUR IN VEHICLES.

WHEN IT IS SAFE TO DO SO...PLEASE SEND YOUR REPORTS OF FLOODING...
INCLUDING MUDSLIDES OR ROAD CLOSURES...TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE BY CALLING TOLL FREE AT 1...8 6 6...2 1 5...4 3 2 4. REPORTS
AND PICTURES CAN ALSO BE SHARED ON THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
BLACKSBURG FACEBOOK PAGE AND ON TWITTER.

&&

LAT...LON 3664 8050 3665 8049 3667 8049 3667 8047
      3670 8045 3671 8046 3673 8045 3674 8028
      3663 8027

$$

PH
943 
WGUS71 KRNK 190424
FFSRNK

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
1224 AM EDT WED AUG 19 2015

VAC141-190433-
/O.EXP.KRNK.FF.W.0021.000000T0000Z-150819T0430Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
PATRICK VA-
1224 AM EDT WED AUG 19 2015

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR CENTRAL PATRICK COUNTY WILL EXPIRE AT 
1230 AM EDT...

THE HEAVY RAIN HAS ENDED...AND FLOODING IS NO LONGER EXPECTED TO POSE
A THREAT.

WHEN IT IS SAFE TO DO SO...PLEASE SEND YOUR REPORTS OF FLOODING...
INCLUDING MUDSLIDES OR ROAD CLOSURES...TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE BY CALLING TOLL FREE AT 1...8 6 6...2 1 5...4 3 2 4. REPORTS
AND PICTURES CAN ALSO BE SHARED ON THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
BLACKSBURG FACEBOOK PAGE AND ON TWITTER.

LAT...LON 3664 8050 3665 8049 3667 8049 3667 8047
      3670 8045 3671 8046 3673 8045 3674 8028
      3663 8027

$$

07

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 18, 2:27 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKHalifax, City of Danville63 min
Aug 18, 2:40 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKCraig, Roanoke65 min
Aug 18, 2:45 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKCity of Roanoke60 min
Aug 18, 3:13 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKAppomattox, Buckingham62 min
Aug 18, 3:34 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKBotetourt56 min
Aug 18, 4:20 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKAlleghany55 min
Aug 18, 4:27 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKBedford63 min
Aug 18, 4:37 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKRockbridge, City of Lexington53 min
Aug 18, 6:09 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKPatrick51 min
Aug 18, 6:28 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryRNKPatrick3 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Virginia, 2015Every flash flood warning in 2015

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.