Alert archive / North Carolina / Flash Flood Warnings in 2016

Flash Flood Warning 37, NWS Blacksburg, VA

September 29, 20164 counties in North Carolina

NWS Blacksburg, VA issued this flash flood warning at Sep 29, 2016, 10:22 PM EDT for 4 counties in North Carolina. It was in force for 6 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
Sep 29, 2016, 10:22 PM EDT (02:22 UTC)
Expired
Sep 30, 2016, 4:15 AM EDT
In force
6 hr
Issued by
NWS Blacksburg, VA
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

Counties Alleghany County, NC, Ashe County, NC, Watauga County, NC, Wilkes County, NC

The radar

The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 140 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 02:24 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

Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC (KGSO), launched 00:00Z, 2.4 hours before the alert went out and 138 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 00:00Z on 2016-09-30Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1097 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 00:00Z on 2016-09-30The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 101 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
1097 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-10 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
743 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
54 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
101 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
136 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.5
Supercell composite
4.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

933 
WGUS51 KRNK 300222
FFWRNK
NCC005-009-189-193-300815-
/O.NEW.KRNK.FF.W.0037.160930T0222Z-160930T0815Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
1022 PM EDT THU SEP 29 2016

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BLACKSBURG HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  WESTERN WILKES COUNTY IN NORTHWESTERN NORTH CAROLINA...
  EASTERN WATAUGA COUNTY IN NORTHWESTERN NORTH CAROLINA...
  EXTREME WESTERN ALLEGHANY COUNTY IN NORTHWESTERN NORTH CAROLINA...
  EASTERN ASHE COUNTY IN NORTHWESTERN NORTH CAROLINA...

* UNTIL 415 AM EDT

* AT 1018 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR AND AUTOMATED RAIN GAUGES INDICATED
  THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING HEAVY RAIN ACROSS THE WARNED AREA. RAINFALL
  AMOUNTS OF 3.0 TO 3.5 INCHES HAVE BEEN OBSERVED FROM OTHELLO TO
  TO PINEY CREEK...WITH AMOUNTS OF 1.5 TO 2.5 INCHES ACROSS MUCH OF
  THE REMAINDER OF THE WARNED AREA. HEAVY RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS 
  WILL CONTINUE TO TRACK ACROSS THIS REGION OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL
  HOURS WITH ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF POTENTIALLY UP TO 3
  ADDITIONAL INCHES POSSIBLE DURING THE WARNED PERIOD. FLASH FLOODING
  IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN SHORTLY.

* SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL EXPERIENCE FLOODING INCLUDE...
  JEFFERSON...
  WEST JEFFERSON...
  DEEP GAP...
  GLENDALE SPRINGS...
  AND WILBAR.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE THE
DANGERS OF FLOODING.

IN HILLY TERRAIN THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF LOW WATER CROSSINGS WHICH ARE
POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS IN HEAVY RAIN. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS FLOODED
ROADS. FIND AN ALTERNATE ROUTE.

WHEN IT IS SAFE TO DO SO...PLEASE SEND YOUR REPORTS OF FLOODING...
INCLUDING MUDSLIDES OR FLOODED ROADS...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 3605 8139 3607 8141 3608 8143 3607 8144
      3609 8146 3610 8151 3612 8156 3658 8149
      3657 8128 3604 8135

$$

RAB
2 follow-up statements
858 
WGUS71 KRNK 300408
FFSRNK

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
1208 AM EDT FRI SEP 30 2016

NCC005-009-189-193-300815-
/O.CON.KRNK.FF.W.0037.000000T0000Z-160930T0815Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
WILKES NC-WATAUGA NC-ALLEGHANY NC-ASHE NC-
1208 AM EDT FRI SEP 30 2016

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 415 AM EDT FOR 
WESTERN WILKES...EASTERN WATAUGA...EXTREME WESTERN ALLEGHANY AND
EASTERN ASHE COUNTIES IN NORTHWESTERN NORTH CAROLINA...

AT 1201 AM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR AND AUTOMATED RAIN GAUGES INDICATED
THAT RAINFALL HAD DECREASED ACROSS ASHE...WATAUGA...AND WESTERN
WILKES COUNTIES...BUT CONTINUED ACROSS WESTERN ALLEGHANY COUNTY.
RAINFALL OF 2 TO 3 INCHES HAS BEEN OBSERVED OVER THE LAST FEW HOURS
WITHIN THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING AREA...WITH A FEW SPOTS HAVING
RAINFALL AROUND 4 INCHES NEAR WAGONER...OTHELLO...AND GLENDALE
SPRINGS. FLASH FLOODING REMAINS POSSIBLE THROUGHOUT THE WARNED AREA.

SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL EXPERIENCE FLOODING INCLUDE...
JEFFERSON...
WEST JEFFERSON...
DEEP GAP...
GLENDALE SPRINGS...
AND WILBAR.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE THE
DANGERS OF FLOODING.

IN HILLY TERRAIN THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF LOW WATER CROSSINGS WHICH ARE
POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS IN HEAVY RAIN. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS FLOODED
ROADS. FIND AN ALTERNATE ROUTE.

WHEN IT IS SAFE TO DO SO...PLEASE SEND YOUR REPORTS OF FLOODING...
INCLUDING MUDSLIDES OR FLOODED ROADS...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 3605 8139 3607 8141 3608 8143 3607 8144
      3609 8146 3610 8151 3612 8156 3658 8149
      3657 8128 3604 8135

$$

RAB
763 
WGUS71 KRNK 300449
FFSRNK

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
1249 AM EDT FRI SEP 30 2016

NCC005-009-189-193-300459-
/O.CAN.KRNK.FF.W.0037.000000T0000Z-160930T0815Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
WILKES NC-WATAUGA NC-ALLEGHANY NC-ASHE NC-
1249 AM EDT FRI SEP 30 2016

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR 
WESTERN WILKES...SOUTHEASTERN WATAUGA...NORTHWESTERN ALLEGHANY AND
CENTRAL ASHE COUNTIES IN NORTHWESTERN NORTH CAROLINA IS CANCELLED...

THE HEAVY RAIN HAS ENDED. PLEASE CONTINUE TO HEED ANY REMAINING ROAD
CLOSURES.

WHEN IT IS SAFE TO DO SO...PLEASE SEND YOUR REPORTS OF FLOODING...
INCLUDING MUDSLIDES OR FLOODED ROADS...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 3605 8139 3607 8141 3608 8143 3607 8144
      3609 8146 3610 8151 3612 8156 3658 8149
      3657 8128 3604 8135

$$

RS

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Sep 29, 8:02 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKAlleghany, Wilkes88 min
Sep 29, 8:21 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryRNKAlleghany, Ashe, Surry, Wilkes3 hr
Sep 29, 8:30 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKSurry, Yadkin60 min
Sep 29, 9:19 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRNKSurry3 hr
Sep 29, 11:54 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryRNKAlleghany, Wilkes6 hr
Sep 30, 12:50 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKSurry40 min
Sep 30, 3:22 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKWilkes53 min
Sep 30, 4:01 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKAlleghany29 min
Sep 30, 6:35 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKStokes40 min
Sep 30, 6:58 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKStokes47 min
Sep 30, 11:48 AM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryRNKRockingham6 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in North Carolina, 2016Every flash flood warning in 2016

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.