Alert archive / Virginia / Flash Flood Warnings in 2017

Flash Flood Warning 22, NWS Blacksburg, VA

October 23, 20177 counties in Virginia

NWS Blacksburg, VA issued this flash flood warning at Oct 23, 2017, 5:06 PM EDT for 7 counties in 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: Oct 23, 2017, 5:06 PM EDT (21:06 UTC)
Expired: Oct 23, 2017, 11:00 PM EDT
In force: 6 hr
Issued by: NWS Blacksburg, VA
Area: Storm-based polygon
Flood severity: None

Counties Bland County, VA, Carroll County, VA, City of Galax, VA, Grayson County, VA, Smyth County, VA, Tazewell County, VA, Wythe County, VA

The radar

The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 106 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:05 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
Oct 23, 5:18 PM EDT	FLASH FLOOD	1 Nw Sugar Grove, VA	PERSISTENT DOWNPOURS CAUSED SEVERAL CREEKS AND STREAMS TO FLOOD ROADWAYS IN THE SUGAR GROVE AREA OF SMYTH COUNTY.
Oct 23, 6:52 PM EDT	HEAVY RAIN 2.65	Wytheville, VA	MEASURED SINCE 7 AM THIS MORNING.

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, 9.1 hours before the alert went out and 175 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: 0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL: 2764 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 54 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: -65 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: -202 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

352 
WGUS51 KRNK 232106
FFWRNK
VAC021-035-077-173-185-197-640-240300-
/O.NEW.KRNK.FF.W.0022.171023T2106Z-171024T0300Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service BLACKSBURG VA
506 PM EDT MON OCT 23 2017

The National Weather Service in BLACKSBURG has issued a

* Flash Flood Warning for...
  Smyth County in southwestern Virginia...
  Tazewell County in southwestern Virginia...
  Bland County in southwestern Virginia...
  Wythe County in southwestern Virginia...
  Southwestern Carroll County in southwestern Virginia...
  The City of Galax in southwestern Virginia...
  Grayson County in southwestern Virginia...

* Until 1100 PM EDT

* At 504 PM EDT, Doppler radar and automated rain gauges indicated 
  showers and embedded thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the 
  warned area. Two to three inches of rain has already fallen. A 
  creek near Bluefield Virginia was reported at bankful. Flash 
  flooding is expected to begin shortly across parts of this entire 
  area.

* Some locations that will experience flooding include...
  Wytheville...
  Galax...
  Bland...
  Marion...
  and Richlands.

Additional rainfall amounts of one to two inches are possible in the 
warned area through 7pm EDT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Turn around, don't 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 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 3720 8176 3724 8174 3720 8168 3721 8156
      3726 8150 3727 8142 3734 8136 3724 8123
      3729 8102 3718 8091 3711 8093 3705 8090
      3658 8087 3660 8166 3662 8162 3664 8161
      3696 8179 3696 8178 3703 8181 3715 8190

$$

SK

2 follow-up statements

649 
WGUS71 KRNK 232240
FFSRNK

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service BLACKSBURG VA
640 PM EDT MON OCT 23 2017

VAC021-035-077-173-185-197-640-240300-
/O.CON.KRNK.FF.W.0022.000000T0000Z-171024T0300Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Smyth VA-Tazewell VA-Bland VA-Wythe VA-Carroll VA-City of Galax VA-
Grayson VA-
640 PM EDT MON OCT 23 2017

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1100 PM EDT FOR 
SMYTH...TAZEWELL...BLAND...WYTHE...SOUTHWESTERN CARROLL AND GRAYSON
COUNTIES AND THE CITY OF GALAX...

At 637 PM EDT, Doppler radar and automated rain gauges indicated 
that while heavy rain had now moved out of the area, earlier 
rainfall of up to three inches had resulted in some flooding of 
small streams, and gauges in the area still show some streams rising 
due to the runoff. 

Some locations that will experience flooding include...
Wytheville...
Galax...
Bland...
Marion...
and Richlands.


PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood
deaths occur in vehicles.

Be especially cautious at night when it is harder to recognize the 
dangers of flooding.

Excessive runoff from heavy rainfall will cause flooding of small 
creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses 
as well as other drainage areas and low lying spots.

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 3720 8176 3724 8174 3720 8168 3721 8156
      3726 8150 3727 8142 3734 8136 3724 8123
      3729 8102 3718 8091 3711 8093 3705 8090
      3658 8087 3660 8166 3662 8162 3664 8161
      3696 8179 3696 8178 3703 8181 3715 8190

$$

SK

836 
WGUS71 KRNK 240057
FFSRNK

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service BLACKSBURG VA
857 PM EDT MON OCT 23 2017

VAC021-035-077-173-185-197-640-240105-
/O.CAN.KRNK.FF.W.0022.000000T0000Z-171024T0300Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Smyth VA-Tazewell VA-Bland VA-Wythe VA-Carroll VA-City of Galax VA-
Grayson VA-
857 PM EDT MON OCT 23 2017

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR 
SMYTH...TAZEWELL...BLAND...WYTHE...SOUTHWESTERN CARROLL AND GRAYSON
COUNTIES AND THE CITY OF GALAX IS CANCELLED...

The heavy rain has ended. Flash flooding is no longer expected to 
pose a threat across the region. However, at least one road was still 
closed in the Galax area and Chestnut Creek was still rising and may 
exceed flood stage before 10 pm EDT. Therefore a Flood Warning was 
issued just for Galax. 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 3720 8176 3724 8174 3720 8168 3721 8156
      3726 8150 3727 8142 3734 8136 3724 8123
      3729 8102 3718 8091 3711 8093 3705 8090
      3658 8087 3660 8166 3662 8162 3664 8161
      3696 8179 3696 8178 3703 8181 3715 8190

$$

SK

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Oct 23, 10:46 AM EDT	Flash Flood Watch	RNK	Carroll, Grayson, City of Galax	9 hr
Oct 23, 3:07 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Bland, Carroll, Grayson, Pulaski, Smyth, Tazewell and 2 more	83 min
Oct 23, 4:27 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Craig, Giles, Montgomery, Pulaski, City of Radford	108 min
Oct 23, 4:40 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Bland, Carroll, Grayson, Pulaski, Smyth, Tazewell and 2 more	110 min
Oct 23, 5:26 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	RNK	Carroll, Grayson	34 min
Oct 23, 5:47 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Carroll, Patrick	58 min
Oct 23, 5:53 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	RNK	Carroll, Floyd, Patrick	6 hr
Oct 23, 5:55 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	RNK	Carroll, Grayson, City of Galax	35 min
Oct 23, 6:16 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Alleghany, Craig, Giles, Montgomery, Pulaski, City of Covington and 1 more	89 min
Oct 23, 6:16 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Bland, Carroll, Floyd, Giles, Montgomery, Pulaski and 2 more	59 min
Oct 23, 6:24 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Bath, Botetourt, Roanoke, Rockbridge, City of Buena Vista, City of Lexington and 2 more	111 min
Oct 23, 6:42 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Craig, Giles, Montgomery, Pulaski	63 min
Oct 23, 6:46 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Floyd, Franklin, Henry, Patrick, Pittsylvania, City of Martinsville	59 min
Oct 23, 6:58 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	RNK	Alleghany, Craig, Floyd, Giles, Montgomery, City of Covington	6 hr
Oct 23, 7:16 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	RNK	Franklin, Henry, Pittsylvania, City of Danville, City of Martinsville	29 min
Oct 23, 7:28 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Alleghany, Bath, Botetourt, Craig, Roanoke, Rockbridge and 3 more	62 min
Oct 23, 7:40 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Amherst, Bedford, Botetourt, Campbell, Franklin, Roanoke and 5 more	65 min
Oct 23, 7:50 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Campbell, Pittsylvania, City of Danville, City of Lynchburg	55 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Virginia, 2017 Every flash flood warning in 2017

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.