Alert archive / Virginia / Flash Flood Warnings in 2017

Flash Flood Warning 7, NWS Blacksburg, VA

May 20, 2017Craig County, Virginia

NWS Blacksburg, VA issued this flash flood warning at May 20, 2017, 4:19 PM EDT for Craig County, Virginia. 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
May 20, 2017, 4:19 PM EDT (20:19 UTC)
Expired
May 20, 2017, 10:15 PM EDT
In force
6 hr
Issued by
NWS Blacksburg, VA
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

County Craig County, VA

The radar

The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 39 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:20 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, 8.3 hours before the alert went out and 81 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 2017-05-20Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 8 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Roanoke, VA at 12:00Z on 2017-05-20The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 70 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
8 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-255 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1300 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
23 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
70 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
57 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

867 
WGUS51 KRNK 202019
FFWRNK
VAC045-210215-
/O.NEW.KRNK.FF.W.0007.170520T2019Z-170521T0215Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service BLACKSBURG VA
419 PM EDT SAT MAY 20 2017

The National Weather Service in BLACKSBURG has issued a

* Flash Flood Warning for...
  Southwestern Craig County in southwestern Virginia...

* Until 1015 PM EDT

* At 418 PM EDT, Doppler radar indicated nearly stationary 
  thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Up to 
  two inches of rain have already fallen. Flash flooding is expected 
  to begin shortly.

Additional rainfall amounts of two inches are possible in the warned 
area.

This includes the following streams and drainages...
Little Oregon Creek...
Bee Branch...
Gravel Hill Branch...
Laurel Creek...
and Corner Branch.

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 3737 8031 3737 8033 3736 8034 3732 8043
      3733 8045 3733 8044 3734 8044 3740 8047
      3743 8038

$$

DS
3 follow-up statements
420 
WGUS71 KRNK 202139
FFSRNK

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service BLACKSBURG VA
539 PM EDT SAT MAY 20 2017

VAC045-210215-
/O.CON.KRNK.FF.W.0007.000000T0000Z-170521T0215Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Craig VA-
539 PM EDT SAT MAY 20 2017

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1015 PM EDT FOR 
SOUTHWESTERN CRAIG COUNTY...

At 535 PM EDT, Doppler radar indicated that the heavy rain producing 
thunderstorms have exited the warned area.  However, the combination 
of runoff from these earlier rains, and light to moderate rain still 
falling over parts of the warning area, is still expected to prompt 
flash flooding.

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 3737 8031 3737 8033 3736 8034 3732 8043
      3733 8045 3733 8044 3734 8044 3740 8047
      3743 8038

$$

DS
115 
WGUS71 KRNK 202215
FFSRNK

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service BLACKSBURG VA
615 PM EDT SAT MAY 20 2017

VAC045-210215-
/O.CON.KRNK.FF.W.0007.000000T0000Z-170521T0215Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Craig VA-
615 PM EDT SAT MAY 20 2017

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1015 PM EDT FOR 
SOUTHWESTERN CRAIG COUNTY...

At 612 PM EDT, local law enforcement reported a mudslide along Route 
658, due to the heavy rain from thunderstorms that occurred earlier. 
Even though the rain has ended localized flash flooding of smaller 
creeks and streams can occur. 

Some creeks that should be flooding include Laurel Creek, Gravel 
Hill Branch and Sinking Creek all in the Simmonsville and 
Huffman area.

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 3737 8031 3737 8033 3736 8034 3732 8043
      3733 8045 3733 8044 3734 8044 3740 8047
      3743 8038

$$

WP
119 
WGUS71 KRNK 210002
FFSRNK

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service BLACKSBURG VA
802 PM EDT SAT MAY 20 2017

VAC045-210011-
/O.CAN.KRNK.FF.W.0007.000000T0000Z-170521T0215Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Craig VA-
802 PM EDT SAT MAY 20 2017

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR 
SOUTHWESTERN CRAIG COUNTY IS CANCELLED...

Flood waters have receded. Flooding is no longer expected to pose a
threat. 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 3737 8031 3737 8033 3736 8034 3732 8043
      3733 8045 3733 8044 3734 8044 3740 8047
      3743 8038

$$

WP

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 20, 12:55 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKGrayson, Smyth, Tazewell65 min
May 20, 1:58 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKGrayson, Wythe, City of Galax32 min
May 20, 2:53 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKPatrick52 min
May 20, 12:57 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKGrayson33 min
May 20, 1:09 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKCraig66 min
May 20, 1:25 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryRNKGrayson3 hr
May 20, 1:30 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKGrayson60 min
May 20, 1:41 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKWythe64 min
May 20, 1:48 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRNKGrayson6 hr
May 20, 2:16 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKCarroll, Grayson, Wythe45 min
May 20, 2:36 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKFranklin39 min
May 20, 2:46 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKBotetourt59 min
May 20, 2:57 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryRNKCarroll, Pulaski, Wythe2 hr
May 20, 3:10 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKSmyth35 min
May 20, 3:32 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKGiles43 min
May 20, 3:35 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKCity of Roanoke, City of Salem55 min
May 20, 3:40 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKAlleghany, City of Covington65 min
May 20, 4:10 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKRoanoke35 min
May 20, 4:23 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKTazewell52 min
May 20, 4:24 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKBedford, Botetourt, Roanoke66 min
May 20, 4:37 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKGiles41 min
May 20, 4:45 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKAlleghany60 min
May 20, 5:06 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryRNKGiles3 hr
May 20, 5:11 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKBedford, Botetourt, Rockbridge64 min
May 20, 6:13 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKRockbridge, City of Buena Vista, City of Lexington32 min
May 20, 6:16 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKCity of Lynchburg29 min
May 20, 6:45 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKCampbell30 min
May 20, 6:53 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKAmherst, City of Lynchburg22 min
May 20, 6:58 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKCampbell, Pittsylvania62 min
May 20, 7:22 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKPittsylvania53 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Virginia, 2017Every 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.