Alert archive / Virginia / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2023
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 53, NWS Blacksburg, VA
NWS Blacksburg, VA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jun 16, 2023, 2:18 PM EDT for 5 counties in Virginia. It was in force for 57 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- Jun 16, 2023, 2:18 PM EDT (18:18 UTC)
- Expired
- Jun 16, 2023, 3:15 PM EDT
- In force
- 57 min
- Issued by
- NWS Blacksburg, VA
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
- Hail
- 1.0 in
- Wind
- 60.0 mph
Counties Amherst County, VA, Bedford County, VA, Botetourt County, VA, City of Buena Vista, VA, Rockbridge County, VA
The radar
The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 97 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 18:20 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
Washington/Dulle, VA (KIAD), launched 12:00Z, 6.3 hours before the alert went out and 234 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 119 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -101 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 910 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 30 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 40 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 101 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.1
What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm warning 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 severe thunderstorm warning went out at Jun 16, 10:04 AM EDT, 4 hours 14 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Jun 16, 10:04 AM EDT, 4 hours 14 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Blacksburg VA 1004 AM EDT Fri Jun 16 2023 .SYNOPSIS... A cold front will move southeast from the Great Lakes and pass across the Mid-Atlantic today, resulting in more scattered showers and thunderstorms. Saturday will be dry as high pressure builds into the region. A low pressure system tracking across the Tennessee Valley will bring a greater probability of widespread rain to the area for early next week. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... As of 1000 AM EDT Friday... Adjusted timing of precipitation today... HRRR and other Convective Allowing Models were an hour or two behind the current position of the front and isolated showers and thunderstorms in West Virginia. Air was already starting to destabilize and better coverage of thunderstorms will fill in between noon and 2PM. No changes to temperatures at this time. As of 600 AM EDT Friday... This morning, mostly clear skies across the region. Some river valley fog is ongoing and will likely continue for another hour or so. An upper-level trough passing through the Great Lakes this morning, which was responsible for numerous storms over Michigan and the Ohio Valley yesterday, will continue to pivot southeast and cross through Southern Pennsylvania later this afternoon. Coinciding front will cross the area and this will be the focus for some isolated thunderstorms. Best kinematic parameter space, forcing for ascent and instability will be over the DelMarVa region. However, hi-res guidance does have higher MLCAPE/SBCAPE pooling over Central Virginia (particularly east of the US-29 along a line from Lynchburg to Danville). O-6km shear also in the 30-40kt range would indicate there is at least the risk for some organized convection that would be capable of strong winds and large hail. Downsloping westerly flow should suppress most convection from the Foothills of the Blue Ridge and west. A Marginal Risk has been highlighted for the far eastern counties, which is where the best instability/shear parameters overlap. Front quickly clears the area late this evening and drier air filters in from the northwest as high pressure builds in. Temperatures today feature 70s for the mountains and 80s in the east. Tonight, with drier air and high pressure building in, could see some 40s in the mountain valleys, but likely 50s elsewhere. && .SHORT TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/... As of 300 AM EDT Friday... Moderating temperatures for Father's day weekend. High pressure across the region will build east into Sunday night. Under plenty of sunshine, high temperatures Saturday will range the mid 60s in the northwest mountains to the mid 80s in the Piedmont. Low temperatures Saturday night will vary from the mid 40s in the deeper mountain valleys to the mid 50s in the Piedmont. Sunshine will give way to increasing clouds Sunday. High temperatures Sunday will generally be from the upper 70s in the west to the upper 80s in the east. On Sunday night, the wind turns to the south and southeast with upslope just beginning along the southern Blue Ridge and rain arriving in the northwest North Carolina mountains late Sunday night into Monday morning. With the additional cloud cover low temperatures Sunday night will be warmer with readings from mid 50s in the mountains to the lower 60s in the Piedmont. Moderate confidence in the Short Term Forecast. && .LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... As of 300 AM EDT Friday... Unsettled and unseasonably cool weather expected for the workweek. An omega block pattern develops early next week. A piece of energy comes out of the west long wave trough and tracks as a closed upper low into the Tennessee Valley by Tuesday. This low lingers across the Southeast through Friday, blocked by upper ridging over southeast Canada. There remains good agreement in the overall pattern on GFS/ECMWF/Canadian but some differences remain on the location of the 500MB low. Models have trended wetter for next week. At the surface high pressure will wedge down the eastern slopes of the central and southern Appalachians. Low pressure will be over the Tennessee Valley with a warm front extending across the Carolinas. This will result in unseasonably cold temperatures through the period. A prolonged period of easterly upslope flow and moisture off the Atlantic ocean will continue the chances of rain into Friday. The later part of the week is tricky with high pressure ridging southward. Moderate confidence in the Long Term Forecast. && .AVIATION /14Z FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... As of 645 AM EDT Thursday... Areas of patchy fog this morning will continue for another hour or so, lifting by 13z. DAN/LYH may have a brief thunderstorm this afternoon that could reduce vsby, but too scattered in nature and not enough confidence to mention in the TAF. Winds should remain calm to light and variable for another few hours, but increase in speed from the west as the day progresses. Could have gusts in the 20-30mph range. Any rain/storm activity comes to an end late this evening. Tonight, some upslope clouds in the far west under northwest flow will introduce some lower cigs for BLF/LWB, possibly sub- VFR. EXTENDED AVIATION OUTLOOK... High pressure will build across the Mid Atlantic by Saturday to provide dry weather and VFR ceiling and visibility, lasting into Sunday. Low pressure approaching from the Tennessee Valley looks to bring a widespread chance of MVFR to LIFR conditions and widespread light to moderate rain early next week. && .RNK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... VA...None. NC...None. WV...None. && SYNOPSIS...BMG NEAR TERM...AMS/BMG SHORT TERM...KK LONG TERM...KK AVIATION...BMG
Hazardous weather outlook, Jun 16, 4:19 AM EDT, 9 hours 59 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Jun 16, 1:13 PM EDT, 1 hour 5 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service BLACKSBURG VA
113 PM EDT Fri Jun 16 2023
VAZ046-047-161745-
Buckingham VA-Appomattox VA-
113 PM EDT Fri Jun 16 2023
...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of
northeastern Appomattox and southwestern Buckingham Counties through
145 PM EDT...
At 113 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Hixburg, or 9 miles east of Appomattox, moving east at 20 mph.
HAZARD...Winds in excess of 30 mph and pea size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Hixburg...
Sheppards...
Andersonville...
and Toga.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3734 7846 3733 7848 3734 7848 3733 7849
3733 7852 3736 7856 3737 7858 3738 7858
3738 7859 3739 7858 3740 7859 3734 7860
3727 7867 3747 7874 3754 7839 3746 7838
TIME...MOT...LOC 1713Z 267DEG 17KT 3739 7866
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...30 MPH
ASSpecial weather statement, Jun 16, 1:18 PM EDT, 1 hour before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service BLACKSBURG VA
118 PM EDT Fri Jun 16 2023
VAZ019-020-023-024-035-161745-
Botetourt VA-Bath VA-Amherst VA-Rockbridge VA-Alleghany VA-
118 PM EDT Fri Jun 16 2023
...Strong thunderstorms will impact portions of
central Alleghany, Rockbridge, southeastern Bath, northern Botetourt
Counties in west central Virginia and north central Amherst Counties
in central Virginia, the City of Covington, the City of Buena Vista
and the City of Lexington through 145 PM EDT...
At 117 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along
a line extending from near Rockbridge Baths to Longdale Furnace to
near Callaghan. Movement was southeast at 25 mph.
HAZARD...Winds in excess of 30 mph and pea size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Lexington...
Buena Vista...
Covington...
Clifton Forge...
Goshen...
Eagle Rock...
and Collierstown.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3793 7920 3789 7915 3785 7915 3782 7916
3781 7917 3781 7914 3780 7912 3770 7938
3754 7989 3778 8016 3787 7979 3804 7941
TIME...MOT...LOC 1717Z 297DEG 20KT 3796 7941 3784 7972 3774 8007
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...30 MPH
ASSpecial weather statement, Jun 16, 1:31 PM EDT, 47 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service BLACKSBURG VA
131 PM EDT Fri Jun 16 2023
VAZ047-161745-
Buckingham VA-
131 PM EDT Fri Jun 16 2023
...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of
east central Buckingham County through 145 PM EDT...
At 130 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over
Gold Hill, or 8 miles northwest of Cumberland, moving east at 15 mph.
HAZARD...Winds in excess of 30 mph.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects.
Locations impacted include...
Gold Hill.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3764 7825 3749 7836 3766 7836 3769 7826
3769 7824
TIME...MOT...LOC 1730Z 265DEG 13KT 3760 7832
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...30 MPH
ASSpecial weather statement, Jun 16, 1:48 PM EDT, 30 minutes before
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Everything else NWS Blacksburg, VA issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 15, 9:19 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | RNK | Pittsylvania | 26 min |
| Jun 15, 9:40 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | RNK | Smyth | 35 min |
| Jun 15, 10:17 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | RNK | Grayson, Smyth | 28 min |
| Jun 16, 1:13 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | RNK | Buckingham | 32 min |
| Jun 16, 1:18 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | RNK | Alleghany, Rockbridge, City of Buena Vista, City of Covington, City of Lexington | 27 min |
| Jun 16, 1:31 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | RNK | Cumberland | 14 min |
| Jun 16, 1:48 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | RNK | Amherst, Botetourt, Rockbridge, City of Buena Vista, City of Lexington | 42 min |
| Jun 16, 1:57 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | RNK | Craig | 33 min |
| Jun 16, 2:26 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | RNK | City of Martinsville | 34 min |
| Jun 16, 2:46 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | RNK | Buckingham | 59 min |
| Jun 16, 2:55 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | RNK | Henry, Pittsylvania | 34 min |
| Jun 16, 3:13 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | RNK | Buckingham | 47 min |
| Jun 16, 3:15 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | RNK | Pittsylvania, City of Danville | 32 min |
| Jun 16, 3:18 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | RNK | Appomattox, Bedford, Buckingham, Campbell, City of Lynchburg | 42 min |
| Jun 16, 3:23 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | RNK | Halifax | 37 min |
| Jun 16, 3:36 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | RNK | Halifax | 31 min |
| Jun 16, 4:31 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | RNK | Charlotte | 29 min |
| Jun 16, 5:11 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | RNK | City of Danville | 34 min |
| Jun 16, 5:17 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | RNK | Charlotte | 28 min |
| Jun 15, 9:05 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | RNK | Surry | 25 min |
| Jun 16, 3:27 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | RNK | Caswell | 45 min |
Nearby
Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Virginia, 2023Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2023
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.