Alert archive / Virginia / Flash Flood Warnings in 2024

Flash Flood Warning 21, NWS Wakefield, VA

May 24, 2024Chesterfield County, Henrico County, City of Richmond, Virginia

NWS Wakefield, VA issued this flash flood warning at May 24, 2024, 4:16 PM EDT for Chesterfield County, Henrico County, City of Richmond, Virginia. It was in force for 2 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
May 24, 2024, 4:16 PM EDT (20:16 UTC)
Expired
May 24, 2024, 6:30 PM EDT
In force
2 hr
Issued by
NWS Wakefield, VA
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

Counties Chesterfield County, VA, City of Richmond, VA, Henrico County, VA

The radar

The Norfolk radar (KAKQ), 70 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.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
May 24, 4:34 PM EDTFLASH FLOOD2 Ene Downtown Richmond, VAVDOT web cam indicates flooding at the corner of Belvidere and Canal Streets. More than 6 inches of water is on the roadway.
May 24, 4:45 PM EDTFLASH FLOOD1 N Downtown Richmond, VAAbout 18 inches of water on roadway near the intersection of Cary St and Arthur Ashe Blvd.

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

The nearest sounding before it

Washington/Dulle, VA (KIAD), launched 12:00Z, 8.3 hours before the alert went out and 160 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, Washington/Dulle, VA at 12:00Z on 2024-05-24Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 302 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, Washington/Dulle, VA at 12:00Z on 2024-05-24The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -50 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
302 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-86 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1212 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
26 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-50 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
32 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

980 
WGUS51 KAKQ 242016
FFWAKQ
VAC041-087-760-242315-
/O.NEW.KAKQ.FF.W.0021.240524T2016Z-240524T2315Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Wakefield VA
416 PM EDT Fri May 24 2024

The National Weather Service in Wakefield has issued a

* Flash Flood Warning for...
  Central Chesterfield County in central Virginia...
  Central Henrico County in central Virginia...
  The City of Richmond in central Virginia...

* Until 715 PM EDT.

* At 416 PM EDT, Doppler radar and automated rain gauges indicated 
  thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Between 
  0.5 and 1 inch of rain has fallen. The expected rainfall rate is 1 
  to 1.5 inches in 30 minutes. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected 
  to begin shortly.

  HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms.

  SOURCE...Radar and automated gauges.

  IMPACT...Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban
           areas, highways, streets and underpasses as well as
           other poor drainage and low-lying areas.

* Some locations that will experience flash flooding include...
  Richmond, Virginia Commonwealth University, Downtown Richmond, 
  Virginia Union University, Highland Springs, University Of 
  Richmond, Chester, Mechanicsville, Bon Air, Tuckahoe, Bensley, 
  East Highland Park, Bellwood, Lakeside, Chesterfield Court House, 
  Laurel, Chesterfield, Richmond Heights, Montrose and Drewrys Bluff.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

Please report flooding by calling 757-899-2415, posting to the NWS 
Wakefield Facebook page, or using Twitter @NWSWAKEFIELDVA.

&&

LAT...LON 3760 7758 3762 7753 3762 7745 3758 7733
      3752 7721 3745 7725 3741 7731 3738 7737
      3737 7750 3740 7758 3752 7755 3754 7760

FLASH FLOOD...RADAR AND GAUGE INDICATED
EXPECTED RAINFALL RATE...1-1.5 INCHES IN 30 MINUTES

$$

EI
1 follow-up statement
498 
WGUS71 KAKQ 242230
FFSAKQ

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Wakefield VA
630 PM EDT Fri May 24 2024

VAC041-087-760-242240-
/O.CAN.KAKQ.FF.W.0021.000000T0000Z-240524T2315Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Chesterfield VA-Henrico VA-City of Richmond VA-
630 PM EDT Fri May 24 2024

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING IS CANCELLED FOR CENTRAL CHESTERFIELD AND 
CENTRAL HENRICO COUNTIES AND THE CITY OF RICHMOND...

The heavy rain has ended. Flooding is no longer expected to pose a 
threat. Please continue to heed remaining road closures.

&&

LAT...LON 3760 7758 3762 7753 3762 7745 3758 7733
      3752 7721 3745 7725 3741 7731 3738 7737
      3737 7750 3740 7758 3752 7755 3754 7760

$$

MRD

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 24, 12:47 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementAKQDinwiddie43 min
May 24, 9:03 AM EDTSpecial Marine WarningAKQ57 min
May 24, 9:59 AM EDTSpecial Marine WarningAKQ61 min
May 24, 1:24 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementAKQWestmoreland51 min
May 24, 1:30 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningAKQEssex, Richmond, Westmoreland3 hr
May 24, 2:19 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementAKQRichmond41 min
May 24, 2:51 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementAKQNorthumberland24 min
May 24, 2:52 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementAKQKing William38 min
May 24, 3:21 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningAKQCaroline, Hanover, King William114 min
May 24, 3:26 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQCaroline, Hanover, King William49 min
May 24, 4:07 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementAKQHenrico, New Kent38 min
May 24, 4:44 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementAKQChesterfield, Henrico, City of Colonial Heights, City of Hopewell, City of Petersburg46 min
May 24, 5:15 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementAKQAccomack30 min
May 24, 5:29 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementAKQPrince George, Sussex, City of Petersburg46 min
May 24, 5:32 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningAKQ48 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Virginia, 2024Every flash flood warning in 2024

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.