Alert archive / Virginia / Flash Flood Warnings in 2026

Flash Flood Warning 49, NWS Wakefield, VA

July 23, 20264 counties in Virginia

NWS Wakefield, VA issued this flash flood warning at Jul 23, 2026, 4:27 AM EDT for 4 counties in Virginia. It was in force for 3 hr. 1 report 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: Jul 23, 2026, 4:27 AM EDT (08:27 UTC)
Expired: Jul 23, 2026, 7:30 AM EDT
In force: 3 hr
Issued by: NWS Wakefield, VA
Area: Storm-based polygon
Flood severity: None

Counties City of Chesapeake, VA, City of Norfolk, VA, City of Portsmouth, VA, City of Virginia Beach, VA

The radar

The Norfolk radar (KAKQ), 79 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 08:31 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
Jul 23, 5:00 AM EDT	FLASH FLOOD	Lynnhaven, VA	Standing water on I-264 is blocking part of the road and has prompted the closure of exit 19.

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

The nearest sounding before it

Newport, NC (KMHX), launched 00:00Z, 8.5 hours before the alert went out and 243 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: 858 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -89 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1215 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 27 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 111 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 146 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.2
Supercell composite: 9.4

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

118 
WGUS51 KAKQ 230827
FFWAKQ
VAC550-710-740-810-231130-
/O.NEW.KAKQ.FF.W.0049.260723T0827Z-260723T1130Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Wakefield VA
427 AM EDT Thu Jul 23 2026

The National Weather Service in Wakefield has issued a

* Flash Flood Warning for...
  The Northern City of Chesapeake in southeastern Virginia...
  The Southern City of Norfolk in southeastern Virginia...
  The City of Portsmouth in southeastern Virginia...
  The Northwestern City of Virginia Beach in southeastern Virginia...

* Until 730 AM EDT.

* At 427 AM EDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing 
  heavy rain across the warned area. Between 1 and 2.5 inches of 
  rain have fallen. Additional rainfall amounts up to 2 inches are 
  possible in the warned area. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected 
  to begin shortly.

  HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms.

  SOURCE...Radar.

  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...
  Virginia Beach, Regent University, Kempsville, Virginia Wesleyan 
  University, Norfolk State University, Downtown Norfolk, Downtown 
  Portsmouth, Deep Creek, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Norfolk 
  International, Norview, Ghent, Cradock, Western Branch, 
  Greenbrier, Gallups Corner, Bayside and Princess Anne Plaza.

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 X @NWSWAKEFIELDVA.

&&

LAT...LON 3694 7611 3693 7609 3694 7607 3695 7604
      3694 7597 3693 7596 3691 7596 3690 7597
      3684 7596 3677 7609 3672 7626 3673 7638
      3680 7643 3686 7639 3691 7623

FLASH FLOOD...RADAR INDICATED

$$

AC

1 follow-up statement

933 
WGUS71 KAKQ 231123
FFSAKQ

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Wakefield VA
723 AM EDT Thu Jul 23 2026

VAC550-710-740-810-231133-
/O.EXP.KAKQ.FF.W.0049.000000T0000Z-260723T1130Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
City of Chesapeake VA-City of Norfolk VA-City of Portsmouth VA-
City of Virginia Beach VA-
723 AM EDT Thu Jul 23 2026

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 730 AM EDT THIS MORNING FOR 
THE NORTHERN CITY OF CHESAPEAKE, THE SOUTHERN CITY OF NORFOLK, THE 
CITY OF PORTSMOUTH AND THE NORTHWESTERN CITY OF VIRGINIA BEACH...

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

A Flood Watch remains in effect until 1200 AM EDT Friday for 
portions of northeast North Carolina and southeast Virginia.

&&

LAT...LON 3694 7611 3693 7609 3694 7607 3695 7604
      3694 7597 3693 7596 3691 7596 3690 7597
      3684 7596 3677 7609 3672 7626 3673 7638
      3680 7643 3686 7639 3691 7623

$$

KMC

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jul 22, 9:46 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	AKQ	Accomack	44 min
Jul 22, 9:55 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	AKQ	Gloucester, Lancaster, Mathews, Middlesex	2 hr
Jul 22, 10:02 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	AKQ	Accomack, Northampton	2 hr
Jul 22, 10:04 PM EDT	Special Marine Warning	AKQ		28 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Virginia, 2026 Every flash flood warning in 2026

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.