Alert archive / North Carolina / Flash Flood Warnings in 2026
Flash Flood Warning 33, NWS Blacksburg, VA
NWS Blacksburg, VA issued this flash flood warning at Aug 11, 2026, 4:42 PM EDT for Wilkes County, North Carolina. It was in force for 5 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
- Aug 11, 2026, 4:42 PM EDT (20:42 UTC)
- Expired
- Aug 11, 2026, 9:55 PM EDT
- In force
- 5 hr
- Issued by
- NWS Blacksburg, VA
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
- Flood severity
- None
County Wilkes County, NC
The radar
The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 118 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:41 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 11, 4:55 PM EDT | FLASH FLOOD | North Wilkesboro, NC | Photo showing several inches of water flowing down B Street, near Chestnut Street. |
| Aug 11, 4:55 PM EDT | FLASH FLOOD | North Wilkesboro, NC | Photo showing several inches of water flowing down B Street, near Chestnut Street. |
Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.
Did it verify
Verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow matched one storm report to this flash flood warning; the first came 13 minutes after it went out.
Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.
The nearest sounding before it
Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC (KGSO), launched 12:00Z, 8.7 hours before the alert went out and 100 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
- 1951 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -89 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 941 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 18 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- -96 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 47 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted.
150
WGUS51 KRNK 112042
FFWRNK
NCC193-120245-
/O.NEW.KRNK.FF.W.0033.260811T2042Z-260812T0245Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Blacksburg VA
442 PM EDT Tue Aug 11 2026
The National Weather Service in Blacksburg has issued a
* Flash Flood Warning for...
Central Wilkes County in northwestern North Carolina...
* Until 1045 PM EDT Tuesday.
* At 442 PM EDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing
heavy rain across the warned area. Between 1 and 2 inches of rain
have fallen. Additional rainfall amounts of 1 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...
North Wilkesboro... Wilkesboro...
Mc Grady... Wilbar...
Fairplains... Mulberry...
Wilkes County Airport...
This includes the following streams and drainages...
Cane Creek, Bussels Creek, Camp Branch, Clear Branch, Cub Creek,
Darnell Creek, Hunting Creek, Fish Dam Creek, Church Branch,
Dobbins Creek, Dugger Creek, Bee Tree Branch and East Swan Creek.
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 X.
&&
LAT...LON 3611 8088 3608 8088 3607 8088 3606 8088
3606 8091 3606 8092 3609 8127 3635 8136
3636 8124 3624 8110 3615 8088
FLASH FLOOD...RADAR INDICATED
$$
RS1 follow-up statement
456
WGUS71 KRNK 120155
FFSRNK
Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Blacksburg VA
955 PM EDT Tue Aug 11 2026
NCC193-120205-
/O.CAN.KRNK.FF.W.0033.000000T0000Z-260812T0245Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Wilkes NC-
955 PM EDT Tue Aug 11 2026
...FLASH FLOOD WARNING IS CANCELLED FOR CENTRAL WILKES COUNTY...
Flood waters have receded. The heavy rain has ended. Flooding is no
longer expected to pose a threat. Please continue to heed remaining
road closures.
&&
LAT...LON 3611 8088 3608 8088 3607 8088 3606 8088
3606 8091 3606 8092 3609 8127 3635 8136
3636 8124 3624 8110 3615 8088
$$
RSWhat forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before this flash flood 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 flash flood warning went out at Aug 11, 1:39 PM EDT, 3 hours 3 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
- 1) Storm chances stay with us into the weekend with best chances in the mountains. Some severe/flooding possible mainly through this evening and again late Wednesday into Thursday morning.
Area forecast discussion, Aug 11, 1:39 PM EDT, 3 hours 3 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Blacksburg VA
139 PM EDT Tue Aug 11 2026
.WHAT HAS CHANGED...
Adjusted all forecast parameters based on latest radar/satellite
trends. PoPs lowered for Wednesday.
&&
.KEY MESSAGES...
1) Storm chances stay with us into the weekend with best chances
in the mountains. Some severe/flooding possible mainly through
this evening and again late Wednesday into Thursday morning.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
KEY MESSAGE 1:
Storm chances stay with us into the weekend with best chances
in the mountains. Some severe/flooding possible mainly through
this evening and again late Wednesday into Thursday morning.
Juicy airmass in place and have kept flood watch as is, with
more concern over our WV counties, but over time, southward
shift in the path of storms would impact the NC mountains.
So far storms have been moving fast enough with limited
training/repeat storms to keep flood threat down, but another
cluster of storms in WV early this afternoon will likely pose
some localized flooding problems through late afternoon.
Severe storms will be possible this afternoon with greater
instability from far southwest VA into NC where sunshine was
more plentiful to allow destablization, though better shear is
further north.
The MCS moving into our SE WV counties early this afternoon is
not as unstable, thanks to earlier convection and clouds and
considerable uncertainty exists regarding this system's
longevity. Nevertheless, sufficient flow aloft and mesoscale
organization will maintain a risk of damaging wind gusts.
Yet another upstream MCS over the lower Great Lakes could ride
southeast into the area this evening. Models vary on how this
transpires, but forecast Corfidi vectors point to the same
general path into eastern Ohio, then southeast into WV/SW VA.
Some models are having it turn more south through KY while
others split it and have one piece going across PA/MD.
Confidence is lower this evening on pops but have seen enough
trends/pattern recognition to at least have confidence of likely
pops in the north along I-64. then southwest into WV/far SW VA
with less chances in NC. But as can be the case with MCS's, they
can hold together, even in a weakened state to bring measurable
precip to most of the area.
Model trends have backed off on coverage of storms Wednesday,
but am not confident in this, but will lean drier as pattern
remains the same though upstream vorts appear weaker.
Still, strong to severe storms will be possible again Wednesday
afternoon/evening. The evolution of upstream convection will
have a considerable influence on the position of the primary
surface front and any organized severe threat across parts of
the region on Wednesday. At least isolated storm development
will be possible near the front and also across favored terrain
areas, with modest west- northwesterly flow aloft supporting
potential for outflow-driven cells/clusters with a threat of
wind damage. Any features favorably timed with the diurnal cycle
(such as a persistent storm cluster or MCV) could result in a
greater coverage of wind-damage potential, but confidence is
low.
We keep a pattern of a front stalled or slowly sinking south
into the end of the week. Maybe by the weekend we dry out some,
but confidence is not high enough to pull chances of storms.
&&
.AVIATION /18Z TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/...
VFR for much of the area outside of storms this afternoon.
Higher confidence that most, if not all terminals, see some
showers/storms at some point between 18z-06z. Higher confidence
early for BLF/LWB and have tempo groups for IFR conditions with
thunder.
As with any storm, some strong wind gusts are possible with
heavy rain lowering vsby down to IFR or lower at times.
Should see a lull in activity late tonight into Wednesday.
Ground fog from rain possible at some sites, with higher
confidence in MVFR fog or lower cloud in the mountains late
tonight into Wed morning.
EXTENDED AVIATION OUTLOOK...
Pattern trend continues with daily chances for storms. Mainly
VFR outside of any storms and late night fog/stratus.
&&
.RNK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
VA...Flood Watch through Thursday morning for VAZ007-009>020-
022>024.
NC...Flood Watch through Thursday morning for NCZ001-002-018.
WV...Flood Watch through Thursday morning for WVZ042>044-507-508.
&&
DISCUSSION...EB/WP
AVIATION...EB/WPHazardous weather outlook, Aug 11, 3:10 PM EDT, 1 hour 32 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Blacksburg VA 310 PM EDT Tue Aug 11 2026 NCZ001-002-018-VAZ007-009>020-022>024-WVZ042>044-507-508-121915- Ashe-Alleghany NC-Watauga-Tazewell-Smyth-Bland-Giles-Wythe-Pulaski- Montgomery-Grayson-Carroll-Floyd-Craig-Alleghany VA-Bath-Roanoke- Botetourt-Rockbridge-Mercer-Summers-Monroe-Eastern Greenbrier- Western Greenbrier- 310 PM EDT Tue Aug 11 2026 ...FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for northwest North Carolina, southwest Virginia, west central Virginia and southeast West Virginia. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight. Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the Internet for more information about the following hazards. Flood Watch. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday. Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the Internet for more information about the following hazards. Flood Watch. An increased risk of severe storms due to damaging winds and localized flash flooding from heavy rainfall exists during Wednesday. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Weather spotters are requested to report hail of any size, as well as any damage caused by thunderstorm winds in their area. NCZ003>006-019-020-VAZ032>035-043>047-058-059-121915- Surry-Stokes-Rockingham-Caswell-Wilkes-Yadkin-Patrick-Franklin- Bedford-Amherst-Henry-Pittsylvania-Campbell-Appomattox-Buckingham- Halifax-Charlotte- 310 PM EDT Tue Aug 11 2026 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for north central North Carolina, northwest North Carolina, central Virginia, south central Virginia, southwest Virginia and west central Virginia. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight. Strong to severe storms are possible through this evening. Damaging winds and localized flash flooding are the main concern. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday. An increased risk of severe storms due to damaging winds and localized flash flooding from heavy rainfall exists during Wednesday. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Weather spotters are requested to report hail of any size, as well as any damage caused by thunderstorm winds in their area.
In the hours before
Local storm report, Aug 11, 4:18 PM EDT, 24 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Blacksburg VA
418 PM EDT Tue Aug 11 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0409 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 1 SW North Wilkesboro 36.16N 81.16W
08/11/2026 Wilkes NC 911 Call Center
Multiple trees and powerlines down West D
Street and Boone Trail.
&&Local storm report, Aug 11, 4:26 PM EDT, 16 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Blacksburg VA
426 PM EDT Tue Aug 11 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0408 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 2 SSE North Wilkesboro 36.14N 81.12W
08/11/2026 Wilkes NC Public
Tree down blocking Camp Joe Harris Road.
&&Special weather statement, Aug 11, 4:28 PM EDT, 14 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service BLACKSBURG VA
428 PM EDT Tue Aug 11 2026
NCZ001-018-019-112100-
Ashe NC-Wilkes NC-Watauga NC-
428 PM EDT Tue Aug 11 2026
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT
WESTERN WILKES...WATAUGA AND SOUTHERN ASHE COUNTIES THROUGH 500 PM
EDT...
At 428 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along
a line extending from Glendale Springs to near Hampton. Movement was
southeast at 25 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects.
Locations impacted include...
Boone...
Wilkesboro...
Blowing Rock...
Beech Mountain...
Boomer...
Foscoe...
and Glendale Springs.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
Locally heavy rain will quickly reduce visibility and result in
ponding of water on roadways, standing water in low lying areas, and
minor flooding of creeks, streams, and areas of poor drainage.
Drivers are urged to slow down and use extra caution to avoid
hydroplaning.
Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with these storms.
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe
shelter inside a building or vehicle.
&&
LAT...LON 3632 8187 3634 8173 3633 8171 3635 8171
3639 8137 3607 8113 3604 8138 3604 8140
3607 8141 3607 8144 3609 8146 3610 8151
3612 8155 3611 8181 3616 8183 3619 8186
3619 8188 3621 8191 3626 8189 3629 8192
TIME...MOT...LOC 2028Z 336DEG 20KT 3633 8139 3623 8209
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
JCBLocal storm report, Aug 11, 4:33 PM EDT, 9 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Blacksburg VA
433 PM EDT Tue Aug 11 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0232 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 4 W Spanishburg 37.45N 81.18W
08/11/2026 Mercer WV 911 Call Center
Tree down along Little Rich Creek Road.
&&
WPLocal storm report, Aug 11, 4:36 PM EDT, 6 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Blacksburg VA
436 PM EDT Tue Aug 11 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0317 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 3 NNE Whitetop 36.64N 81.60W
08/11/2026 Grayson VA Emergency Mngr
Several trees down in western Grayson.
&&
RCSLocal storm report, Aug 11, 4:40 PM EDT, 2 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Blacksburg VA
440 PM EDT Tue Aug 11 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0210 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 1 NE Allison Gap 36.91N 81.75W
08/11/2026 Smyth VA Utility Company
Tree down on power line.
&&
WPThe office that day
Everything else NWS Blacksburg, VA issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 11, 1:34 AM EDT | Flood Watch | RNK | Alleghany, Ashe, Watauga | 54 hr |
| Aug 11, 3:30 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | RNK | Ashe | 15 min |
| Aug 11, 3:42 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | RNK | Wilkes | 48 min |
| Aug 11, 3:46 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | RNK | Wilkes | 29 min |
| Aug 11, 3:51 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | RNK | Wilkes, Yadkin | 54 min |
| Aug 11, 4:04 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | RNK | Ashe, Watauga | 26 min |
| Aug 11, 4:12 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | RNK | Stokes, Surry | 48 min |
| Aug 11, 4:28 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | RNK | Watauga | 32 min |
| Aug 11, 4:44 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | RNK | Wilkes, Yadkin | 31 min |
| Aug 11, 4:47 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | RNK | Caswell, Rockingham | 28 min |
| Aug 11, 5:00 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | RNK | Wilkes | 30 min |
| Aug 11, 5:14 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | RNK | Yadkin | 31 min |
Nearby
Flash Flood Warnings in North Carolina, 2026Every 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.