Alert archive / Virginia / Flash Flood Warnings in 2026

Flash Flood Warning 9, NWS Blacksburg, VA

July 11, 2026Bland County, Tazewell County, Virginia; Mercer County, West Virginia

NWS Blacksburg, VA issued this flash flood warning at Jul 11, 2026, 11:16 AM EDT for Bland County, Tazewell County, Virginia; Mercer County, West Virginia. 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: Jul 11, 2026, 11:16 AM EDT (15:16 UTC)
Expired: Jul 11, 2026, 4:45 PM EDT
In force: 5 hr
Issued by: NWS Blacksburg, VA
Area: Storm-based polygon
Flood severity: None

Counties Bland County, VA, Tazewell County, VA, Mercer County, WV

The radar

The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 99 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 15:17 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 11, 2:33 PM EDT	FLASH FLOOD	2 N Bluefield, VA	Facebook post showed moving water over road towards the end of Stowers Hill Road north of Bluefield.
Jul 11, 3:00 PM EDT	FLASH FLOOD	1 Ssw Bluefield, WV	Trained Spotter reported College Avenue in Bluefield West Virginia under water and flooded.

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 2 storm reports to this flash flood warning; the first came 197 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

Roanoke, VA (KRNK), launched 12:00Z, 3.3 hours before the alert went out and 165 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: 47 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -104 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 850 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 27 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 20 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 41 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

453 
WGUS51 KRNK 111516
FFWRNK
VAC021-185-WVC055-112100-
/O.NEW.KRNK.FF.W.0009.260711T1516Z-260711T2100Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Blacksburg VA
1116 AM EDT Sat Jul 11 2026

The National Weather Service in Blacksburg has issued a

* Flash Flood Warning for...
  Central Bland County in southwestern Virginia...
  Northeastern Tazewell County in southwestern Virginia...
  Southwestern Mercer County in southeastern West Virginia...

* Until 500 PM EDT.

* At 1116 AM EDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing 
  heavy rain across the warned area. Between 1 and 1.5 inches of 
  rain have fallen. The expected rainfall rate is 1.5 to 3 inches in 
  1 hour. 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...
  Bluefield...                       Bland...
  Bastian...                         Burkes Garden...
  Rocky Gap...                       Pocahontas...

As well as Abbs Valley, Boissevain, and the Trailhead ATV Resort.

This includes the following streams and drainages...
  Burkes Garden Creek, East Fork Cove Creek, East River, Crane 
  Creek, Clinch River, Big Spring Branch, Blue Spring Creek, Crab 
  Orchard Creek and Bluestone River.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

Flooding is occurring or is imminent. It is important to know where 
you are relative to streams, rivers, or creeks which can become 
killers in heavy rains. Campers and hikers should avoid streams or 
creeks.

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 3726 8150 3725 8148 3727 8145 3727 8142
      3732 8139 3732 8137 3739 8133 3723 8095
      3703 8118 3705 8122 3703 8126 3720 8158
      3723 8151

FLASH FLOOD...RADAR INDICATED
EXPECTED RAINFALL RATE...1.5-3 INCHES IN 1 HOUR

$$

CDG

2 follow-up statements

093 
WGUS71 KRNK 111825
FFSRNK

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Blacksburg VA
225 PM EDT Sat Jul 11 2026

VAC021-185-WVC055-112100-
/O.CON.KRNK.FF.W.0009.000000T0000Z-260711T2100Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Bland VA-Tazewell VA-Mercer WV-
225 PM EDT Sat Jul 11 2026

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 PM EDT THIS 
AFTERNOON FOR CENTRAL BLAND, NORTHEASTERN TAZEWELL AND SOUTHWESTERN 
MERCER COUNTIES...

At 225 PM EDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy 
rain across the warned area. Between 2 and 3 inches of rain have 
fallen. 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...
  Bluefield...                       Bland...
Bastian...                         Burkes Garden...
Rocky Gap...                       Pocahontas...

This includes the following streams and drainages...
  Burkes Garden Creek, East Fork Cove Creek, East River, Crane 
  Creek, Clinch River, Big Spring Branch, Blue Spring Creek, Crab 
  Orchard Creek and Bluestone River.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

Flooding is occurring or is imminent. It is important to know where 
you are relative to streams, rivers, or creeks which can become 
killers in heavy rains. Campers and hikers should avoid streams or 
creeks.

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 3726 8150 3725 8148 3727 8145 3727 8142
      3732 8139 3732 8137 3739 8133 3723 8095
      3703 8118 3705 8122 3703 8126 3720 8158
      3723 8151

FLASH FLOOD...RADAR INDICATED

$$

CDG

812 
WGUS71 KRNK 112045
FFSRNK

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Blacksburg VA
445 PM EDT Sat Jul 11 2026

VAC021-185-WVC055-112055-
/O.CAN.KRNK.FF.W.0009.000000T0000Z-260711T2100Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Bland VA-Tazewell VA-Mercer WV-
445 PM EDT Sat Jul 11 2026

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING IS CANCELLED FOR CENTRAL BLAND, NORTHEASTERN 
TAZEWELL AND SOUTHWESTERN MERCER COUNTIES...

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

&&

LAT...LON 3726 8150 3725 8148 3727 8145 3727 8142
      3732 8139 3732 8137 3739 8133 3723 8095
      3703 8118 3705 8122 3703 8126 3720 8158
      3723 8151

$$

EB

What 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 Jul 11, 6:48 AM EDT, 4 hours 28 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

Key Message 1: Unsettled weather expected through the weekend. Key Message 2: Drying trend expected next week.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 11, 6:48 AM EDT, 4 hours 28 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Blacksburg VA
648 AM EDT Sat Jul 11 2026

.WHAT HAS CHANGED...
Aviation updated.

&&

.KEY MESSAGES...
Key Message 1: Unsettled weather expected through the weekend.

Key Message 2: Drying trend expected next week.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Key Message 1: Unsettled weather expected through the weekend.

Strong storms with isolated damaging winds/localized flooding
possible Saturday afternoon and evening. Better rain coverage
associated with cooler temperatures is expected Sunday.

A cold front dropping south from the Great Lakes and Ohio
valley will be the next feature to watch for later today, and
more so into Sunday as this feature combines with the passage of
an upper level trough Sunday. For Saturday we will still be on
the warm side of the front, so think we heat up again and go
through another cycle of scattered afternoon and evening showers
and thunderstorms. Cloud coverage may limit instability but any
sunshine along with dewpoints in the upper 60s to lower 70s
allows for modest CAPE, so cannot rule out an isolated severe
wind gusts/microburst. PWATS remain high as well, but expect
speed of storms to be in the 20-25 mph range, but cannot rule
out localized flooding if training of storms occurs.

Model trends slowing the frontal passage, so Sunday looks like
the wetter day, and with front bisecting the area and/or just
south along the VA/NC border, storms will be less, but coverage
of clouds/showers will be greater.

The base of the upper trough enters the area Monday, and the
front tracks further south, but southwest flow overrunning the
front looks to keep higher chances of rain into Monday.

Key Message 2: Drying trend expected next week.

The front exits south next week with high pressure building in
from the north by Tuesday. A 5h heat dome builds across the
northern/central plains and will extending east into the Ohio
Valley and central Appalachians by Tuesday. The ridge splits off
over us midweek, then a deeper trough digs into New England by
the end of the week. This set-up will put us in mainly hot, dry
west-northwest flow, temperatures heating up again for Wednesday
through Friday, with mainly isolated terrain driven
showers/storms until Friday when northwest flow and digging
trough in the northeast could bring a slightly higher coverage
of storms.

&&

.AVIATION /12Z SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
Any sub-VFR cigs/vsbys become VFR by 14, with VFR throughout the
day, except for when showers/storms impact at or near terminals.
Higher confidence for this is at BLF and no major changes were
made to the previous forecast.

VCTS elsewhere in the afternoon for all other terminals.
Showers/few storms linger into Saturday evening but since it
will be more scattered, kept out of tafs, and cigs will drop
again to MVFR in the mountains by late evening with potential
fog forming overnight with IFR cigs in the mountains.

EXTENDED AVIATION OUTLOOK...

Showers and storms will be more numerous Sunday as a front drops
through the area, so expect potential for sub-VFR cigs/vsbys
with heavy downpours. Slow moving front to keep forecast on the
wetter side into Monday so again sub-VFR at least with the
showers. High pressure builds south into the area midweek with
mainly VFR expected aside from potential low stratus/fog in the
typical spots like LWB/BCB.

&&

.RNK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
VA...None.
NC...None.
WV...None.

&&

DISCUSSION...PM/WP
AVIATION...PM/RCS/WP

Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 11, 4:27 AM EDT, 6 hours 49 minutes before

Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Blacksburg VA
427 AM EDT Sat Jul 11 2026

NCZ001-002-018-VAZ007-009>020-022>024-034-035-044>047-058-059-
WVZ042>044-507-508-120830-
Ashe-Alleghany NC-Watauga-Tazewell-Smyth-Bland-Giles-Wythe-Pulaski-
Montgomery-Grayson-Carroll-Floyd-Craig-Alleghany VA-Bath-Roanoke-
Botetourt-Rockbridge-Bedford-Amherst-Pittsylvania-Campbell-
Appomattox-Buckingham-Halifax-Charlotte-Mercer-Summers-Monroe-
Eastern Greenbrier-Western Greenbrier-
427 AM EDT Sat Jul 11 2026

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for northwest North Carolina,
central Virginia, south central Virginia, southwest Virginia, west
central Virginia and southeast West Virginia.

.DAY ONE...Today and tonight.

Scattered storms today may be strong enough to produce damaging
winds. Localized flash flooding from torrential downpours is also
possible.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday.

Excessive rain leading to localized flash flooding is possible
Sunday.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not expected at this time.

NCZ003>006-019-020-VAZ032-033-043-120830-
Surry-Stokes-Rockingham-Caswell-Wilkes-Yadkin-Patrick-Franklin-Henry-
427 AM EDT Sat Jul 11 2026

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for north central North Carolina,
northwest North Carolina, south central Virginia, southwest
Virginia and west central Virginia.

.DAY ONE...Today and tonight.

Scattered storms today may be strong enough to produce damaging
winds.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday.

Excessive rain leading to localized flash flooding is possible
Sunday.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not expected at this time.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 11, 9:19 AM EDT, 1 hour 57 minutes before

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service BLACKSBURG VA
919 AM EDT Sat Jul 11 2026

NCZ001-018-019-111345-
Ashe NC-Wilkes NC-Watauga NC-
919 AM EDT Sat Jul 11 2026

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT
WEST CENTRAL WILKES...WATAUGA AND SOUTHWESTERN ASHE COUNTIES THROUGH
945 AM EDT...

At 919 AM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a cluster of strong
thunderstorms over Meat Camp, or near Boone, moving southeast at 35
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...
Blowing Rock...
Beech Mountain...
Foscoe...
Deep Gap...
Sugar Grove...
and Todd.

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.

&&

LAT...LON 3630 8191 3633 8187 3633 8171 3634 8172
      3634 8171 3638 8173 3637 8142 3613 8140
      3609 8146 3610 8151 3612 8154 3611 8181
      3616 8183 3619 8186 3619 8188 3621 8191
      3626 8189 3628 8190 3629 8192
TIME...MOT...LOC 1319Z 300DEG 28KT 3627 8169

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH

CDG

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jul 11, 11:20 AM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Bland	25 min
Jul 11, 11:46 AM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Pulaski, City of Radford	29 min
Jul 11, 12:15 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Pulaski	30 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Virginia, 2026 Flash Flood Warnings in West 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.