Alert archive / Virginia / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2026

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 20, NWS Blacksburg, VA

April 1, 20265 counties in Virginia

NWS Blacksburg, VA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Apr 1, 2026, 5:42 PM EDT for 5 counties in Virginia. It was in force for 63 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: Apr 1, 2026, 5:42 PM EDT (21:42 UTC)
Expired: Apr 1, 2026, 6:45 PM EDT
In force: 63 min
Issued by: NWS Blacksburg, VA
Area: Storm-based polygon
Hail: 1.0 in
Wind: 60.0 mph

Counties Bedford County, VA, Botetourt County, VA, City of Roanoke, VA, Roanoke County, VA, Rockbridge County, VA

The radar

The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 65 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:45 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 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 Apr 1, 1:15 PM EDT, 4 hours 27 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 1, 1:15 PM EDT, 4 hours 27 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 1, 4:55 PM EDT, 47 minutes before

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In the hours before

Special weather statement, Apr 1, 5:23 PM EDT, 19 minutes before

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Special weather statement, Apr 1, 5:25 PM EDT, 17 minutes before

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service BLACKSBURG VA
525 PM EDT Wed Apr 1 2026

VAZ034-012200-
Bedford VA-
525 PM EDT Wed Apr 1 2026

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT
WEST CENTRAL BEDFORD COUNTY THROUGH 600 PM EDT...

At 525 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over
Stewartsville, moving east at 20 mph.

HAZARD...Wind gusts of 50 to 55 mph and half inch hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
         unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
         possible.

Locations impacted include...
Montvale...
and Thaxton.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.

&&

LAT...LON 3746 7964 3745 7962 3731 7954 3727 7983
      3729 7985 3730 7984 3731 7985 3732 7984
      3735 7979 3737 7978 3738 7977 3738 7979
      3748 7965
TIME...MOT...LOC 2125Z 251DEG 17KT 3731 7979

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...55 MPH

SH

Local storm report, Apr 1, 5:32 PM EDT, 10 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Blacksburg VA
532 PM EDT Wed Apr 1 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0508 PM     Hail             Rocky Mount             37.00N 79.88W
04/01/2026  E0.50 Inch       Franklin           VA   Public

&&

WP

Special weather statement, Apr 1, 5:34 PM EDT, 8 minutes before

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service BLACKSBURG VA
534 PM EDT Wed Apr 1 2026

NCZ019-012215-
Wilkes NC-
534 PM EDT Wed Apr 1 2026

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT
SOUTHWESTERN WILKES COUNTY THROUGH 615 PM EDT...

At 534 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over
Elkville, or 9 miles west of Boomer, moving northeast at 25 mph.

HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph and pea size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
         unsecured objects.

Locations impacted include...
North Wilkesboro...
Wilkesboro...
Wilbar...
Boomer...
Darby...
Cricket...
and Wilkesboro Reservoir.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.

&&

LAT...LON 3604 8137 3604 8140 3605 8139 3607 8141
      3608 8143 3607 8144 3609 8146 3609 8147
      3610 8148 3610 8151 3611 8154 3614 8150
      3616 8149 3632 8134 3610 8110 3602 8135
TIME...MOT...LOC 2134Z 234DEG 20KT 3608 8143

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH

SH

Local storm report, Apr 1, 5:35 PM EDT, 7 minutes before

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Special weather statement, Apr 1, 5:37 PM EDT, 5 minutes before

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The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Apr 1, 1:13 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Craig, Giles	62 min
Apr 1, 1:27 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Botetourt	33 min
Apr 1, 1:36 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Tazewell	54 min
Apr 1, 2:02 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Bedford	28 min
Apr 1, 2:10 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Amherst, Bedford, Botetourt, City of Lynchburg	65 min
Apr 1, 2:52 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Franklin	30 min
Apr 1, 3:02 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Bedford	28 min
Apr 1, 3:33 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Bedford	27 min
Apr 1, 4:04 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	City of Lynchburg	26 min
Apr 1, 4:26 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Pittsylvania	49 min
Apr 1, 4:29 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	City of Lynchburg	31 min
Apr 1, 4:31 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Bedford	44 min
Apr 1, 4:46 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	City of Roanoke	44 min
Apr 1, 4:55 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Bedford, Franklin, Roanoke	65 min
Apr 1, 4:59 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Wythe	31 min
Apr 1, 5:23 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Pittsylvania	37 min
Apr 1, 5:25 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Bedford	35 min
Apr 1, 5:47 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Amherst	28 min
Apr 1, 6:04 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Alleghany, City of Covington	26 min
Apr 1, 6:09 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Craig	36 min
Apr 1, 6:20 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Botetourt	25 min
Apr 1, 6:23 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Botetourt	37 min
Apr 1, 6:28 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Grayson	32 min
Apr 1, 6:42 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	City of Covington	33 min
Apr 1, 7:04 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Rockbridge, City of Buena Vista, City of Lexington	26 min
Apr 1, 7:11 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Appomattox, Buckingham	40 min
Apr 1, 2:19 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Ashe, Watauga, Wilkes	56 min
Apr 1, 5:34 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Wilkes	41 min
Apr 1, 5:37 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Watauga	23 min
Apr 1, 6:41 PM EDT	Areal Flood Advisory	RNK	Watauga	3 hr
Apr 1, 12:48 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Monroe	27 min
Apr 1, 2:15 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Summers	30 min
Apr 1, 2:46 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Monroe	29 min
Apr 1, 4:27 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Summers	33 min
Apr 1, 4:44 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Greenbrier, Mercer, Monroe, Summers	61 min
Apr 1, 5:43 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Monroe, Summers	35 min
Apr 1, 5:46 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Greenbrier	29 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Virginia, 2026 Every severe thunderstorm 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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.