Alert archive / Virginia / Tornado Warnings in 2026

Tornado Warning 13, NWS Blacksburg, VA

July 28, 2026Bland County, Tazewell County, Wythe County, Virginia

NWS Blacksburg, VA issued this tornado warning at Jul 28, 2026, 3:22 PM EDT for Bland County, Tazewell County, Wythe County, Virginia. It was in force for 23 min. 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 28, 2026, 3:22 PM EDT (19:22 UTC)
Expired: Jul 28, 2026, 3:45 PM EDT
In force: 23 min
Issued by: NWS Blacksburg, VA
Area: Storm-based polygon
Tornado: Radar indicated
Hail: 1.0 in

Counties Bland County, VA, Tazewell County, VA, Wythe County, VA

The radar

The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 99 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 19:21 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 28, 3:24 PM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	Gratton, VA	Several trees down in the Gratton area.
Jul 28, 3:35 PM EDT	FUNNEL CLOUD	Burkes Garden, VA	Video sent of a funnel cloud in Burkes Garden. A Storm Survey was sent on 07/31/2026 to investigate possible tornadic damage but there was no conclusive evidence.

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

The watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
Jul 28, 1:14 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	8 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Roanoke, VA (KRNK), launched 12:00Z, 7.4 hours before the alert went out and 168 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: 500 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -115 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1072 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 20 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 137 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 150 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.1
Supercell composite: 1.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

635 
WFUS51 KRNK 281922
TORRNK
VAC021-185-197-281945-
/O.NEW.KRNK.TO.W.0013.260728T1922Z-260728T1945Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service BLACKSBURG VA
322 PM EDT Tue Jul 28 2026

The National Weather Service in BLACKSBURG has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Southeastern Tazewell County in southwestern Virginia...
  Southwestern Bland County in southwestern Virginia...
  Northwestern Wythe County in southwestern Virginia...

* Until 345 PM EDT.

* At 322 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located over Gratton, or near Tazewell, moving southeast at 25
  mph.

  HAZARD...Tornado and quarter size hail.

  SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.

  IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without 
           shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. 
           Damage to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur.  Tree 
           damage is likely.

* Locations impacted include...
  Bland...
  Tazewell...
  Rural Retreat...
  Ceres...
  Burkes Garden...
  Gratton...
  and Tiptop.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest
floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a
mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.

When it is safe to do so, please send your reports of hail of any
size, as well as reports of any wind damage, including downed trees
or large limbs, 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 3723 8145 3707 8106 3688 8129 3693 8136
      3701 8144 3700 8146 3709 8158
TIME...MOT...LOC 1922Z 305DEG 21KT 3712 8144 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN

$$

AS

2 follow-up statements

551 
WWUS51 KRNK 281928
SVSRNK

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service BLACKSBURG VA
328 PM EDT Tue Jul 28 2026

VAC021-185-197-281945-
/O.CON.KRNK.TO.W.0013.000000T0000Z-260728T1945Z/
Tazewell VA-Bland VA-Wythe VA-
328 PM EDT Tue Jul 28 2026

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 345 PM EDT FOR 
EAST CENTRAL TAZEWELL...SOUTHWESTERN BLAND AND NORTHWESTERN WYTHE
COUNTIES...

At 328 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located over Gratton, or over Burkes Garden, moving southeast at
25 mph.

HAZARD...Tornado and quarter size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.

IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without 
         shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage 
         to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur.  Tree damage is 
         likely.

Locations impacted include...
Bland...
Rural Retreat...
Ceres...
Burkes Garden...
Gratton...
Suiter...
and Favonia.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest
floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a
mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.

When it is safe to do so, please send your reports of hail of any
size, as well as reports of any wind damage, including downed trees
or large limbs, 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 3707 8106 3688 8129 3693 8136 3701 8143
      3712 8150 3717 8142 3719 8134
TIME...MOT...LOC 1928Z 305DEG 21KT 3710 8140 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN

$$

AS

612 
WWUS51 KRNK 281944
SVSRNK

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service BLACKSBURG VA
344 PM EDT Tue Jul 28 2026

VAC021-185-197-281954-
/O.EXP.KRNK.TO.W.0013.000000T0000Z-260728T1945Z/
Tazewell VA-Bland VA-Wythe VA-
344 PM EDT Tue Jul 28 2026

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR 
EAST CENTRAL TAZEWELL...SOUTHWESTERN BLAND AND NORTHWESTERN WYTHE
COUNTIES WILL EXPIRE AT 345 PM EDT...

The tornado threat has diminished and the Tornado Warning has been
cancelled. However, large hail and damaging winds remain likely and a
Severe Thunderstorm Warning remains in effect for the area.

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 800 PM EDT for
northwestern North Carolina...southwestern Virginia...and
southeastern West Virginia.

&&

LAT...LON 3707 8106 3688 8129 3693 8136 3701 8143
      3712 8150 3717 8142 3719 8134
TIME...MOT...LOC 1944Z 305DEG 21KT 3705 8131 

$$

AS

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jul 28, 10:41 AM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Tazewell	64 min
Jul 28, 10:51 AM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Bland, Smyth, Tazewell, Wythe	54 min
Jul 28, 10:59 AM EDT	Areal Flood Advisory	RNK	Tazewell	3 hr
Jul 28, 11:23 AM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	RNK	Bland, Smyth, Tazewell, Wythe	5 hr
Jul 28, 11:43 AM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Grayson, Smyth, Wythe	62 min
Jul 28, 12:18 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	RNK	Carroll, Grayson, Smyth, Wythe, City of Galax	5 hr
Jul 28, 12:22 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Carroll, Grayson, City of Galax	53 min
Jul 28, 1:25 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Pulaski	35 min
Jul 28, 1:30 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Carroll, Floyd, Patrick, Pulaski, Wythe	60 min
Jul 28, 2:08 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Alleghany	67 min
Jul 28, 2:37 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Tazewell	23 min
Jul 28, 2:49 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Bland, Smyth, Tazewell, Wythe	56 min
Jul 28, 3:11 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Craig, Montgomery, Roanoke	64 min
Jul 28, 3:14 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Bland	31 min
Jul 28, 3:27 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Bath, Rockbridge	25 min
Jul 28, 3:35 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Floyd, Pulaski, City of Radford	25 min
Jul 28, 3:42 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Floyd, Franklin, Montgomery, Patrick, Pulaski	41 min
Jul 28, 3:45 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Bland, Carroll, Grayson, Pulaski, Wythe, City of Galax	23 min
Jul 28, 4:11 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Bedford, Botetourt, Craig, Franklin, Roanoke, City of Roanoke and 1 more	64 min
Jul 28, 4:37 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Grayson, Smyth	53 min
Jul 28, 4:45 PM EDT	Areal Flood Advisory	RNK	City of Roanoke	2 hr
Jul 28, 4:51 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Henry	24 min
Jul 28, 4:55 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Henry, Patrick	65 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Virginia, 2026 Every tornado warning in 2026 Tornadoes 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.