Rivers in Virginia
Roanoke River at Roanoke
Below flood stage
0.83ftStage
Observed Tue, Sep 22, 5:50 AM EDT
- Flood stage
- 10.00 ft
- Forecast crest
- 1.70 ftWed, Sep 23, 8:00 AM EDT
- Record crest
- 23.35 ft1985
Flood stages and impacts
| Category | Stage |
|---|---|
| Major flood | 16.00 ft |
| Moderate flood | 12.00 ft |
| Minor flood | 10.00 ft |
| Action | 6.00 ft |
- 17.00 ftWater reaches the bottom of the pedestrian bridge over the Roanoke River leading to the parking garage near Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital.
- 16.00 ftWater rises near the west entrance to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital.
- 14.00 ftJefferson Street at Belleview Avenue near Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital begins to flood.
- 11.00 ftWiley Drive at the railroad underpass near Crystal Springs Avenue is flooded.
- 10.50 ftFlooding occurs in portions of Wasena Park.
- 10.00 ftRoanoke River Greenway path begins to flood along right bank.
- 3.80 ftDownstream low water bridge on Wiley Drive is flooded.
- 2.70 ftUpstream low water bridge on Wiley Drive is flooded.
Flood outlook
Chance of flooding, September to November
| Category | Chance |
|---|---|
| Minor flooding | 11% |
| Moderate flooding | 6% |
| Major flooding | Under 5% |
The three-month chances are the River Forecast Centers’ long-range flood outlook, issued September 15, 2026.
Crest history
114 crests on NOAA’s list since 1901.
| # | Date | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | November 4, 1985 | 23.35 ft |
| 2 | June 21, 1972 | 19.61 ft |
| 3 | April 27, 1978 | 18.95 ft |
| 4 | August 14, 1940 | 18.25 ft |
| 5 | April 22, 1992 | 18.09 ft |
| 6 | September 28, 2004 | 17.82 ft |
| 7 | October 11, 2018 | 16.64 ft |
| 8 | May 21, 2020 | 15.89 ft |
| 9 | February 23, 2003 | 15.57 ft |
| 10 | May 22, 1901 | 15.00 ft |
| 11 | September 30, 2015 | 14.62 ft |
| 12 | July 4, 2013 | 14.38 ft |
| 13 | February 16, 2025 | 14.26 ft |
| 14 | November 12, 2020 | 14.07 ft |
| 15 | September 6, 1996 | 13.90 ft |
| 16 | September 18, 1945 | 13.70 ft |
| 17 | December 4, 1948 | 13.68 ft |
| 18 | April 25, 1987 | 13.56 ft |
| 19 | November 1, 1921 | 13.20 ft |
| 20 | February 25, 1902 | 13.20 ft |
| 21 | September 28, 2024 | 13.15 ft |
| 22 | October 17, 1932 | 13.10 ft |
| 23 | March 21, 1998 | 13.01 ft |
| 24 | July 12, 1905 | 12.80 ft |
| 25 | June 27, 2006 | 12.80 ft |
Most recent crests
- August 22, 2025: 5.65 ft
- February 16, 2025: 14.26 ft
- September 28, 2024: 13.15 ft
- January 10, 2024: 7.30 ft
- May 30, 2023: 6.48 ft
- May 27, 2022: 6.59 ft
- May 24, 2022: 7.28 ft
- January 26, 2021: 7.27 ft
- November 12, 2020: 14.07 ft
- October 30, 2020: 7.27 ft
Nearby
Upstream, downstream and the gauges around this one.
What this means
Forecasts by the Southeast River Forecast Center. Forecasts are issued routinely year-round. River forecasts for this location take into account past precipitation and the precipitation amounts expected approximately 48 hours into the future from the forecast issuance time.
Sources
Stage, flood stages, impacts and crest history from NOAA’s National Water Prediction Service. Streamflow and the daily record from the U.S. Geological Survey.