Lightning Strike in Virginia, August 24, 1996

Name: Lightning Strike in Virginia, August 24, 1996
Start: 1996-08-24T15:50
End: 1996-08-24T15:50
Location: Virginia

August 24, 1996 · NWS RNK · 1 event in 1 county or zone

Lightning started a fire which destroyed a recording studio 2 miles east of Ferrum. Damage was estimated at $80,000.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $10,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 1

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS RNK wrote it up.

Thunderstorms during the late morning and afternoon hours on the 24th produced damaging winds, hail up to quarter size, and damaging lightning.Thunderstorm winds knocked down trees and power lines across the southern portion of Pittsylvania County.Lightning started a fire which destroyed a recording studio 2 miles east of Ferrum. Damage was estimated at $80,000. Lightning started a fire which resulted in $10,000 in damage to a church in South Boston.

The radar

The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 122 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:51 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.

Lightning, Halifax

When: August 24, 3:50 PM EST
Where: Halifax County, South Boston
Property damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 36.767, -78.937 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Lightning: A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Virginia in 1996 Every state in 1996 This day in weather history Warnings in Virginia, August 1996

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5565025.