Flash Flood in Virginia, August 26 to 27, 1996

Name: Flash Flood in Virginia, August 26 to 27, 1996
Start: 1996-08-26T21:00
End: 1996-08-27T02:00
Location: Virginia

August 26 to 27, 1996 · NWS LWX · 1 event in 1 county or zone

Persistent thunderstorms, containing torrential rainfall, caused widespread flash flooding over southwestern Rockingham Co during the overnight hours on the 26th. 8 inches (at federal highway 33 and Briery Branch) flooded numerous homes and washed out portions of several area roadways, including a small asphalt patch along highway 33.

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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $25,000
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 LWX wrote it up.

Persistent thunderstorms, containing torrential rainfall, caused widespread flash flooding over southwestern Rockingham Co during the overnight hours on the 26th. Measured rainfall of 6.8 inches (at federal highway 33 and Briery Branch) flooded numerous homes and washed out portions of several area roadways, including a small asphalt patch along highway 33. Seven local roads were closed, and a farm reported a few poultry drownings.

The radar

The Sterling radar (KLWX), 131 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 02:01 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Rockingham

When: August 26, 9:00 PM EST to August 27, 2:00 AM EST
Where: Rockingham County, Sw Portion
Property damage: $25,000
Coordinates: 38.512, -78.876 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Flash Flood: Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.

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: 5567904.