Flash Flood, Pulaski
- When
- May 16, 5:50 AM EST to 8:30 AM EST
- Where
- Pulaski County, Countywide
- Property damage
- $10,000
- Coordinates
- 37.064, -80.714 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Flash Flood in Virginia, May 16, 1996
Heavy rainfall during the early morning hours on the 16th resulted in flash flooding in most of Bland, Giles, and Pulaski Counties, and in the eastern portion of Tazewell County. In the northwestern portion of Giles County, the flooding of Wolf and Walker Creeks resulted in 10 families being evacuated, and 4 homes and several roads being flooded.
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
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.
Heavy rainfall during the early morning hours on the 16th resulted in flash flooding in most of Bland, Giles, and Pulaski Counties, and in the eastern portion of Tazewell County. Heavy rainfall in Bland County flooded numerous roads, caused mudslides, resulted in minor damage to 7 houses and 3 mobile homes, damaged or destroyed 8 bridges and several roads, damaged personal property in 12 homes, resulted in evacuations, and washed several tons of gravel from a quarry onto interstate 77.In the northwestern portion of Giles County, the flooding of Wolf and Walker Creeks resulted in 10 families being evacuated, and 4 homes and several roads being flooded. In addition, a mobile home was washed away. A few roads in Giles County were flooded and a park was damaged.Several roads were flooded and closed across most portions of Pulaski County. There were several evacuations in Pulaski. A road was washed out in Allisonia. Small streams flooded sections of the eastern portion of Tazewell County. A mudslide occurred near Bishop.
The radar
The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 39 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 10:47 UTC.
Event by event
1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
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
- Flash Flood in West Virginia, May 16 to 17, 1996
- Flooding in Montana, May 16, 1996
- Flood in California, May 16, 1996
- Damaging Wind in North Dakota, May 16, 1996
- Damaging Wind in North Dakota, May 16, 1996
- Damaging Wind in North Dakota, May 16, 1996
- Flash Flood in West Virginia, May 16 to 17, 1996
- Flash Flood in West Virginia, May 16 to 17, 1996
- Flood in Utah, May 16, 1996
- Damaging Wind in North Dakota, May 16, 1996
- Flash Flood in West Virginia, May 16, 1996
- Flash Flood in Ohio, May 16, 1996
More
Every storm in Virginia in 1996Every state in 1996This day in weather historyWarnings in Virginia, May 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: 5554585.