Virginia, 1999

Damaging Winds and Lightning Strike in Virginia, August 1, 1999

August 1, 1999 · NWS RNK · 4 events in 2 counties and zones

Lightning struck two houses in Gretna, starting fires.

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
$26,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
4

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 afternoon and evening of the 1st produced damaging winds and damaging lightning.Thunderstorm winds downed trees onto the intersection of routes 15 and 60, two and a half miles southwest of Dillwyn, onto route 15 in Gold Hill, and in Gretna, damaging some outbuildings.Lightning struck two houses in Gretna, starting fires.

The radar

The Norfolk radar (KAKQ), 142 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:58 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 thunderstorm wind, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Buckingham

When
August 1, 5:00 PM EST
Where
Buckingham County, 3 mi SW of Dillwyn
Reported by
UNKNOWN
Coordinates
37.500, -78.480

Thunderstorm Wind, Buckingham

When
August 1, 5:04 PM EST
Where
Buckingham County, Gold Hill
Reported by
UNKNOWN
Coordinates
37.620, -78.370

Thunderstorm Wind, Pittsylvania

When
August 1, 6:00 PM EST
Where
Pittsylvania County, Gretna
Property damage
$500
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
36.950, -79.370

Lightning, Pittsylvania

When
August 1, 6:00 PM EST to 6:15 PM EST
Where
Pittsylvania County, Gretna
Property damage
$25,000
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
36.821, -79.397 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Thunderstorm Wind
Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
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

More

Every storm in Virginia in 1999Every state in 1999This day in weather historyWarnings in Virginia, August 1999

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: 5713625, 5713626, 5713627, 5713628.