Virginia, 1999

Flash Flooding and Hail in Virginia, August 23, 1999

August 23, 1999 · NWS RNK · 7 events in 4 counties and zones

Flash flooding of Bottom Creek undermined part of County Line Road along the Floyd and Roanoke County line, and Bottom Creek Road in Roanoke County. Heavy rain in Franklin County caused Maggodee Creek to flash flood onto Route 367, one mile northwest of Boones Mill.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 5 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
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
7

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 on the 23rd produced heavy rain that caused flash flooding, hail up to dime size, and damaging winds.Flash flooding of Bottom Creek undermined part of County Line Road along the Floyd and Roanoke County line, and Bottom Creek Road in Roanoke County. Heavy rain in Franklin County caused Maggodee Creek to flash flood onto Route 367, one mile northwest of Boones Mill. Heavy rain caused Story Creek to flood onto State Route 40 and County Route 864 in Ferrum, and caused County Route 837 to be flooded 2.5 miles south of Ferrum.Thunderstorm winds downed large tree limbs in Blacksburg.

The radar

The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 13 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:02 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 flash flood, 1 hail, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Floyd

When
August 23, 2:00 PM EST to 4:00 PM EST
Where
Floyd County, Northeast Portion
Reported by
UNKNOWN
Coordinates
36.932, -80.362 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Roanoke

When
August 23, 2:00 PM EST to 4:00 PM EST
Where
Roanoke County, South Portion
Reported by
UNKNOWN
Coordinates
37.209, -80.051 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Montgomery

When
August 23, 3:05 PM EST
Where
Montgomery County, Blacksburg
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
37.230, -80.420

Flash Flood, Franklin

When
August 23, 3:10 PM EST to 4:30 PM EST
Where
Franklin County, 1 mi NW of Boones Mill
Reported by
UNKNOWN
Coordinates
36.992, -79.881 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Montgomery

When
August 23, 3:33 PM EST
Where
Montgomery County, Blacksburg
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
37.230, -80.420

Flash Flood, Franklin

When
August 23, 5:30 PM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where
Franklin County, Ferrum
Reported by
UNKNOWN
Coordinates
36.992, -79.881 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Franklin

When
August 23, 5:30 PM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where
Franklin County, 3 mi S of Ferrum
Reported by
UNKNOWN
Coordinates
36.992, -79.881 (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.
Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
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.

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: 5713614, 5713615, 5713616, 5713617, 5713620, 5713618, 5713619.