Virginia, 2002

Flash Flooding in Virginia, May 8 to 9, 2002

May 8 to 9, 2002 · NWS RNK · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

Thunderstorm rains caused flash flooding and closed numerous roads in Martinsville and Danville. Several businesses in Danville reported minor damage and one person had to be rescued from flood waters.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 3 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
$15,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
3

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 thunderstorm rains during the late evening of the 8th and early morning of the 9th resulted in flash flooding.Thunderstorm rains caused flash flooding and closed numerous roads in Martinsville and Danville. Several businesses in Danville reported minor damage and one person had to be rescued from flood waters. Heavy rains also caused a mudslide onto Route 58, six miles west of Danville.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Blacksburg, VA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 8, 9:30 AM EST, 35 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 8, 9:30 AM EST, 35 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG, VA
1030 AM EDT WED MAY 8 2002

MSAS AND SFC OBS SHOW VERY SHALLOW BNDRY ACRS FA FM NR BLF TO GSO.
LATEST RUC AND AVN HAVE BNDRY MOVING N TDY. WINDS AT LOW LVL ARE
FAIRLY WK BUT SHUD STILL BE ENOUGH CONVERGENCE TO ASSIST WITH SCT
TSRA THIS AFTN ONCE TAIL OF SHRTWV FM THE MIDWEST CROSSES NE OVR OH
VLY. WL LEAVE FFA IN PLACE AS THESE COUNTIES HAVE HAD ENOUGH RAIN
OVR PAST FEW DAYS THAT ANY MORE MAY CREATE FLOODING PROBLEMS. WL
UPDATE FOR AFTN WORDING AND TO ADJUST WINDS. NO CHANGES NEEDED AT
THIS TIME FOR MAX TEMPS.

.RNK...
NC...NONE.
VA...FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 8PM VAZ007.
WV...FLOOD WATCH UNITL 8PM WVZ042>045.

AMS

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Martinsville (C)

When
May 8, 10:05 AM EST to 11:15 PM EST
Where
Martinsville (C) County, Martinsville
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
36.692, -79.872 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Danville (C)

When
May 8, 10:50 PM EST to May 9, 1:00 AM EST
Where
Danville (C) County, Danville
Property damage
$15,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
36.586, -79.395 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Pittsylvania

When
May 8, 11:50 PM EST to May 9, 11:50 PM EST
Where
Pittsylvania County, 6 mi W of Danville City
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
36.821, -79.397 (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

More

Every storm in Virginia in 2002Every state in 2002This day in weather historyWarnings in Virginia, May 2002

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: 5299633, 5299634, 5299635.