Hail and Damaging Winds in Virginia, July 9, 2003

Name: Hail and Damaging Winds in Virginia, July 9, 2003
Start: 2003-07-09T13:00
End: 2003-07-09T15:50
Location: Virginia

July 9, 2003 · NWS RNK · 36 events in 25 counties and zones

Thunderstorm winds downed trees in Fairfield, Roanoke, Bent Mountain, Huddleston, Amherst, Pilot, Wytheville, Clear Fork, onto Route 91 and Route 608, 14 miles southwest of Tazewell, onto Route 42, 2 miles east of Bland, 8 miles east of Pulaski onto Route 663, onto Route 43 in Buchanan, 3 miles east of Stewartsville and 2 miles north of Amherst. Lightning struck a house in Laurel Fork, starting…

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: $155,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 36

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 afternoon of the 9th produced damaging winds, damaging lightning and hail up to quarter size.Thunderstorm winds downed trees in Fairfield, Roanoke, Bent Mountain, Huddleston, Amherst, Pilot, Wytheville, Clear Fork, onto Route 91 and Route 608, 14 miles southwest of Tazewell, onto Route 42, 2 miles east of Bland, 8 miles east of Pulaski onto Route 663, onto Route 43 in Buchanan, 3 miles east of Stewartsville and 2 miles north of Amherst. Thunderstorm winds also downed trees and power lines in Covington, and near Paint Bank onto Route 658 and Route 311, numerous trees in Warm Springs, Kerrs Creek, Pearisburg, across Campbell County, 7 miles west of Appomattox, and onto Route 29 near Gretna.Thunderstorm winds downed trees in Meadows of Dan, Ringgold, Red Oak, Laural Fork, Clover, 1 mile south of Amherst, 4 miles northeast of Radford City, and 5 miles west of Independence.Thunderstorom winds also downed trees countywide across Halifax County, with a tree downed onto a car in Halifax.Lightning struck a house in Laurel Fork, starting a fire which destroyed the house.

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 Jul 9, 12:44 PM EST, 16 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 9, 12:44 PM EST, 16 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG, VA
950 AM EDT WED JUL 9 2003

UPDATED ZONES FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH INFORMATION.

.RNK...
NC...NONE.
VA...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH UNTIL 600 PM EDT
VAZ007-009>020-022>024-032>035-043>047-058-059-WVZ042>045-092200-
WV...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH UNTIL 600 PM EDT
VAZ043>046-092200-

MG

Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 9, 4:25 AM EST, 8 hours 35 minutes before

NCZ001>006-018>020-VAZ007-009>020-022>024-032>035-043>047-058-059-
WVZ042>045-101100-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
525 AM EDT WED JUL 9 2003

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST WEST VIRGINIA...
WESTERN AND CENTRAL VIRGINIA...AS WELL AS NORTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY

HOT AND HUMID WEATHER WILL DOMINATE AGAIN ACROSS THE REGION...
ESPECIALLY EAST OF THE MOUNTAINS WHERE TEMPERATURES WILL BE IN THE
90S...AND HEAT INDICES AROUND 100.

WIDELY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON...AND AN
ISOLATED STORM COULD CONTAIN DAMAGING WINDS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...

AFTERNOON THUNDERSTORMS THURSDAY MAY PRODUCE ISOLATED BURSTS OF
STRONG WIND AND RAIN...RESULTING IN WIND DAMAGE OR SMALL STREAM
FLOODING.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

UNLESS THUNDERSTORMS BECOME WIDESPREAD...SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT
ANTICIPATED.

08

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 9, 12:47 PM EST, 13 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
147 PM EDT WED JUL 09 2003

TIME(EDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0135 PM    SINKS GROVE               WV   80 MPH TSTM GUST
07/09/03   MONROE                         REPORTED BY SPOTTER.

The radar

The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 123 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:00 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

33 thunderstorm wind, 2 hail, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Bland

When: July 9, 1:00 PM EST
Where: Bland County, 2 mi E of Bland
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 36.800, -78.917

Thunderstorm Wind, Giles

When: July 9, 1:05 PM EST
Where: Giles County, Pearisburg
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 37.567, -79.050

Thunderstorm Wind, Tazewell

When: July 9, 1:10 PM EST
Where: Tazewell County, 14 mi SW of Tazewell
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 36.600, -79.300

Thunderstorm Wind, Bland

When: July 9, 1:10 PM EST
Where: Bland County, Clear Fork
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 36.783, -78.617

Thunderstorm Wind, Giles

When: July 9, 1:10 PM EST
Where: Giles County, Eggleston
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: UNKNOWN
Coordinates: 36.733, -80.417

Thunderstorm Wind, Bath

When: July 9, 1:15 PM EST
Where: Bath County, Warm Spgs
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: UNKNOWN
Coordinates: 38.059, -79.741 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Covington (C)

When: July 9, 1:20 PM EST to 1:40 PM EST
Where: Covington (C) County, Covington
Measured: 65 kt (75 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 36.833, -78.733

Hail, Bedford (C)

When: July 9, 1:25 PM EST
Where: Bedford (C) County, Bedford City
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 37.283, -80.633

Thunderstorm Wind, Craig

When: July 9, 1:30 PM EST
Where: Craig County, Paint Bank
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 37.167, -79.483

Thunderstorm Wind, Pulaski

When: July 9, 1:30 PM EST
Where: Pulaski County, 8 mi E of Pulaski
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: UNKNOWN
Coordinates: 36.967, -81.700

Thunderstorm Wind, Roanoke (C)

When: July 9, 1:40 PM EST
Where: Roanoke (C) County, Roanoke
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 38.050, -79.783

Thunderstorm Wind, Montgomery

When: July 9, 1:45 PM EST
Where: Montgomery County, 4 mi NE of Radford City
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 37.317, -80.733

Thunderstorm Wind, Montgomery

When: July 9, 1:45 PM EST
Where: Montgomery County, Pilot
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 37.100, -81.083

Thunderstorm Wind, Wythe

When: July 9, 1:45 PM EST
Where: Wythe County, Wytheville
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 37.217, -81.200

Thunderstorm Wind, Botetourt

When: July 9, 1:45 PM EST
Where: Botetourt County, Buchanan
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 37.783, -79.983

Thunderstorm Wind, Roanoke

When: July 9, 2:00 PM EST
Where: Roanoke County, Bent Mtn
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 37.333, -79.617

Thunderstorm Wind, Rockbridge

When: July 9, 2:00 PM EST
Where: Rockbridge County, Kerrs Creek
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 36.950, -81.083

Thunderstorm Wind, Rockbridge

When: July 9, 2:05 PM EST
Where: Rockbridge County, Fairfield
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 37.567, -80.283

Thunderstorm Wind, Amherst

When: July 9, 2:10 PM EST
Where: Amherst County, 2 mi N of Amherst
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 37.167, -80.517

Hail, Franklin

When: July 9, 2:10 PM EST
Where: Franklin County, Union Hall
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 37.050, -80.367

Thunderstorm Wind, Bedford

When: July 9, 2:20 PM EST
Where: Bedford County, 3 mi E of Stewartsville
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 37.050, -80.650

Thunderstorm Wind, Campbell

When: July 9, 2:25 PM EST to 2:35 PM EST
Where: Campbell County, Countywide
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 37.517, -79.683

Thunderstorm Wind, Grayson

When: July 9, 2:30 PM EST
Where: Grayson County, 5 mi W of Independence
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 37.267, -79.950

Thunderstorm Wind, Pittsylvania

When: July 9, 2:40 PM EST
Where: Pittsylvania County, Gretna
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 37.150, -80.117

Thunderstorm Wind, Bedford

When: July 9, 2:40 PM EST
Where: Bedford County, Huddleston
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: UNKNOWN
Coordinates: 37.583, -79.050

Thunderstorm Wind, Pittsylvania

When: July 9, 2:45 PM EST
Where: Pittsylvania County, Gretna
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 37.267, -79.750

Thunderstorm Wind, Patrick

When: July 9, 2:45 PM EST
Where: Patrick County, Meadows of Dan
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 37.850, -79.517

Thunderstorm Wind, Amherst

When: July 9, 2:55 PM EST
Where: Amherst County, Amherst
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 37.617, -79.050

Thunderstorm Wind, Carroll

When: July 9, 3:00 PM EST
Where: Carroll County, Laurel Fork
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 37.000, -79.700

Lightning, Carroll

When: July 9, 3:00 PM EST
Where: Carroll County, Laurel Fork
Property damage: $150,000
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 36.717, -80.517

Thunderstorm Wind, Appomattox

When: July 9, 3:10 PM EST
Where: Appomattox County, 7 mi W of Appomattox
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 37.883, -79.300

Thunderstorm Wind, Amherst

When: July 9, 3:10 PM EST
Where: Amherst County, 1 mi S of Amherst
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 37.350, -78.967

Thunderstorm Wind, Halifax

When: July 9, 3:10 PM EST to 3:30 PM EST
Where: Halifax County, Countywide
Measured: 65 kt (75 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: UNKNOWN
Coordinates: 36.617, -81.233

Thunderstorm Wind, Pittsylvania

When: July 9, 3:20 PM EST
Where: Pittsylvania County, Ringgold
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 37.233, -79.100

Thunderstorm Wind, Charlotte

When: July 9, 3:30 PM EST
Where: Charlotte County, Red Oak
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
Coordinates: 36.950, -79.367

Thunderstorm Wind, Halifax

When: July 9, 3:50 PM EST
Where: Halifax County, Clover
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 36.950, -79.367

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.
Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
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

Every storm in Virginia in 2003 Every state in 2003 This day in weather history Warnings in Virginia, July 2003

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: 5378966, 5378965, 5378964, 5378967, 5379070, 5378970, 5378968, 5378971, 5378969, 5378972, 5378978, 5378973, 5378974, 5378975, 5378976, 5378979, 5378983, 5378977, 5378981, 5378982, 5378980, 5378984, 5378986, 5378987, 5379068, 5378988, 5379062, 5378989, 5379061, 5379069, 5378985, 5379064, 5379065, 5379063, 5379066, 5379067.