Damaging Winds in North Carolina, July 28, 2005

Name: Damaging Winds in North Carolina, July 28, 2005
Start: 2005-07-28T20:00
End: 2005-07-28T21:34
Location: North Carolina

July 28, 2005 · NWS RNK · 6 events in 3 counties and zones

Severe thunderstorms, some with bowing line segments, resulted in trees and some power lines down.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 6

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.

Severe thunderstorms, some with bowing line segments, resulted in trees and some power lines down.

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 28, 6:49 PM EST, 1 hour 11 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 28, 6:49 PM EST, 1 hour 11 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
749 PM EDT THU JUL 28 2005

.AVIATION...

ONE CLUSTER OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE WESTERN COUNTY
WARNING AREA WILL CROSS ROA BETWEEN 01-03Z AND WILL LOWER THE CIGS
AND VSBYS TO MVFR LEVELS. A LINE OF STRONGER THUNDERSTORMS IS ALSO
APPROACHING FROM NORTH CAROLINA AND IS EXPECTED TO REACH DAN
AROUND 03Z...RESULTING IN MVFR TO IFR CONDTITIONS. DUE TO LIGHT
WINDS AND HIGH AMOUNTS OF LOW LEVEL MOISTURE...MVFR FOG WILL FORM
AGAIN OVERNIGHT. HOWEVER VSBYS AND CIGS AT LWB WL BE LFR TO LIFR
AFT 08Z. MORE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP AGAIN FRIDAY
AFTERNOON.

&&

.PREVIOUS DISCUSSION...
(ISSUED 301 PM EDT THU JUL 28 2005)

SHORT TERM (TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT)...

WAVE FORMING ALONG SURFACE BOUNDARY DRAPED DOWN ACROSS THE CENTRAL
CAROLINAS TO INTENSITY LATER TODAY AND THIS EVENING. BOTH 12Z NAM
AND GFS MODELS PAINTING BULLSEYE OF SIGNIFICANT PRECIPITATION TOWARD
SOUTHSIDE VA/NW NC PIEDMONT TONIGHT. THINKING THIS FEEDBACK PROBLEM
WITH MODELS HAS TO DO WITH OVER INTENSIFICATION OF WAVE LEADING TO
STRONGER MOISTURE CONVERGENCE AND HIGHER PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES.
WITH THAT IN MIND...WILL CUT BACK ON RAINFALL AMOUNTS OVERNIGHT
WHILE GOING WITH LIKELY TO CATEGORICAL POPS AND MENTION HEAVY RAIN
THIS EVENING.

MODELS DIFFER ON SOLUTION INTO FRIDAY NIGHT. NAM PUSHING FRONT AND
PCPN TO THE EAST COAST AS WAVE MOVES NORTH FRIDAY EVENING. GFS KEEPS
BOUNDARY OVER CENTRAL VA/NC WITH ANOTHER WAVE TRACKING THROUGH
EASTERN CWA THEN FINALLY PUSHES FRONT AND PCPN TO THE EAST COAST ON
SATURDAY. BASED ON MODEL JET STRUCTURE...GFS MAYBE RIGHT.  THEN
AGAIN NAM COULD BE RIGHT WITH WESTERLY FLOW FOLLOWING WAVE PASSAGE.
WILL TAKE A COMPRISE BETWEEN THESE TWO MODELS SOLUTIONS KEEPING
HIGHEST POPS TOWARD SE CWA.

WITH LIKELY TO CATEGORICAL POPS IN THE AREA...DAYTIME HIGH
TEMPERATURES WILL BE BELOW NORMAL BY 10 OR SO DEGREES. THICKENING
CLOUD COVER OVERNIGHT WILL RESULT IN LITTLE DIURNAL TEMPERATURE
DROP...THEREFORE OVERNIGHT LOWS WILL BE NEAR NORMAL.

LONG TERM (SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY)...

UPPER LEVEL PATTERN TO REMAIN RATHER STAGNANT OVER THE WEEKEND AND
INTO NEXT WEEK...UPPER LEVEL RIDGE OVER WESTERN USA...TROUGH ACROSS
THE OH/TN/S MS VALLEY...UPPER LEVEL RIDGE OFF THE SE COAST/BERMUDA.
THE TROUGH AND SE COASTAL RIDGE WILL CONTINUE TO BRING MOISTURE IN
FROM THE GULF TO THE MID AND UPPER LEVELS. LOWER LEVELS WILL SEE
MORE DRY AIR ADVECTING IN FROM THE NORTHEAST. THE FOCUS FOR PCPN
WILL BE DETERMINED BY THE POSITION OF ANY SURFACE FRONT AND WAVES
RIDING ALONG THIS BOUNDARY. CURRENT FRONT IS EXPECTED TO MOVE TO THE
EAST COAST TODAY THEN EVENTUALLY WASHOUT BY MONDAY. A SECOND FRONT
IS EXPECTED TO APPROACH THE AREA BY THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK...BUT
WITH STAGNANT PATTERN...NOT EXPECTING FRONT TO ENTER THE REGION.
WITH TODAYS SURFACE FRONT SOUTH OF THE AREA THROUGH THE
WEEKEND...BEST CHC FOR SCT SHOWERS WILL BE ALONG THE NC/VA BORDER.
ALSO...TEMPERATURES WILL BE COOLER THAN NORMAL AS NORTHEASTERLY FLOW
CONTINUES TO FILTER IN SOME COOLER AIR. ONCE FRONT WASHES OUT AND
NORTHEASTERLY FLOW WEAKENS BY MID WEEK...TEMPERATURES WILL RETURN TO
NORMAL.

&&

.RNK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
VA...NONE.
NC...NONE.
WV...NONE.
&&

AMS

Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 28, 2:46 PM EST, 5 hours 14 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
346 PM EDT THU JUL 28 2005

NCZ003>006-019-020-VAZ032-043-044-058-292000-
SURRY-STOKES-ROCKINGHAM-CASWELL-WILKES-YADKIN-PATRICK-HENRY-
PITTSYLVANIA-HALIFAX-
346 PM EDT THU JUL 28 2005

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST
VIRGINIA...NORTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA...SOUTH CENTRAL VIRGINIA AND
NORTH CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE ACROSS THE AREA
LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND INTO THIS EVENING. SOME OF THESE STORMS
WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS...ISOLATED LARGE HAIL
AND TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS.THROUGH THIS EVENING.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

NCZ001-002-018-VAZ015-016-292000-
ASHE-ALLEGHANY-WATAUGA-GRAYSON-CARROLL-
346 PM EDT THU JUL 28 2005

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST
VIRGINIA AND NORTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ACROSS THE
MOUNTAINS BY LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO THIS EVENING. A FEW OF
THESE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING ISOLATED DAMAGING
WINDS...HAIL AND LOCALLY VERY HEAVY RAINFALL.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

VAZ007-009>014-017>020-022>024-033>035-045>047-059-WVZ042>045-
292000-
TAZEWELL-SMYTH-BLAND-GILES-WYTHE-PULASKI-MONTGOMERY-FLOYD-CRAIG-
ALLEGHANY-BATH-ROANOKE-BOTETOURT-ROCKBRIDGE-FRANKLIN-BEDFORD-
AMHERST-CAMPBELL-APPOMATTOX-BUCKINGHAM-CHARLOTTE-MERCER-SUMMERS-
MONROE-GREENBRIER-
346 PM EDT THU JUL 28 2005

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST
VIRGINIA...WEST CENTRAL VIRGINIA...CENTRAL VIRGINIA...SOUTHEAST
WEST VIRGINIA AND SOUTH CENTRAL VIRGINIA.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE MOVING ACROSS THE AREA THIS
AFTERNOON. SOME OF THESE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING
DAMAGING WINDS...ISOLATED LARGE HAIL AND TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS
THROUGH THIS EVENING.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 28, 3:50 PM EST, 4 hours 10 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
450 PM EDT THU JUL 28 2005

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0425 PM     TSTM WND DMG     COLLIERSTOWN            37.77N 79.58W
07/28/2005                   ROCKBRIDGE         VA   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            TREES DOWN

0425 PM     HAIL             COLLIERSTOWN            37.77N 79.58W
07/28/2005  1.00 INCH        ROCKBRIDGE         VA   LAW ENFORCEMENT

&&

WPERRY

Local storm report, Jul 28, 4:19 PM EST, 3 hours 41 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
519 PM EDT THU JUL 28 2005

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0440 PM     TSTM WND DMG     3 W BUENA VISTA CITY    37.73N 79.42W
07/28/2005                   ROCKBRIDGE         VA   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            TREES DOWN ALONG INTERSTATE 81.

0450 PM     TSTM WND DMG     1 W BUENA VISTA CITY    37.73N 79.39W
07/28/2005                   ROCKBRIDGE         VA   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            TREES DOWN.

&&

WPERRY

Local storm report, Jul 28, 4:52 PM EST, 3 hours 8 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
552 PM EDT THU JUL 28 2005

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0425 PM     HAIL             COLLIERSTOWN            37.77N 79.58W
07/28/2005  1.25 INCH        ROCKBRIDGE         VA   EMERGENCY MNGR

0425 PM     TSTM WND DMG     COLLIERSTOWN            37.77N 79.58W
07/28/2005                   ROCKBRIDGE         VA   EMERGENCY MNGR

            NUMEROUS TREES DOWN. WINDOWS BLOWN OUT IN HOUSES.

&&

AMS

Local storm report, Jul 28, 5:31 PM EST, 2 hours 29 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
631 PM EDT THU JUL 28 2005

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0600 PM     TSTM WND DMG     CHILHOWIE               36.80N 81.68W
07/28/2005                   SMYTH              VA   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            TREES DOWN.

&&

WPERRY

Local storm report, Jul 28, 5:56 PM EST, 2 hours 4 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
656 PM EDT THU JUL 28 2005

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0621 PM     TSTM WND GST     5 E ATKINS              36.87N 81.33W
07/28/2005  68 MPH           SMYTH              VA   AWOS

&&

WPERRY

Special weather statement, Jul 28, 7:20 PM EST, 40 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
820 PM EDT THU JUL 28 2005

NCZ004>006-020-VAZ044-058-290115-
CASWELL-HALIFAX-PITTSYLVANIA-ROCKINGHAM-STOKES-YADKIN-
820 PM EDT THU JUL 28 2005

A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE MOVING INTO THE NORTHWEST
PIEDMONT OF NORTH CAROLINA AND EVENTUALLY INTO SOUTHSIDE VIRGINIA
THROUGH 11 PM. THE STORMS WILL MOVE THROUGH YADKIN COUNTY BETWEEN
735 PM AND 830 PM...REACHING STOKES AND ROCKINGHAM COUNTIES BY 915
PM. EXPECT DEADLY CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...WIND GUSTS TO 45 MPH
AND VERY HEAVY RAIN WITH THE STRONGEST STORMS. THESE STORMS...IF
THEY HOLD TOGETHER WILL MAKE IT TO DANVILLE BY 1030 PM. BE PREPARED
FOR THIS STORMS. STAY INDOORS AND AWAY FROM WINDOWS. IF TRAVELING...
TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS WILL CAUSE EXTENSIVE PONDING OF WATER ON THE
ROADS.

05

The radar

The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 92 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:59 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

6 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Yadkin

When: July 28, 8:00 PM EST
Where: Yadkin County, East Bend
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 36.217, -80.517

Thunderstorm Wind, Yadkin

When: July 28, 8:00 PM EST
Where: Yadkin County, Courtney
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 36.067, -80.633

Thunderstorm Wind, Stokes

When: July 28, 8:30 PM EST
Where: Stokes County, Walnut Cove
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 36.300, -80.150

Thunderstorm Wind, Rockingham

When: July 28, 9:22 PM EST
Where: Rockingham County, 4 mi SW of Eden
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 36.467, -79.800

Thunderstorm Wind, Rockingham

When: July 28, 9:34 PM EST
Where: Rockingham County, Eden
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: GOVT OFFICIAL
Coordinates: 36.500, -79.750

Thunderstorm Wind, Rockingham

When: July 28, 9:34 PM EST
Where: Rockingham County, Wentworth
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: GOVT OFFICIAL
Coordinates: 36.400, -79.767

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.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in North Carolina in 2005 Every state in 2005 This day in weather history Warnings in North Carolina, July 2005

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5467553, 5467554, 5467558, 5467555, 5467556, 5467557.