Flash Flooding in Virginia, August 30 to 31, 2006

Name: Flash Flooding in Virginia, August 30 to 31, 2006
Start: 2006-08-30T19:50
End: 2006-08-31T03:35
Location: Virginia

August 30 to 31, 2006 · NWS RNK · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

Thunderstorms brought torrential rains to portions of Western Virginia the evening of the 30th. Flash flooding of Snow Creek resulted in two roads being water covered.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 4 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: None recorded
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 brought torrential rains to portions of Western Virginia the evening of the 30th. Flash flooding of Snow Creek resulted in two roads being water covered. In Henry County, Blackberry Creek flooded Blackberry Road, one mile south of Bassett. A mudslide occurred in the Tiger Hills section of the city of Lexington. Buffalo Creek flooded in the Collierstown area.

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 Aug 30, 6:52 PM EST, 58 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 30, 6:52 PM EST, 58 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
752 PM EDT WED AUG 30 2006

.SHORT TERM /REST OF TONIGHT/...

UPDATING ZONES TO REMOVE SVR TSTM WATCH 759 AS ATMOSPHERE HAS
STABILIZED...AND ONLY THREAT REMAINS IS HVY RAINS. MADE
ADJUSTMENTS TO POPS...LEANING TOWARD THE 18Z NAM SOLUTION...WHICH
KEEPS HEAVIEST PRECIP EAST OF THE BLUE RIDGE OVERNIGHT...AND
THINKING LESS COVERAGE IN THE FAR WEST. UPPED SKY COVERAGE AS
WELL. NO OTHER CHANGES MADE AT THIS TIME.

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION...
 (ISSUED 748 PM EDT WED AUG 30 2006)

AVIATION...

CONVECTION THIS EVENING ASSOCIATED WITH MID ATLANTIC WAVE/FRONTAL
BOUNDARY AND AN UPPER MISSISSIPPI UPPER LEVEL LOW. THE SHORTWAVE
RIDING ALONG THE BOUNDARY SLOWLY MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST THIS
EVENING. WITH SURFACE WINDS BEING EASTERLY...SW FLOW ALOFT AND
SATURATED ATMOSPHERE...STORMS WILL MOVE SLOW AND PRODUCE HEAVY
DOWNPOURS. WITH LOSE OF HEATING...AREAL COVERAGE OF CONVECTION WILL
DIMINISH BUT SCATTERED CONVECTION STILL POSSIBLE TONIGHT. SOME
AREAS...ROA/LYH/BCB...HAVE NOT SEEN MUCH RAIN THROUGH 23Z WED. THESE
AREAS WILL LIKELY SEE SHRA/TSRA OVERNIGHT TONIGHT. EASTERLY FETCH
OFF THE ATLANTIC WILL CONTINUE TO PUMP MOISTURE INTO THE AREA AND
HELP LOWER CEILINGS THROUGH SUNRISE. MVFR/IFR CONDITIONS ARE LIKELY
WITH MOUNTAIN RIDGES OBSCURED.

CONVECTION POSSIBILITIES EXIST THROUGH THE DAY WEDNESDAY AS ANOTHER
WAVE ROUNDS THE UPPER LEVEL LOW. HOWEVER...TS ERNESTO COULD ROB THIS
WAVE OF ENERGY AND MOISTURE AND KEEP CONVECTION SCATTERED. THURSDAY
AFTERNOON...EASTERLY UPSLOPE FLOW AND INCOMING TROPICAL SYSTEM TO
INCREASE CHANCES OF RAIN ALONG AND EAST OF THE BLUE RIDGE. COULD SEE
SOME VFR CONDITIONS BUT FOR THE MOST PART...MVFR/IFR CONDITIONS TO
PREVAIL.

PREV DISCUSSION...
 (ISSUED 455 PM EDT WED AUG 30 2006)

SHORT TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/...

A COUPLE OF FRONTAL BNDRYS AND AN APPROACHING TROPICAL STORM SYSTEM
MAKING FOR A VERY COMPLICATED WX PTTN ACROSS THE REGION FOR THE NEXT
SEVERAL DAYS. FRONT STRETCHED EAST-WEST OVER NC THIS AFTN IS THE
FOCUS FOR TSTMS IN VERY UNSTABLE AIR. VERY LITTLE DRY AIR ALOFT AND
WEAK SHEAR WILL RESULT IN HEAVY RAINERS WITH THE OCCASIONAL WET
DOWNBURST PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS...MAINLY FROM THE NC LINE SOUTH.
TRAINING CELLS WILL ALSO CREATE A THREAT OF ISOLATED FLASH FLOODING.
A SECOND BNDRY WILL DROP THRU NRN VA INTO THE REGION TNGT. MEANWHILE
HIGHLY AMPLITUDE FLOW ALOFT WITH DEEP TROF OVER THE MIDWEST & MS
VALLEY STILL DIGGING SOUTH. WITH THIS...DIFFLUENT FLOW WILL DEVELOP
ALOFT OVERNIGHT INTO THURSDAY OVER THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN REGION
CREATING A DEFORMATION ZONE ACROSS THE REGION AND A PERSISTENT AREA
OF RAIN. THIS WILL ONLY HELP TO PRIME THE GROUND FOR THE REMNANTS OF
ERNESTO AS IT IS EXPECTED TO TRACK RIGHT UP INTO CENTRAL VIRGINIA ON
FRIDAY. ALL TOTALED...UP TO 6 INCHES OF RAIN COULD EASILY BE SEEN
WITH THE ENTIRE EVENT WITH EVEN HIGHER AMOUNTS ALONG EASTERN SLOPES
OF THE BLUE RIDGE...ESP NORTH OF ROA. WINDS OF 10 TO 25 MPH GUSTING
TO 40 ARE NOT A CONCERN...BUT WITH SATURATED GROUND...THESE WINDS
COULD TOPPLE LARGE TREES.CAUSING POWER OUTAGES.

DEW POINTS THIS AFTERNOON ARE HIGHER THAN GUIDANCE...THEREFORE WENT
A CAT WARMER WITH DEW POINTS AND TONIGHT LOWS. WITH A WARMER START
TO THE MORNING...BUMPED UP THURSDAY HIGH TEMPERATURES AS WELL.
MODELS RUNNING FAST WITH REMNANTS OF ERNESTO MOVING NORTH OF THE
AREA AND THEREFORE WENT WARMER THAN GUIDANCE AS TROPICAL AIR
INCREASES TEMPERATURES AND DEW POINTS. ONCE REMNANTS MOVE TO THE
NORTH FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING...DRIER AIR WILL WORK INTO THE
AREA BUT THE HUMIDITIES MAY REMAIN.

LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...

CRNT MODEL CONSENSUS SHOWS THE REMNANTS OF ERNESTO AND ASSOC
RAINFALL WILL PULL OUT AROUND FRIDAY NIGHT...BUT WITH ANOTHER UPR
LOW DROPPING DOWN INTO THE CENTRAL PORTION OF THE
COUNTRY...SOUTHERLY FLOW ALOFT WILL CONTINUE TO PULL SHORTWAVES UP
INTO THE FCST AREA. CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY WILL BE MUCH MORE SCTD AND
DIURNAL THRU MIDWEEK.

AVIATION...

SHOWERS/TSTMS WILL BE INCREASING THIS AFTN ESP ACROSS THE SOUTH
ALONG AND NEAR FRNTL BNDRY NEAR THE NC/VA BORDER. AS THE FRONT SINKS
SOUTH THIS EVENING...MORE STABLE LOW LVL AIR WILL MOVE IN CREATING
AN INVERSION AND LOW CIGS AND AREAS OF LIGHT TO MODERATE RAIN. CIGS
AND VSBYS WILL BE SLOW TO RECOVER TMRW MORNING AS ADDITONAL MOISTR
SURGES INTO THE AREA FROM THE SOUTH OVER THE FRONT.

&&

.RNK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
VA...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR VAZ016-017-022>024-032>035-043>047-058-
     059 UNTIL 4 PM FRIDAY.
NC...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR NCZ003>006-019-020 UNTIL 4 PM FRIDAY.
WV...NONE.
&&

05

Hazardous weather outlook, Aug 30, 1:59 PM EST, 5 hours 51 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
259 PM EDT WED AUG 30 2006

VAZ016-017-022>024-032>035-043>047-058-059-311900-
CARROLL-FLOYD-ROANOKE-BOTETOURT-ROCKBRIDGE-PATRICK-FRANKLIN-
BEDFORD-AMHERST-HENRY-PITTSYLVANIA-CAMPBELL-APPOMATTOX-BUCKINGHAM-
HALIFAX-CHARLOTTE-
259 PM EDT WED AUG 30 2006

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

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH HEAVY RAIN...WILL
CONTINUE THIS AFTERNOON AND INTO THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. RAINFALL TOTALS
OF 1 TO 3 INCHES COULD RESULT IN FLASH FLOODING OF CREEKS AND
SMALLER STREAMS. A FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT THIS EVENING AND
OVERNIGHT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY

A FLOOD WATCH WILL CONTINUE THROUGH LATE FRIDAY AS MOISTURE
ASSOCIATED WITH ERNESTO MOVES INLAND AND BRINGS THE POTENTIAL FOR
ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAIN AND FLOODING.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED OVERNIGHT INTO LATE WEEK. IN
ADDITION RAINFALL REPORTS ARE REQUESTED.

VAZ007-009>015-018>020-WVZ042>045-311900-
TAZEWELL-SMYTH-BLAND-GILES-WYTHE-PULASKI-MONTGOMERY-GRAYSON-CRAIG-
ALLEGHANY-BATH-MERCER-SUMMERS-MONROE-GREENBRIER-
259 PM EDT WED AUG 30 2006

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

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH LOCALLY HEAVY
DOWNPOURS...WILL CONTINUE THIS AFTERNOON AND AT TIMES OVERNIGHT.
RAINFALL TOTALS OF UP TO 2 INCHES COULD OCCUR WHERE HEAVIER
DOWNPOURS DO DEVELOP.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY

ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAIN WILL BE POSSIBLE INTO LATE WEEK AS ERNESTO
MOVES SLOWLY NORTH ACROSS PARTS OF THE REGION.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME. HOWEVER
RAINFALL REPORTS ARE REQUESTED.

NCZ001-002-018-311900-
ASHE-ALLEGHANY-WATAUGA-
259 PM EDT WED AUG 30 2006

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

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM EDT.

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...A FEW POSSIBLY SEVERE AND SOME WITH
LOCALLY HEAVY DOWNPOURS...WILL CONTINUE THIS AFTERNOON AND AT
TIMES OVERNIGHT. RAINFALL TOTALS OF UP TO 2 INCHES COULD OCCUR
WHERE HEAVIER DOWNPOURS DO DEVELOP.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY

ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAIN WILL BE POSSIBLE INTO LATE WEEK AS ERNESTO
MOVES SLOWLY NORTH ACROSS PARTS OF THE REGION.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS REQUESTED FOR THIS AFTERNOON...AND MAY BE
NEEDED OVERNIGHT IF FLASH FLOODING DEVELOPS.

NCZ003>006-019-020-311900-
SURRY-STOKES-ROCKINGHAM-CASWELL-WILKES-YADKIN-
259 PM EDT WED AUG 30 2006

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

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM EDT.

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...A FEW POSSIBLY SEVERE AND SOME WITH
HEAVY RAIN...WILL CONTINUE THIS AFTERNOON AND INTO OVERNIGHT.
RAINFALL TOTALS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES COULD RESULT IN FLASH FLOODING OF
CREEKS AND SMALLER STREAMS. A FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT THIS
EVENING AND OVERNIGHT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY

A FLOOD WATCH WILL CONTINUE THROUGH LATE FRIDAY AS MOISTURE
ASSOCIATED WITH ERNESTO MOVES INLAND AND BRINGS THE POTENTIAL FOR
ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAIN AND FLOODING.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS REQUESTED AND MAY BE NEEDED OVERNIGHT IF
FLASH FLOODING DEVELOPS.

SK

In the hours before

Local storm report, Aug 30, 5:15 PM EST, 2 hours 35 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
615 PM EDT WED AUG 30 2006

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

0602 PM     HAIL             HORSE PASTURE           36.63N 79.95W
08/30/2006  E1.00 INCH       HENRY              VA   LAW ENFORCEMENT

&&

HYSELL

Local storm report, Aug 30, 5:16 PM EST, 2 hours 34 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
616 PM EDT WED AUG 30 2006

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

0605 PM     TSTM WND DMG     FIELDALE                36.70N 79.95W
08/30/2006                   HENRY              VA   EMERGENCY MNGR

            TREE DOWN ON CAR.

&&

HYSELL

Local storm report, Aug 30, 5:22 PM EST, 2 hours 28 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
622 PM EDT WED AUG 30 2006

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

0554 PM     TSTM WND DMG     2 NE SCOTTSBURG         36.78N 78.77W
08/30/2006                   HALIFAX            VA   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            TREES DOWN.

&&

HYSELL

Local storm report, Aug 30, 5:23 PM EST, 2 hours 27 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
623 PM EDT WED AUG 30 2006

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

0558 PM     TSTM WND DMG     3 W HALIFAX             36.77N 78.99W
08/30/2006                   HALIFAX            VA   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            TREES DOWN.

&&

HYSELL

Special weather statement, Aug 30, 5:50 PM EST, 2 hours before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
650 PM EDT WED AUG 30 2006

VAZ032-302345-
PATRICK VA-
650 PM EDT WED AUG 30 2006

AT 645 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 4 MILES NORTH OF FRANCISCO...OR ABOUT 7 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF STUART...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH. THE STRONG
THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR...STUART AT 700 PM EDT...BUFFALO RIDGE AT
710 PM EDT...CRITZ AT 720 PM EDT AND PENNS STORE AT 730 PM EDT.

EXPECT FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING  AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS IN THE
PATH OF THIS STORM.

LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR FAVORITE MEDIA OUTLET FOR
UPDATES ON THIS DEVELOPING SITUATION.

Special weather statement, Aug 30, 7:28 PM EST, 22 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
828 PM EDT WED AUG 30 2006

VAZ009-010-012-WVZ042-310125-
BLAND-MERCER-SMYTH-WYTHE-
828 PM EDT WED AUG 30 2006

SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS ARE GOING TO SLOWLY MOVE EAST ACROSS
THE MOUNTAIN EMPIRE AND SOUTHERN WEST VIRGINIA THROUGH 930 PM.
HEAVY RAINFALL CAN BE EXPECTED WITH SOME OF THE STORMS. RAINFALL
RATES AS HIGH AS 3 INCHES AN HOUR ARE POSSIBLE. THIS WILL CAUSE
EXTENSIVE PONDING OF WATER ON THE ROADS...AND IN POOR DRAINAGE
AREAS. SOME LOCATIONS THAT CAN EXPECT THE HEAVIER SHOWERS THROUGH
930 PM INCLUDE...HICKSVILLE...BLAND...AND RURAL RETREAT. THOSE
DRIVING ALONG INTERSTATE 77 WILL NEED TO BE ALERT TO WATER PONDING
ON THE ROADS.

05

The radar

The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 35 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:48 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Franklin

When: August 30, 7:50 PM EST to 10:13 PM EST
Where: Franklin County, 2 mi W of Snow Creek
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 36.992, -79.881 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Henry

When: August 30, 9:12 PM EST to August 31, 3:06 AM EST
Where: Henry County, 1 mi S of Bassett
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 36.685, -79.981 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Lexington (C)

When: August 30, 11:01 PM EST to August 31, 3:35 AM EST
Where: Lexington (C) County, Lexington
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 37.773, -79.452 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Rockbridge

When: August 30, 11:40 PM EST to August 31, 3:35 AM EST
Where: Rockbridge County, Collierstown
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 37.815, -79.448 (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

Every storm in Virginia in 2006 Every state in 2006 This day in weather history Warnings in Virginia, August 2006

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: 5529492, 5529493, 5529564, 5529565.