Coastal Flood in Virginia, September 1, 2006

Name: Coastal Flood in Virginia, September 1, 2006
Start: 2006-09-01T12:00
End: 2006-09-01T17:00
Location: Virginia

September 1, 2006 · NWS AKQ · 6 events in 6 counties and zones

combined with 6 to 8 foot waves caused significant damage to homes, piers, bulkheads, boats, and marinas across portions of the Virginia's Northern Neck and Eastern Shore near the Chesapeake Bay, Atlantic Ocean and adjacent tributaries. Some of the most significant damage occurred in the Lewisetta area of Northumberland county.

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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $29 million
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 AKQ wrote it up.

Tides of 4 to 5 feet above normal...combined with 6 to 8 foot waves caused significant damage to homes, piers, bulkheads, boats, and marinas across portions of the Virginia's Northern Neck and Eastern Shore near the Chesapeake Bay, Atlantic Ocean and adjacent tributaries. Some of the most significant damage occurred in the Lewisetta area of Northumberland county.

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 Wakefield, VA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Sep 1, 10:24 AM EST, 1 hour 36 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 1, 10:24 AM EST, 1 hour 36 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Sep 1, 5:00 AM EST, 7 hours before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
600 AM EDT FRI SEP 01 2006

ANZ630>632-650-652-654-656-658-
MDZ021>025-NCZ012>017-030>032-102-VAZ048-049-060>100-021030-
CHESAPEAKE BAY FROM SMITH POINT TO WINDMILL POINT-
CHESAPEAKE BAY FROM WINDMILL POINT TO NEW POINT COMFORT-
CHESAPEAKE BAY FROM NEW POINT COMFORT TO CAPE HENRY-
COASTAL WATERS FROM FENWICK ISLAND TO CHINCOTEAGUE OUT 20 NM-
COASTAL WATERS FROM CHINCOTEAGUE TO PARRAMORE ISLAND OUT 20 NM-
COASTAL WATERS FROM PARRAMORE ISLAND TO CAPE CHARLES LIGHT OUT 20 NM-
COASTAL WATERS FROM CAPE CHARLES LIGHT TO NC-VA BORDER OUT 20 NM-
COASTAL WATERS FROM NC-VA BORDER TO CURRITUCK BEACH LIGHT OUT 20 NM-
ACCOMACK VA-AMELIA VA-BERTIE NC-BRUNSWICK VA-CAMDEN NC-CAROLINE VA-
CHARLES CITY VA-CHESAPEAKE VA-CHESTERFIELD VA-CHOWAN NC-
CUMBERLAND VA-DINWIDDIE VA-DORCHESTER MD-EASTERN CURRITUCK NC-
ESSEX VA-FLUVANNA VA-GATES NC-GLOUCESTER VA-GOOCHLAND VA-
GREENSVILLE VA-HANOVER VA-HENRICO VA-HERTFORD NC-INLAND WORCESTER MD-
ISLE OF WIGHT VA-JAMES CITY VA-KING AND QUEEN VA-KING WILLIAM VA-
LANCASTER VA-LOUISA VA-LUNENBURG VA-MARYLAND BEACHES MD-MATHEWS VA-
MECKLENBURG VA-MIDDLESEX VA-NEW KENT VA-NEWPORT NEWS/HAMPTON VA-
NORFOLK/PORTSMOUTH VA-NORTHAMPTON VA-NORTHAMPTON NC-
NORTHUMBERLAND VA-NOTTOWAY VA-PASQUOTANK NC-PERQUIMANS NC-
POWHATAN VA-PRINCE EDWARD VA-PRINCE GEORGE VA-RICHMOND VA-
SOMERSET MD-SOUTHAMPTON VA-SUFFOLK VA-SURRY VA-SUSSEX VA-
VIRGINIA BEACH VA-WESTERN CURRITUCK NC-WESTMORELAND VA-WICOMICO MD-
YORK VA-
600 AM EDT FRI SEP 01 2006

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL AND EASTERN VIRGINIA...
NORTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA AND THE EASTERN MARYLAND SHORE.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT...
THE REMNANTS OF ERNESTO WILL LIFT NORTH ACROSS THE REGION TODAY INTO
TONIGHT. HEAVY RAINS ASSOCIATED WITH THE STORM WILL AFFECT THE
ENTIRE AREA...WITH A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT INTO TONIGHT.
THE THREAT OF TORNADOES WILL CONTINUE INTO THIS AFTERNOON FOR
EASTERN AND SOUTHEAST VIRGINIA...AND NORTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA.
GALE WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT INTO THIS EVENING FOR THE ATLANTIC
COASTAL WATERS...SOUTHERN CHESAPEAKE BAY...AND CURRITUCK SOUND.
A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT INTO EARLY THIS EVENING FOR EASTERN
PORTIONS OF THE AREA. HIGH SURF ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR COASTAL
COUNTY AREAS. HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS TODAY.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...
NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED.

FORECASTER ID
32

THIS PRODUCT...ALONG WITH OTHER WATCHES...WARNINGS...ADVISORIES...AND
STATEMENTS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN
WAKEFIELD, VA CAN BE FOUND ON THE INTERNET AT THE FOLLOWING
(LOWER CASE): HTTP://WWW.ERH.NOAA.GOV/AKQ.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Sep 1, 8:52 AM EST, 3 hours 8 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
952 AM EDT FRI SEP 01 2006

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

0845 AM     FLASH FLOOD      CHESAPEAKE AIRPORT      36.66N 76.32W
09/01/2006                   CITY OF CHESAPEAKE VA   BROADCAST MEDIA

            NUMEROUS STREETS FLOODED WITH A COUPLE OF FEET OF WATER.

&&

AKIMBALL

Local storm report, Sep 1, 8:56 AM EST, 3 hours 4 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
956 AM EDT FRI SEP 01 2006

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

0953 AM     FLASH FLOOD      GATES                   36.50N 76.77W
09/01/2006                   GATES              NC   EMERGENCY MNGR

            NUMEROUS ROADS CLOSED DUE TO FLOODING COUNTYWIDE.

0953 AM     FLASH FLOOD      AHOSKIE                 36.29N 76.99W
09/01/2006                   HERTFORD           NC   EMERGENCY MNGR

            NUMEROUS ROADS CLOSED DUE TO FLOODING COUNTYWIDE.

&&

AKIMBALL

Local storm report, Sep 1, 9:11 AM EST, 2 hours 49 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
1011 AM EDT FRI SEP 01 2006

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

1004 AM     FLASH FLOOD      DAM NECK                36.78N 75.97W
09/01/2006                   CITY OF VIRGINIA B VA   EMERGENCY MNGR

            LONDON BRIDGE ROAD AND CORPORATE LANDING STREETS FLOODED
            WITH A COUPLE OF FEET OF WATER.

&&

AKIMBALL

Special weather statement, Sep 1, 9:45 AM EST, 2 hours 15 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
1045 AM EDT FRI SEP 1 2006

NCZ014-VAZ096-011545-
GATES NC-SUFFOLK VA-
1045 AM EDT FRI SEP 1 2006

...HEAVY RAIN AND STRONG WINDS CONTINUE...

AT 1045 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG SHOWER OVER SUNBURY...MOVING NORTHWEST AT 20 MPH. THE SHOWER
WILL BE NEAR EASONS CROSSROADS AT 1050 AM EDT...SAVAGE AT 1055 AM
EDT...BUCKLAND AT 1100 AM EDT...HAZELTON AT 1105 AM EDT...DRUM HILL
AT 1110 AM EDT...SOMERTON AT 1115 AM EDT.

WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH AND TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS ARE EXPECTED WITH
THESE SHOWERS.

RAINFALL RATES OF TWO INCHES PER HOUR WILL CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON
ROADWAYS...AND POSSIBLE LOCALIZED FLOODING IN LOW LYING AND FLOOD
PRONE AREAS.

44

Special weather statement, Sep 1, 10:50 AM EST, 1 hour 10 minutes before

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Local storm report, Sep 1, 11:48 AM EST, 12 minutes before

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The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

6 coastal flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Coastal Flood, Accomack

When: September 1, 12:00 PM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where: Accomack forecast zone
Property damage: $5.6 million
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 37.765, -75.757 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Coastal Flood, Westmoreland

When: September 1, 12:00 PM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where: Westmoreland forecast zone
Property damage: $120,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 38.113, -76.800 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Coastal Flood, Northumberland

When: September 1, 12:00 PM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where: Northumberland forecast zone
Property damage: $20 million
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 37.882, -76.472 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Coastal Flood, Richmond

When: September 1, 12:00 PM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where: Richmond forecast zone
Property damage: $1.7 million
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 37.937, -76.730 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Coastal Flood, Lancaster

When: September 1, 12:00 PM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where: Lancaster forecast zone
Property damage: $160,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 37.702, -76.420 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Coastal Flood, Essex

When: September 1, 12:00 PM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where: Essex forecast zone
Property damage: $1.4 million
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER

What these are

Coastal Flood: Flooding of coastal land by the sea, from storm surge, onshore wind or high tides.

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, September 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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5533294, 5533295, 5533296, 5533297, 5533298, 5533299.