Virginia, 2008Wildfire in Virginia, February 10, 2008
February 10, 2008 · NWS RNK · 1 event in 1 county or zone
High winds caused tree to fall onto a power line in the Ringgold area during the afternoon of February 10th. This triggered a wildfire that scorched about 100 acres off Ferguson Road.
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- Deaths
- 0
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- Property damage
- $30,000
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- None recorded
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- 1
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.
High winds caused tree to fall onto a power line in the Ringgold area during the afternoon of February 10th. This triggered a wildfire that scorched about 100 acres off Ferguson Road.
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 Feb 10, 1:13 PM EST, 47 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Feb 10, 1:13 PM EST, 47 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
113 PM EST SUN FEB 10 2008
.SYNOPSIS...
A STRONG BUT VERY DRY COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH EARLY THIS
AFTERNOON FOLLOWED BY VERY STRONG WINDS AND MUCH COLDER AIR. THE
COLD AND WIND WILL BE SHORT-LIVED HOWEVER AS SFC HI PRESSURE
BUILDS ACROSS THE REGION AND OFFSHORE BY TUESDAY. A STORM SYSTEM
WITH BETTER MOISTR AND BETTER CHANCES OF PRECIP WILL MOVE THRU
LATE TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY...FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER BRIEF SHOT OF
COLD.
&&
.NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/...
WITH SUCH STRONG WINDS HEADING OFF THE BLUE RIDGE...HAVE DECIDED
TO EXTEND THE HIGH WIND WARNING SE INTO PARTS OF THE NC FOOTHILLS
AS WELL AS HENRY CTY IN VA. ALSO SENDING ANOTHER UPDATE TO INCLUDE
THE LYH AREA AS WELL. NO OTHER CHANGES ATTM.
SURFACE COLD FRONT NOW NEAR THE BLUE RIDGE SHOULD CONTINUE TO
SLIDE EAST THIS AFTERNOON. HOWEVER TRUE ARCTIC AIR AND REAL STRONG
85H JET REMAIN BACK TO THE NW ALONG THE OHIO RIVER AND WILL STILL
TAKE A BIT LONGER FOR THIS TO ARRIVE. HOWEVER WINDS ALREADY
GUSTING TO WARNING CRITERIA IN SPOTS ON THE RIDGES AND AS JET
ALOFT STRENGTHENS OVERTOP MIXING EXPECT SURFACE SPEEDS ONLY TO
INCREASE. THEREFORE GIVEN PROGGED LOW LEVEL JET AT 60 KTS AND
DOWNSLOPE ACCELERATION OFF THE BLUE RIGDE WILL GO AHEAD AND EXTEND
THE WIND ADVISORY EAST THRU THE ENTIRE PIEDMONT. ALSO GIVEN
CURRENT ONGOING GUSTS ACROSS WESTERN VA WILL UPGRADE PARTS OF THE
VA FOOTHILLS INTO THE HIGH WIND WARNING AS WELL. OTRW TRIMMED POPS
OVER THE UPSLOPE REGION GIVEN SO MUCH WEST WIND AND LACK OF MUCH
RH EXCEPT TO THE NORTH. APPEARS COULD BE A PERIOD OF -SHSN AS THE
TRUE ARCTIC AIR ARRIVES BUT THEN MOISTURE LIKELY MIXES OUT UNDER
STRONG DRY ADVECTION SO ONLY CHANCE POPS FAR NW INTO MID AFTERNOON.
ELSEWHERE...SOME LOW CLOUDS LIKELY TO SPILL OVER TOWARD THE BLUE
RIDGE UNDER STRONG COLD ADVECTION WITH DOWNSLOPE DRYING WINNING
OUT ACROSS THE EAST. BUMPED TEMPS UP AFTER SUCH A WARM START PER
LAGGING COLD AIR...BUT APPEARS MOST IN THE FAR WEST HAVE SEEN
THEIR HIGHS FOR THE DAY...WHILE 50S TO AROUND 60 LIKELY OUT EAST
GIVEN OFFSET OF COLD AIR BY DOWNSLOPE WARMING.
TEMPS PLUMMET INTO THE TEENS AND SINGLE DIGITS TONIGHT. WINDS
SLOWLY SUBSIDE AS SFC RIDGE NOSES IN FROM THE WEST. WIND CHILLS
APPROACH ZERO IN MANY AREAS IN THE WEST OVERNIGHT...TEENS AND
SINGLE DIGITS IN THE EAST. A FEW OF THE MTN RIDGES WILL SEE CHILL
VALUES BELOW ZERO BUT THESE SPOTS WILL BE ISOLATED. SEE NO NEED
TO ISSUE AN ADVISORY FOR WIND CHILLS.
&&
.SHORT TERM /MONDAY THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT/...
HIGH PRESSURE TO BUILD OVERHEAD DURING THE DAY MONDAY. 1030 MB
HIGH PRESSURE WILL CROSS OVER THE AREA THEN OFF THE VA/NC COAST
DURING THE PERIOD. WITH STRONG RIDGING OVER THE AREA...WE WILL SEE
ABUNDANT SUNSHINE AND DRY WEATHER FOR THE BEGINNING OF THE WORK
WEEK. LIGHT WINDS...VERY DRY AIR AND LACK OF CLOUDS MONDAY EVE SO
EXPECT TEMPS TO DROP RAPIDLY MONDAY EVENING AFTER SUNSET. AFTER
MIDNIGHT A COMBINATION OF INCREASING HIGH CLOUDS AND RETURNING
SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW ABOVE THE BNDRY LAYER WILL KEEP HIGHER
ELEVATION TEMPS STEADY OR SLOWLY RISING. WILL SEE A WIDE RANGE OF
TEMPS BY DAYBREAK TUE.
&&
.LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/...
BETTER AGREEMTN HAS DEVELOPED BETWEEN THE GFS/ECWMF/GFS ENSEMBLES
FOR THE PRECIP WHICH WILL ARRIVE LATE TUESDAY AND INTO WED
MORNING. A SLOW MOVING BOUNDARY WILL SET UP THROUGH THE
MISSISSIPPI/OHIO RIVER VALLEYS LATE TUESDAY. INCREASED POP IN THE FAR
WEST...AND SOME OF IT MAY BEGIN AS A MIX OF RAIN/SNOW ALONG THE
HIGHEST SPOTS OF WESTERN GREENBRIER. BOTH GFS/ECWMF DO SHOW A
SHRTWV IN THE BOTTOM OF THE TROUGH...WHICH EVENTUALLY PUSHES QPF
INTO OUR NECK OF THE WOODS...BEFORE SHOVING THE SYSTEM NORTH AND
EAST. DID INC POPS LATE TUESDAY NIGHT EARLY WED MORNING. EXPECTING
ALL RAIN. SOME COLDER AIR DOES ARRIVE ON WED...BUT THIS WILL
MAINLY BE FELT IN SE WEST VA AND EXTREME WESTERN VA...WITH
DOWNSLOPING WINDS OFFSETTING ANY CAA AT H85 BLUE RIDGE AND EAST.
RIDGING BULGES BACK NORTH AGAIN ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST...SO ANOTHER
WARMUP IS EXPECTED AT LEAST FOR FRIDAY...AND PERHAPS MUCH OF NEXT
WEEKEND. NEWEST ECWMF AND GFS DIVERGENT IN REGARDS TO A RETURN TO
A MEAN TROUGH IN THE EASTERN CONUS...THE GFS IS FASTER.
HOWEVER...LOOKING INTO DAYS 8-10...H5 RIDGING BUILDING ACROSS WESTERN
CONUS/CANADA AND EAST OF GREENLAND...MAY FINALLY BE ENOUGH FOR A PATTERN
CHG IN THE EASTERN UNITED STATES. THERE ARE EVEN SOME HINTS THAT
BOTH OF THESE HIGH LATITUDE RIDGES LINK UP BRIEFLY NORTH OF THE
POLAR VORTEX...WHICH WOULD BE EVEN MORE FAVORABLE FOR KEEPING SOME
COLDER AIR LOCKED INTO THE EASTERN US.
&&
.AVIATION /18Z SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/...
LOW CLOUDS ALONG WITH SCTD RAIN/SNOW SHOWERS AND OCNL MVFR
CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE OVER THE EASTERN WV SITES THRU EARLY
AFTERNOON BEFORE CLOUDS DISSIPATE. ELSEWHERE SOME STRATO-CU COULD
WORK EAST INTO ROA/LYH BUT EXPECTING VFR CIGS THIS AFTERNOON. OTRW
MAIN IMPACT WILL BE FROM VERY STRONG WESTERLY WINDS THAT WILL GUST
TO 40 OR EVEN 50 KTS ESPCLY ROA THRU ABOUT 22Z. THE STRONG WINDS
SHOULD START TO LEVEL OFF AFTER SUNSET AS THE UPPER TROUGH AND
COLDEST AIR ALOFT PASS BY TO THE NORTH. WINDS SHOULD FINALLY
DIMINISH LATER TONIGHT INTO MONDAY AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS INTO
THE AREA.
OTRW VFR IS EXPECTED THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK AT ALL SITES...BEFORE
LOW PRESSURE PUSHING NE FROM THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY BRINGS A
CHANCE OF RAIN WITH MVFR/IFR CONDITIONS LATE TUESDAY INTO
WEDNESDAY. HIGH PRESSURE SHOULD THEN BUILD BACK IN BEHIND THE
SYSTEM WITH A RETURN TO VFR EXPECTED FOR THE END OF THE PERIOD.
&&
.FIRE WEATHER...
THE COMBO OF STRONG POST FRONTAL WINDS...FALLING HUMIDITY VALUES AND
DRY FUEL MOISTURES WILL MAKE FOR HIGH FIRE DANGER ESPCLY THIS AFTERNOON.
GIVEN ONGOING FIRES ATTM EXPECT CONDITIONS ONLY TO GET WORSE THIS
AFTERNOON ESPCLY AS VERY LOW DEWPOINTS ARRIVES WITH THE COLD AIR.
THUS LITTLE CHANGE TO THE GOING RED FLAG WARNING AS EXPECT THE
UPSLOPE REGIONS TO KEEP ENOUGH RH TO AVOID PROBLEMS THERE FOR NOW.
VERY LOW RH VALUES AND LINGERING WINDS COULD POSSIBLY MEAN A NEED
TO EXTEND THE WARNING LATER INTO THE EVENING BUT WILL ADDRESS THIS
LATER THIS AFTERNOON.
&&
.RNK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
VA...HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 1 AM EST MONDAY FOR VAZ009>020-022>024-
032>035-043-045>047.
RED FLAG WARNING UNTIL 9 PM EST THIS EVENING FOR VAZ010>020-
022>024-032>035-043>047-058-059.
WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 1 AM EST MONDAY FOR VAZ007-044-058-059.
NC...HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 1 AM EST MONDAY FOR NCZ001>004-018-019.
RED FLAG WARNING UNTIL 9 PM EST THIS EVENING FOR NCZ001>006-
018>020.
WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 1 AM EST MONDAY FOR NCZ005-006-020.
WV...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 1 AM EST MONDAY FOR WVZ042>045.
&&
SYNOPSIS...JH/JS
NEAR TERM...JH/JS/WP
SHORT TERM...JS/RCS
LONG TERM...KM
AVIATION...JH/JS/KM
FIRE WEATHER...Hazardous weather outlook, Feb 10, 1:14 PM EST, 46 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
114 PM EST SUN FEB 10 2008
VAZ007-WVZ042>045-111815-
TAZEWELL-MERCER-SUMMERS-MONROE-GREENBRIER-
114 PM EST SUN FEB 10 2008
...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 AM EST MONDAY...
THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA AND
SOUTHEAST WEST VIRGINIA.
.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT
PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.
WIND ADVISORY.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY
NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
NCZ001-002-018-VAZ010>020-022>024-111815-
ASHE-ALLEGHANY NC-WATAUGA-BLAND-GILES-WYTHE-PULASKI-MONTGOMERY-
GRAYSON-CARROLL-FLOYD-CRAIG-ALLEGHANY VA-BATH-ROANOKE-BOTETOURT-
ROCKBRIDGE-
114 PM EST SUN FEB 10 2008
...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM EST THIS EVENING...
...HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 AM EST MONDAY...
THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHWEST NORTH
CAROLINA...SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA AND WEST CENTRAL VIRGINIA.
.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT
PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.
HIGH WIND WARNING.
RED FLAG WARNING.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY
NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
VAZ009-111815-
SMYTH-
114 PM EST SUN FEB 10 2008
...HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 AM EST MONDAY...
THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA.
.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT
PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.
HIGH WIND WARNING.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY
NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
NCZ004-VAZ043-045>047-111815-
STOKES-HENRY-CAMPBELL-APPOMATTOX-BUCKINGHAM-
114 PM EST SUN FEB 10 2008
...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM EST THIS EVENING...
...HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 AM EST MONDAY...
THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH CENTRAL NORTH
CAROLINA...CENTRAL VIRGINIA AND SOUTH CENTRAL VIRGINIA.
.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT
PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.
HIGH WIND WARNING.
RED FLAG WARNING.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY
NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
NCZ005-006-020-VAZ044-058-059-111815-
ROCKINGHAM-CASWELL-YADKIN-PITTSYLVANIA-HALIFAX-CHARLOTTE-
114 PM EST SUN FEB 10 2008
...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM EST THIS EVENING...
...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 AM EST MONDAY...
THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH CENTRAL NORTH
CAROLINA...NORTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA AND SOUTH CENTRAL VIRGINIA.
.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT
PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.
RED FLAG WARNING.
WIND ADVISORY.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY
NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
VAZ032>035-111815-
PATRICK-FRANKLIN-BEDFORD-AMHERST-
114 PM EST SUN FEB 10 2008
...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM EST THIS EVENING...
...HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 AM EST MONDAY...
THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL VIRGINIA...SOUTH
CENTRAL VIRGINIA...SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA AND WEST CENTRAL VIRGINIA.
.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT
PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.
HIGH WIND WARNING.
RED FLAG WARNING.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY
NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
NCZ003-019-111815-
SURRY-WILKES-
114 PM EST SUN FEB 10 2008
...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM EST THIS EVENING...
...HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 AM EST MONDAY...
THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA
AND NORTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA.
.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT
PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.
HIGH WIND WARNING.
RED FLAG WARNING.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY
NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
Wildfire, Pittsylvania
- When
- February 10, 2:00 PM EST to 6:00 PM EST
- Where
- Pittsylvania forecast zone
- Property damage
- $30,000
- Reported by
- Newspaper
- Coordinates
- 36.704, -79.396 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
A downed power line sparked a fire along Ferguson Road. The high winds spread the wildfire rapidly, destroying around 100 acres. The blaze destroyed an abandoned house, an old tobacco barn, and another aged building. An indirect injury occurred to a firefighter when a small tree fell on him.
- Wildfire
- A fire burning in wildland vegetation, with its acreage and damage where known.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
- Winter Weather in Pennsylvania, February 10, 20081 death · 35 injured · $100,000 · 1 event
- Winter Weather in New York, February 10, 20081 death · 22 injured · $500,000 · 1 event
- Blizzard in Michigan, February 10, 200820 injured · $250,000 · 5 events
- Strong Wind in Pennsylvania, February 10, 20081 death · 1 injured · $80,000 · 10 events
- Blizzard and Winter Storm in Michigan, February 10 to 11, 20081 death · 15 events
- Strong Wind in North Carolina, February 10, 2008$540,000 · 31 events
- High Wind in Virginia, February 10, 20081 injured · $349,000 · 64 kt wind · 27 events
- High Wind and Strong Wind in New Jersey, February 10 to 11, 2008$136,000 · 61 kt wind · 21 events
- High Wind and Strong Wind in Virginia, February 10, 2008$115,000 · 55 kt wind · 10 events
- High Wind and Strong Wind in Maryland, February 10, 2008$61,000 · 54 kt wind · 13 events
- High Wind in West Virginia, February 10, 2008$70,000 · 57 kt wind · 10 events
- High Wind in Pennsylvania, February 10, 2008$100,000 · 50 kt wind · 1 event
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: 83842.