A closed upper low moved across the Ohio Valley, and a strong jet stream was in place to trigger severe thunderstorms across portions of southwest Virginia, during the afternoon of May 11th. These storms brought hail up to the size of quarters, wind damage, and lightning damage.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
The episode as NWS RNK wrote it up.
A closed upper low moved across the Ohio Valley, and a strong jet stream was in place to trigger severe thunderstorms across portions of southwest Virginia, during the afternoon of May 11th. These storms brought hail up to the size of quarters, wind damage, and lightning damage.
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 May 11, 10:11 AM EST, 1 hour 32 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
1111 AM EDT SUN MAY 11 2008
.SYNOPSIS...
LOW PRESSURE IN THE MID MISSISSIPPI VALLEY WILL MOVE INTO THE MID
ATLANTIC STATES BY TONIGHT...BRINGING A COLD FRONT THROUGH
OUR AREA ALONG WITH IT. HEADING INTO NEXT WEEK WE WILL MAINTAIN AN
ACTIVE WEATHER PATTERN WITH A NEW SYSTEM ABOUT EVERY THREE DAYS.
&&
.NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/...
HAVE UPGRADED WIND ADVISORY IN TAZEWELL AREA TO A HIGH WIND
WARNING. GETTING REPORTS OF TREES DOWN IN THE TAZEWELL AND
BLUEFIELD VIRGINIA AREA...TREES BLOWING OVER BY THE ROOT BALLS.
IMPRESSIVE UPPER LOW IS SPIRRALING ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY. STRONG
SFC FRONT IS BEING PROPELLED EASTWARD...AND CONCERN IS FOR
POTENTIAL SUPERCELLS AND TORNADOES AS IT EXITS KY AND MOVES INTO
WV AND FAR WRN VA.
STRONG SOUTHEAST WINDS AHEAD OF THE FRONT HAS PROMPTED NEED FOR A
WIND ADVISORY VCNTY OF BLUEFIELD AND TAZEWELL. WE HAVE HAD REPORTS
OF LIMBS DOWN AND LAWN FUNITURE BLOWN AROUND BY THIS WIND.
WILL HAVE TO CLOSELY MONITOR FRONT. IT WILL EVENTUALLY ENCOUNTER
THE STABLE AIR EAST OF THE MOUNTAINS. THE MORNING RNK SNOUNDING
INDICATED STEEP MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES...BUT THE BOUNDARY LAYER WAS
STABLE. THIS SUGGESTS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL OCCUR...BUT
POTENTIAL MIX DOWN OF STRONGER WIND TO THE SURFACE MAY BE
DIFFICULT UNLESS WE CAN DISPLACE THE STABLE BOUNDARY LAYER.
WILL BE DOING A SPECIAL 18 UTC BALLOON RELEASE TO SEE IF THE
STABLE LAYER IS ERRODING. FOR NOW...THINK MOST POTENTIAL FOR SVR
WILL BE LIMITED TO THOSE LOCATIONS THAT CAN MIX OUT THIS STABLE
LAYER. TAZEWELL AND SMYTH ARE A DEFINITE GIVEN...MORE QUESTIONABLE
THE FURTHER EAST YOU GO.
FLOOD POTENTIAL LOOKS REAL IFFY. DEEP CONVECTION WILL BE
PROGRESSIVE DUE TO THE FAST SPEAD OF THIS SYSTEM. WILL LEAVE UP
FLOOD WATCH ATTM...BUT MAY CANCEL EARLY IF PERSISTENT HEAVY
RAINFALL DOES NOT DEVELOP.
&&
.SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH TUESDAY/...
AS THE LOW PULLS OFF THE COAST TONIGHT...STRONG CYCLONIC GRADIENT
WINDS WILL INCREASE AND BECOME QUITE STRONG IN THE WEST. A LOW LEVEL
JET OF ARND 60 KTS COULD PRODUCE WIND GUSTS TO ADVISORY OR EVEN
WARNING CRITERIA ACROSS A LARGE PART OF THE WEST. ALTHOUGH
CONFIDENCE IS NOT VERY HIGH AT THIS POINT THAT WE WILL SEE WIND
SPEEDS TO THAT LEVEL...WITH THE WET GROUND AND MORE DRAG DUE TO
LEAVES NOW ON MOST TREES THE THREAT OF SEEING DOWNED TREES MAY BE
INCREASED.
CONDITIONS WILL GRADUALLY IMPROVE AS THE LOW SLOWLY MOVES OFF THE
COAST MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY. HIGH PRESSURE WILL RETURN TO THE
AREA TUESDAY WITH SUNSHINE AND TEMPS NEAR NORMAL.
&&
.LONG TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/...
WEDNESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY WILL BE ACTIVE WITH WAVE AFTER WAVE
MOVING THROUGH THE REGION...ONE ABOUT EVERY SECOND OR THIRD DAY.
AFTER DRY WEATHER TUESDAY AND TUESDAY NIGHT...AN APPROACHING COLD
FRONT WILL GRADUALLY ALLOW FOR SCATTERED SHOWERS FIRST IN THE
MOUNTAINS ON WEDNESDAY...AND THEN FOR THE FORECAST AREA WEDNESDAY
NIGHT AND THURSDAY AS THE FRONT MOVES INTO THE REGION. AS ANOTHER
WAVE MOVES OUT OF THE GULF ALONG THE FRONT FRIDAY...THE FRONT WILL
STALL AND THIS NEXT SYSTEM WILL IMPACT OUR WEATHER FRIDAY INTO
SATURDAY. HAVE GONE CLOSE TO HPC NUMBERS FOR HIGH AND LOW
TEMPERATURES DURING THIS PERIOD.
&&
.AVIATION /15Z SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/...
VFR CONDITIONS WILL RAPIDLY TRANSITION TO MVFR/IFR THIS MORNING
AS A FAST MOVING STORM SYSTEM APPROACHES FROM THE WEST. IN
ADDITION TO THE LOW CIGS/VSBYS...WINDS WILL ALSO BE A CONCERN
TONIGHT IN THE WAKE OF THE LOW PRESSURE...ESP IN THE WEST WHERE
GUSTS OF 20 TO 30 KTS WILL BE COMMON. CIGS AND VSBYS IN THE EAST WILL
IMPROVE SOMEWHAT TONIGHT AS DOWNSLOPE WINDS KICK IN.
ON MONDAY...THE CENTER OF THE UPPER LOW IS EXPECTED TO TRACK OVER
EASTERN VIRGINIA. ITS INFLUENCE WILL BE FELT EAST OF A LYNCHBURG TO
DANVILLE LINE IN THE FORM OF STEEP LAPSE RATE INSTABILITY CLOUDS AND
SHOWERS...AND POTENTIALLY AN ISOLATED THUNDERSTORM IN THE AFTERNOON.
TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY WILL BE AN ACTIVE PERIOD WITH SEVERAL
SYSTEMS MOVING THROUGH THE REGION...ONE ABOUT EVERY SECOND OR THIRD
DAY. DRY WEATHER EXPECTED TUESDAY AND TUESDAY NIGHT.
AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT WILL CREATED SCATTERED MVFR/IFR SHOWERS IN
THE MOUNTAINS ON WEDNESDAY...AND EAST OF THE MOUNTAINS WEDNESDAY
NIGHT AND THURSDAY AS THE FRONT MOVES INTO THE REGION.
&&
.RNK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
VA...FLOOD WATCH THROUGH MONDAY MORNING FOR VAZ019-020-023-024-
032>035-043>047-058-059.
HIGH WIND WATCH FROM 9 PM EDT THIS EVENING THROUGH MONDAY
AFTERNOON FOR VAZ007-009>017-022-032-033.
HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 9 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR VAZ007-009.
NC...FLOOD WATCH THROUGH MONDAY MORNING FOR NCZ004>006.
HIGH WIND WATCH FROM 9 PM EDT THIS EVENING THROUGH MONDAY
AFTERNOON FOR NCZ001>003-018-019.
WV...FLOOD WATCH THROUGH MONDAY MORNING FOR WVZ043-045.
HIGH WIND WATCH FROM 9 PM EDT THIS EVENING THROUGH MONDAY
AFTERNOON FOR WVZ042.
HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 9 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR WVZ042.
&&
SYNOPSIS...DS
NEAR TERM...PM
SHORT TERM...JS
LONG TERM...DS
AVIATION...JS/RCSHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 1139 AM EDT SUN MAY 11 2008 VAZ007-009-121545- TAZEWELL-SMYTH- 1139 AM EDT SUN MAY 11 2008 ...HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM EDT THIS EVENING... ...TORNADO WATCH 306 IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 PM EDT THIS AFTERNOON... ...HIGH WIND WATCH IN EFFECT FROM 9 PM EDT THIS EVENING THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON... 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. TORNADO WATCH. HIGH WIND WATCH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. HIGH WIND WATCH. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED. WVZ042-121545- MERCER- 1139 AM EDT SUN MAY 11 2008 ...HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM EDT THIS EVENING... ...HIGH WIND WATCH IN EFFECT FROM 9 PM EDT THIS EVENING THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR 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. HIGH WIND WARNING. HIGH WIND WATCH. IN ADDITION...THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. HIGH WIND WATCH. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED. NCZ001>003-018-019-VAZ010>017-022-121545- ASHE-ALLEGHANY NC-SURRY-WATAUGA-WILKES-BLAND-GILES-WYTHE-PULASKI- MONTGOMERY-GRAYSON-CARROLL-FLOYD-ROANOKE- 1139 AM EDT SUN MAY 11 2008 ...HIGH WIND WATCH IN EFFECT FROM 9 PM EDT THIS EVENING THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA...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 WATCH. IN ADDITION...THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE STORMS THIS AFTERNOON. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. HIGH WIND WATCH. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED. NCZ004>006-VAZ019-020-023-024-034-035-043>047-058-059-WVZ043-045- 121545- STOKES-ROCKINGHAM-CASWELL-ALLEGHANY VA-BATH-BOTETOURT-ROCKBRIDGE- BEDFORD-AMHERST-HENRY-PITTSYLVANIA-CAMPBELL-APPOMATTOX-BUCKINGHAM- HALIFAX-CHARLOTTE-SUMMERS-GREENBRIER- 1139 AM EDT SUN MAY 11 2008 ...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH MONDAY MORNING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA...CENTRAL VIRGINIA...SOUTH CENTRAL VIRGINIA...WEST CENTRAL 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. FLOOD WATCH. IN ADDITION...THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. FLOOD WATCH. STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS ARE EXPECTED MONDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED. VAZ032-033-121545- PATRICK-FRANKLIN- 1139 AM EDT SUN MAY 11 2008 ...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH MONDAY MORNING... ...HIGH WIND WATCH IN EFFECT FROM 9 PM EDT THIS EVENING THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR 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. FLOOD WATCH. HIGH WIND WATCH. IN ADDITION...THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE STORMS THIS AFTERNOON. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. FLOOD WATCH. HIGH WIND WATCH. STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS ARE ANTICIPATED MONDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED. VAZ018-WVZ044-121545- CRAIG-MONROE- 1139 AM EDT SUN MAY 11 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA AND SOUTHEAST WEST VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TODAY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS LIKELY MONDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED. NCZ020-121545- YADKIN- 1139 AM EDT SUN MAY 11 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE STORMS THIS AFTERNOON. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS ARE EXPECTED MONDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 1143 AM EDT SUN MAY 11 2008 VAZ007-009-010-012-WVZ042-111645- SMYTH VA-WYTHE VA-BLAND VA-TAZEWELL VA-MERCER WV- 1143 AM EDT SUN MAY 11 2008 AT 1140 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 19 MILES NORTH OF PINEVILLE TO 9 MILES NORTHEAST OF ELIZABETHTON...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 60 MPH. THE LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR...BANDY... CLAYPOOL HILL AT 1150 AM EDT...SALTVILLE...CLIFFIELD AT NOON EDT... QUARRY AT 1205 PM EDT...BROADFORD AT 1210 PM EDT...THOMAS BRIDGE... CHILHOWIE AT 1215 PM EDT...MOUNT ROGERS NATIONAL RECREATION AREA... HUNGRY MOTHER STATE PARK AT 1220 PM EDT... WIND GUSTS OF 50 TO 60 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS. THE PUBLIC IS ENCOURAGED TO RELAY REPORTS OF STRONG WINDS...HAIL OR FLOODING TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BLACKSBURG BY CALLING 1...8 6 6...2 1 5...4 3 2 4. PEM
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 1217 PM EDT SUN MAY 11 2008 NCZ001-VAZ007-009-010-012-015-WVZ042-043-111645- ASHE NC-GRAYSON VA-SMYTH VA-WYTHE VA-BLAND VA-TAZEWELL VA-MERCER WV- SUMMERS WV- 1217 PM EDT SUN MAY 11 2008 AT 1215 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 7 MILES NORTHWEST OF BLUEFIELD TO 6 MILES SOUTHWEST OF MOUNTAIN CITY...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 60 MPH. THE LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR...MOUNT ROGERS SUMMIT...AND FLATWOOD AT 1225 PM EDT...SPANISHBURG...AND LANSING AT 1230 PM EDT...GRAYSON HIGHLANDS STATE PARK...AND TROUT DALE AT 1235 PM EDT...LERONA...AND GRASSY CREEK AT 1240 PM...KIMBERLING... AND CROCKETT AT 1245 PM EDT. WIND GUSTS BETWEEN 50 AND 60 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR TAZEWELL AND SMYTH COUNTIES UNTIL 300 PM. CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. REMEMBER...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN PRODUCE TORNADOES WITH LITTLE ADVANCED WARNING. KEEP YOUR EYES TO THE SKY...AND MONITOR WEATHER CONDITIONS CLOSELY. THE PUBLIC IS ENCOURAGED TO RELAY REPORTS OF STRONG WINDS...HAIL OR FLOODING TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BLACKSBURG BY CALLING 1...8 6 6...2 1 5...4 3 2 4.
The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 111 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 16:43 UTC.
8 thunderstorm wind, 7 hail, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
One tree was blown down along U.S. Highway 58 between Rugby and Volney.
A tree was blown down in the campground.
Two trees and power lines were blown down along Wilderness Road.
Cable lines were blown down in a road.
Nickel size hail fell near the intersection of Prices Fork and Toms Creek Road.
Lightning struck a home in Blacksburg. The bolt struck the dormer, went through a room and hit a galvanized metal water line. This started a fire in the wall. Damages are estimated.
A power line was blown down in South Boston.
A tree was blown down along Elgood Mountain and Lurich Road.
A tree was blown down along Route 61.
A tree was blown along along Sinking Creek Road.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Virginia in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Virginia, May 2008
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: 99593, 99564, 99591, 99570, 99575, 99580, 99584, 99585, 99586, 99547, 99594, 99587, 99588, 99596, 99597, 99598.