Winds associated with a strong upper level jet wrapping into the area behind an exiting upper level disturbance were brought downward to the surface by associated severe thunderstorms.
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.
Winds associated with a strong upper level jet wrapping into the area behind an exiting upper level disturbance were brought downward to the surface by associated severe thunderstorms.
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 8, 2:32 PM EST, 1 hour 17 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 332 PM EDT TUE JUL 8 2008 .SYNOPSIS... UPPER LEVEL LOW OVER THE WESTERN PIEDMONT SHIFTS EAST OF THE FORECAST AREA THIS EVENING BUT STILL SOME SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. A FRONT OVER THE UPPER MIDWEST WILL MAKE SLOW PROGRESS TOWARD THE AREA WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT. MORE ORGANIZED STORMS CAN BE EXPECTED ACROSS THE REGION WITH THE FRONTAL PASSAGE. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... THE UPPER LEVEL LOW THAT HAS PLAGUED THE REGION FOR THE LAST SEVERAL DAYS WILL MOVE TO THE EAST COAST OVERNIGHT. UNFORTUNATELY...WE WILL STILL NEED TO CONTEND WITH SHORT WAVES COMING AROUND THE BACK SIDE OF THIS TROUGH. RAIN EARLY TODAY HELPED LIMIT SEVERE POTENTIAL BY KNOCKING DOWN SURFACE CAPES...BUT LIMITED CLOUD COVER AND RAIN TOWARDS TAZEWELL AND THE MOUNTAIN EMPIRE COULD RESULT IN SCATTERED SEVERE STORMS LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. SHOWERS SHOULD WANES OVERNIGHT...BUT ANOTHER WAVE AND DEVELOPING LOW LEVEL JET COULD REINTRODUCE SHOWERS ACROSS THE AREA...PARTICULARLY NORTHERN CWA. THERE IS A CHANCE THAT RIDGING BUILDING IN ALOFT OVERNIGHT COULD SUPPRESS SHOWERS DEVELOPMENT IN THE MORNING AND WITH AN INCOMING COLD FRONT FROM THE NORTHWEST...THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER COULD INCREASE WITH A SATURATED ATMOSPHERE AND HIGH INSTABILITIES IN THE AFTERNOON. THE COLD FRONT WILL BE IN THE OHIO VALLEY DURING THE AFTERNOON AND WILL NOT ENTER THE AREA UNTIL LATE AFTERNOON OR EARLY EVENING. THIS FRONT WILL BE HUNG UP UNTIL A SURFACE WAVE TRACKS ALONG IT AND MOVES TO THE MASON DIXON LINE AROUND MIDNIGHT THURSDAY. WILL RUN MUGGY TEMPERATURES CLOSE TO MAV TONIGHT. ON WEDNESDAY...THE UPPER LOW WILL BE OUT OF THE AREA AND BEING AHEAD OF THE FRONT...WE SHOULD BE A FEW DEGREES WARMER THAT WHAT WE HAVE BEEN AND AROUND SEASONABLE LEVELS. && .SHORT TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... THE SURFACE LOW RIDING ALONG THE FRONT SHOULD BE NEAR THE NJ COAST BY THURSDAY MORNING. THIS SHOULD HAVE THE FRONT TO AT LEAST THE VA/NC BORDER...IF NOT IN NC THURSDAY MORNING. HIGH PRESSURE AND NORTHERLY WINDS WILL USHER IN A NEW WEATHER PATTERN WITH DRIER AND MORE COMFORTABLE TEMPERATURES THROUGH THE PERIOD. THIS SURFACE HIGH WILL RESIDE IN THE REGION THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE WILL SLIDE OFF THE EAST COAST OVER THE WEEKEND. THIS WILL BRING SOUTHERLY FLOW ACROSS THE AREA WITH A RETURN OF HEAT AND HUMIDITY BY THE END OF THE WEEKEND. MODELS ARE SHOWING A WEAK FRONT AND/OR OVER RUNNING MOISTURE ON SUNDAY TO INCREASE THE THREAT FOR RAIN OVER THE MOUNTAINS. MODELS HAVE NOT BEEN CONSISTENT WITH LOCAL LONG TERM FORECAST. THEREFORE...WILL KEEP POPS LOW (20/30) FOR THIS FORECAST PACKAGE. && .AVIATION /20Z TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... WIDESPREAD TSTMS ASSOCIATED WITH COLD POOL ALOFT LATE THIS AFT/EVENING WILL REMIAN EAST OF LYH AND DAN. HOWEVER...THE AIRMASS WILL REMAIN MOIST AND UNSTABLE...AND THE FAR WEST HAS HAD SEVERAL HOURS OF HEATING. I EXPECT SCT TSTMS INTO THIS EVENING...WITH THE BEST COVERAGE OUT TOWARDS BLF AND LWB. I HAVE INCLUDED SOME PERIODS OF TSTMS...OR AT LEAST VCNTY TSTM...IN MOST OF THE TAF SITES. DEPENDING ON AMOUNT OF CLEARING OVERNIGHT...WILL SEE AT LEAST MVFR FOG...POSSIBLY IFR AT FAVORED LOCATIONS SUCH AS LWB. MODELS HAVE A PREFRONTAL AREA OF SHOWERS/TSTMS MOVING INTO THE WEST WED MORNING AND THEN PROGRESSING EAST ACROSS THE AREA...SO I HAVE PUT IN VCNTY TSTMS FOR ALL SITES BEGINNING 14Z IN THE WEST AT BLF AND AT 17Z IN DANVILLE. COOL FRONT PASSES ACROSS THE REGION WEDNESDAY EVENING. COVERAGE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD BE WIDESPREAD WED AFT/EVENING BRINGING MVFR OR EVEN BRIEF IFR CONDITIONS. WILL BE A THREAT FOR VERY HEAVY RAIN...POSSIBLY STRONG WINDS AND HAIL. FRONT MAY STALL ACROSS NC THU...SO THERE WILL BE A THREAT FOR TSMTS MAINLY AT DANVILLE. SLIGHTLY DRIER AIR WILLWORK INTO MOST OF THE AREA FOR THE END OF THE WEEK. && .RNK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... VA...NONE. NC...NONE. WV...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...RCS NEAR TERM...RCS SHORT TERM...RCS LONG TERM...RCS AVIATION...JJ/PC
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 341 PM EDT TUE JUL 8 2008 NCZ001>006-018>020-VAZ007-009>020-022>024-032>035-043>047-058-059- WVZ042>045-091945- ASHE-ALLEGHANY NC-SURRY-STOKES-ROCKINGHAM-CASWELL-WATAUGA-WILKES- YADKIN-TAZEWELL-SMYTH-BLAND-GILES-WYTHE-PULASKI-MONTGOMERY-GRAYSON- CARROLL-FLOYD-CRAIG-ALLEGHANY VA-BATH-ROANOKE-BOTETOURT-ROCKBRIDGE- PATRICK-FRANKLIN-BEDFORD-AMHERST-HENRY-PITTSYLVANIA-CAMPBELL- APPOMATTOX-BUCKINGHAM-HALIFAX-CHARLOTTE-MERCER-SUMMERS-MONROE- GREENBRIER- 341 PM EDT TUE JUL 8 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA...NORTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA...CENTRAL VIRGINIA...SOUTH CENTRAL VIRGINIA...SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA...WEST CENTRAL VIRGINIA AND SOUTHEAST WEST VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE REGION. THE PRIMARY THREAT FROM THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE HEAVY RAINFALL. A FEW STORMS MAY CONTAIN LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS...ALONG WITH FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY MODERATE TO STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE WEDNESDAY ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA WITH MORE HEAVY RAIN AND DAMAGING WIND POSSIBLE. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. RCS
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 301 PM EDT TUE JUL 8 2008 VAZ007-009-010-012-082000- SMYTH VA-WYTHE VA-BLAND VA-TAZEWELL VA- 301 PM EDT TUE JUL 8 2008 ...LINE OF STRONG STORMS MOVING THROUGH THE AREA... AT 300 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 10 MILES NORTHWEST OF TAZEWELL TO 9 MILES SOUTHEAST OF RICHLANDS TO SALTVILLE...MOVING EAST AT 18 MPH. THE LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR... BROADFORD AT 310 PM EDT...CHILHOWIE AT 315 PM EDT...ASBERRYS AT 320 PM EDT...TAZEWELL AT 325 PM EDT...ADWOLF AT 330 PM EDT...HUNGRY MOTHER STATE PARK...TIPTOP AT 340 PM EDT... WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH AND SMALL HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS. 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. JJ
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
327 PM EDT TUE JUL 08 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0140 AM TSTM WND DMG 3 S EVERGREEN 37.26N 78.78W
07/08/2008 APPOMATTOX VA DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
TREE DOWN ON HIGHWAY 620.
&&
HYSELLPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
329 PM EDT TUE JUL 08 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0201 AM TSTM WND DMG 9 E APPOMATTOX 37.36N 78.66W
07/08/2008 APPOMATTOX VA DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
TREE DOWN ON HIGHWAY 626.
&&
HYSELLPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
330 PM EDT TUE JUL 08 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0150 AM TSTM WND DMG 3 E APPOMATTOX 37.36N 78.77W
07/08/2008 APPOMATTOX VA DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
TREE DOWN ON HIGHWAY 631.
&&
HYSELLSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 354 PM EDT TUE JUL 8 2008 VAZ007-009-010-WVZ042-043-082100- SMYTH VA-BLAND VA-TAZEWELL VA-MERCER WV-SUMMERS WV- 354 PM EDT TUE JUL 8 2008 ...LINE OF STRONG STORMS MOVING THROUGH THE AREA... AT 349 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 8 MILES WEST OF MATOAKA TO 6 MILES NORTHWEST OF BLUEFIELD TO 6 MILES SOUTHWEST OF CERES...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 17 MPH. THE LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR...BRAMWELL AT 400 PM EDT...PINNACLE ROCK STATE PARK... BURKES GARDEN AT 405 PM EDT...CERES AT 410 PM EDT...MONTCALM... MONTCALM AT 415 PM EDT...BLUEFIELD...MATOAKA AT 420 PM EDT... WENONAH...SANDLICK AT 425 PM EDT... WIND GUSTS TO 45 MPH AND SMALL HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS. 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. KK
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 426 PM EDT TUE JUL 8 2008 VAZ010>013-082130- WYTHE VA-PULASKI VA-BLAND VA-GILES VA- 426 PM EDT TUE JUL 8 2008 AT 423 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 5 MILES NORTHWEST OF WYTHEVILLE...OR ABOUT 5 MILES NORTHEAST OF FAVONIA...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 18 MPH. THE STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR...KIMBERLING AT 450 PM EDT...LONG SPUR... GUNTON PARK AT 500 PM EDT...MECHANICSBURG AT 505 PM EDT...PULASKI AT 520 PM EDT...WHITE GATE AT 525 PM EDT... WIND GUSTS TO 45 MPH AND SMALL HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR FAVORITE MEDIA OUTLET FOR UPDATES ON THIS DEVELOPING SITUATION. KK
The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 81 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:49 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Several trees were blown down. Damage values are estimated.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in West Virginia in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in West Virginia, July 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: 124402.