Isolated thunderstorm produced heavy rain which caused flash flooding across portions of Hampton.
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 AKQ wrote it up.
Isolated thunderstorm produced heavy rain which caused flash flooding across portions of Hampton.
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 Aug 13, 8:44 AM EST, 3 hours 43 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA 944 AM EDT THU AUG 13 2009 .SYNOPSIS... A LARGE HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL REMAIN ANCHORED FROM BERMUDA TO THE SOUTHEAST COAST THROUGH THE REST OF THE WEEK. A COLD FRONT WILL STALL OUT AND MEANDER ALONG THE MID ATLANTIC AND SOUTHEAST COASTLINE THROUGH FRIDAY. SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD INTO THE REGION FROM THE SOUTHEAST COAST FOR THE WEEKEND. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/... ONCE AGAIN PORTIONS OF THE EASTERN SHORE AND SE THIRD OF THE CWA COULD SEE AREAS OF LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL ALONG AND SOUTH OF STALLED OUT BOUNDARY. WITH THE COMBINATION OF WEAK FLOW AT LOW TO MID LVLS...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE SLOW MOVERS THIS AFTERNOON. RADAR TRENDS ERLY THIS AM AND BUFKIT PARAMETERS INDICATE THAT ANOTHER ROUND OF TSTM REDEVELOPMENT/TRAINING TO OCCUR OVER SOME LOCATIONS. SREF/NAM SHOW DECENT THETA E AND CAPE VALUES...HOWEVER THE GFS IS MUCH WEAKER WITH INSTABILITY AND SEEMS AN OUTLIER. AGAIN IT WILL BE ONE OF THOSE DAYS WHERE SOME WILL GET LITTLE IF ANY RAINFALL AND THOSE THAT DO SEE SHRA/TSTM ACTIVITY WILL GET A DECENT DOSE (ESP RIGHT ALONG CONVERGENCE ZONE). ERLY INDICATIONS SHOW THIS CONVERGENCE ZONE SITUATED ALONG A EMPORIA-NORFOLK-KIPTOPEKE VA LINE BUT MAY WAVER/PUSH A BIT FURTHER SOUTH THIS AFTN. QPF WILL BE HIGHEST SOUTH OF THIS BOUNDARY WHERE SFC WINDS ARE THE WEAKEST AND PWATS ARE RUNNING VERY HIGH AOA 2 INCHES. IN ANY EVENT...ANYWHERE NEAR AND SOUTH OF CONVERGENCE ZONE IS PRONE TO AREAS OF MOD/HVY RAINFALL IN A SHORT TIMEFRAME. GENERAL AVG YESTERDAY OF 2 TO 4 INCHES IN LESS THAN A 3 HR WINDOW WHERE TSTMS OCCURRED SEEMS A REASONABLE SCENARIO AGAIN TDY. BEST FAVORABLE WINDOW FOR MOD/HVY RAINFALL SEEMS TO LIE MAINLY DURING THE AFTN HRS...BUT NOT LIMITED TOO. && .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH 6 PM FRIDAY/... THINK LITTLE IF ANY SHRA/TSRA ACTIVITY WILL PARTAKE WEST OF THE I-95 CORRIDOR SO WILL GENERALLY CALL FOR ISOL LOW POP WRDG FAR INLAND. PRECIP CHCS ONCE AGAIN LOWER SIGNIFICANTLY AGAIN TNT/OVRNT WITH PATCHY FOG ONCE AGAIN POSSIBLE...MAINLY OVER THE WRN THIRD OF THE CWA. MODELS CAN AGREE ON GRADUALLY DROPPING OFF POPS FROM NW TO SE ON FRIDAY AS FRONT BEGINS TO DISSIPATE AND H5 TROF LIFTS INTO NEW ENGLAND...YIELDING TO RETROGRADING H5 (BERMUDA) RIDGE...WHICH WILL RETURN FOR THE WEEKEND. HIGHS IN THE LOW 80S ALONG THE COAST AND MID/UPR 80S INLAND. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... LATEST 12Z RUNS OF THE GFS/ECMWF ARE NOW ACTUALLY IN PRETTY GOOD AGREEMENT FOR THE EXTENDED PERIOD. FRI NGT/SAT...THE FRONT WILL CONTINUE TO BE NEARLY STATIONARY ACROSS EITHER SOUTHERN VA OR NORTHERN NC...BUT APPEARS TO BE DISSIPATING AS MID/UPR LEVEL RIDGING EXPANDS NW FROM OFF THE SE US COAST. WILL CARRY FAIRLY HIGH PRECIP CHANCES FRI EVENG AND AGAIN SAT AFTN/EVENG (AROUND 40% FOR SRN ZONES/30% CNTRL AND NRN ZONES). HIGH TEMPS SAT HELD DOWN BY PARTLY TO MCLDY SKIES AND AN ONSHORE FLOW (MAINLY IN THE LWR/MID 80S). SUN INTO WED...PATTERN EVOLVES INTO A DRIER ONE...WITH A GRADUAL WARMING TREND. WILL CARRY 20-30% CHC POPS SUNDAY...THEN ONLY ISO (20%) POPS MON-WED DURING THE AFTN/EVENG HRS. HIGH TEMPS WARM BACK INTO THE LWR 90S TUE/WED FOR INTERIOR ZONES. NEXT FRONT BEGINS TO APPROACH FROM THE NW LATER WED...BUT MODELS HAVE TRENDED SLOWER SO WILL ONLY HAVE A 20% CHC TSTMS. && .AVIATION /14Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... SCND BATCH OF PCPN HEADING NE FROM NC XPCTD TO OVRSPRD SERN VA/NE NC BY LATE MORN AND ERLY AFTRN. THUS...HAVE TRENDED 12Z TAFS MORE IN LINE WITH THIS TREND (CAT POPS) AT ORF/ECG (MVFR) BUT KEPT CB DRNG PK HTNG HRS. CUD EVEN SEE ANTHR ROUND OF RA (PSBLY +RA) AFTR 18Z. LGHTR PCPN XPCTD N OF BNDRY (SBY/PHF) THIS AFTRN AND EVE. CONFIDENCE FAIRLY HIGH THAT RIC REMAINS DRY WITH VFR CNDTNS THRU MOST OF FCST PRD. AREAS OF FOG WILL LIKELY DVLP TONITE SPCLLY IN AREAS THAT RECEIVE RAINFALL. MODELS SHOW FRONT GENLY STATIONARY ALONG THE COAST FOR THE NEXT 2-3 DAYS SO PERIODS OF CLOUDS WITH AFTN/EVENING TSTMS LIKELY IN STORE INTO THE WKEND. GOOD CHC OF MVFR OR IFR CONDS IN THE MRNG WITH CHC OF SHRA AND/OR FOG...ESPECIALLY FOR AREAS NEAR THE FRNT. && .MARINE... NO FLAGS XPCTD IN SHORT TERM. FRNTL BNDRY LCTD JUST E OF DELMARVA ON SW TO NR VA BCH THEN THE ALBEMARLE SND. WNDS N OF THE BNDRY HAVE SHFTD INTO THE N AND NW WHILE REMAINING W-SW S OF IT. BNDRY XPCTD TO REMAIN NRLY STNRY OR SLOWLY DRIFT S TDY. LTST RUC/WRF MODELS NOW SPRTG THIS TREND. SO HAVE ADJUSTED TDYS FCST TO ACCOUNT FOR A MORE NRLY FLOW NXT SVRL HRS. WRT WND SPEEDS...NOT OUT OF THE QSTN THAT MD CSTL WTRS (IVOF BUOY 44009) SEES A FEW GUSTS UP TO 20 KTS. WILL KEEP CNDTNS BLO SCA LVLS FOR NOW SINCE CONFIDENCE NOT HIGH ENUF TO RAISE ANY FLAGS. WILL KEEP CRNT SEA FCST AS IS...GNRLY 2-4 FT (HIGHEST IVOF BUOY 44009). BNDRY PROGGED TO WEAKEN BY THE WEEKEND WITH PRS GRDNT RTHR LGHT BUT BRIEF PRDS OF WIND SURGES UP TO 15 KT STILL BE POSSIBLE AS THE BNDRY FLUCTUATES BACK AND FORTH. SEAS 2-3 FT OFF THE COAST...AND 1-2 FT IN THE BAY. HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN LATER SAT THROUGH MON...BRINGING A FAIRLY LGT ONSHORE FLOW...ALTHOUGH WITH SOME INCREASES IN WIND SPEEDS DURING THE LATE AFTN AND EVENG HRS. && .AKQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MD...NONE. NC...NONE. VA...NONE. MARINE...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...CCW NEAR TERM...CCW/SMF SHORT TERM...CCW LONG TERM...LKB AVIATION...MPR MARINE...MPR
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA 421 AM EDT THU AUG 13 2009 NCZ012>017-030>032-102-VAZ092-093-095>098-140830- NORTHAMPTON NC-HERTFORD-GATES-PASQUOTANK-CAMDEN-INLAND CURRITUCK- BERTIE-CHOWAN-PERQUIMANS-OUTER BANKS CURRITUCK-SOUTHAMPTON- ISLE OF WIGHT-NORFOLK/PORTSMOUTH-SUFFOLK-CHESAPEAKE-VIRGINIA BEACH- 421 AM EDT THU AUG 13 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR COASTAL NORTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA...INTERIOR NORTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA...THE NORTHERN OUTER BANKS OF NORTH CAROLINA...INTERIOR SOUTHEAST VIRGINIA AND SOUTH HAMPTON ROADS VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED LATER TODAY. THIS ACTIVITY WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING FREQUENT LIGHTNING...EXCESSIVE RAINFALL AND LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE IN SOME THUNDERSTORMS WITHIN A FEW HOURS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. PERIODIC MODERATE TO HEAVY SHOWERS AND SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE AREA FRIDAY. THIS ACTIVITY WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING FREQUENT LIGHTNING...EXCESSIVE RAINFALL AND LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS AND RECORDED RAINFALL AMOUNTS. MDZ021>025-VAZ099-100-140830- DORCHESTER-WICOMICO-SOMERSET-INLAND WORCESTER-MARYLAND BEACHES- ACCOMACK-NORTHAMPTON VA- 421 AM EDT THU AUG 13 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE LOWER EASTERN SHORE OF MARYLAND AND THE EASTERN SHORE OF VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. PERIODIC MODERATE TO HEAVY SHOWERS AND SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE AREA TODAY. THIS ACTIVITY WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING FREQUENT LIGHTNING...EXCESSIVE RAINFALL AND LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. SCATTERED TO ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE ON FRIDAY WITH LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS AND RECORDED RAINFALL AMOUNTS. ANZ630>633-650-652-654-656-658-140830- CHESAPEAKE BAY FROM SMITH POINT TO WINDMILL POINT VA- CHESAPEAKE BAY FROM WINDMILL POINT TO NEW POINT COMFORT VA- CHESAPEAKE BAY FROM NEW POINT COMFORT TO CAPE HENRY VA- CURRITUCK SOUND- COASTAL WATERS FROM FENWICK ISLAND DE TO CHINCOTEAGUE VA OUT TO 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM CHINCOTEAGUE TO PARRAMORE ISLAND VA OUT TO 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM PARRAMORE ISLAND TO CAPE CHARLES LIGHT VA OUT TO 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM CAPE CHARLES LIGHT VA TO NC VA BORDER OUT TO 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM NC VA BORDER TO CURRITUCK BEACH LIGHT NC OUT TO 20 NM- 421 AM EDT THU AUG 13 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE CENTRAL CHESAPEAKE BAY...THE SOUTHERN CHESAPEAKE BAY...THE MID ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS AND CURRITUCK SOUND. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. VAZ048-049-060>091-094-140830- FLUVANNA-LOUISA-PRINCE EDWARD-CUMBERLAND-GOOCHLAND-HANOVER-CAROLINE- MECKLENBURG-LUNENBURG-NOTTOWAY-AMELIA-POWHATAN-CHESTERFIELD-HENRICO- KING WILLIAM-KING AND QUEEN-ESSEX-WESTMORELAND-RICHMOND- NORTHUMBERLAND-LANCASTER-BRUNSWICK-DINWIDDIE-PRINCE GEORGE- CHARLES CITY-NEW KENT-GLOUCESTER-MIDDLESEX-MATHEWS-GREENSVILLE- SUSSEX-SURRY-JAMES CITY-YORK-NEWPORT NEWS/HAMPTON- 421 AM EDT THU AUG 13 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL VIRGINIA...EAST CENTRAL VIRGINIA...INTERIOR SOUTHEAST VIRGINIA...SOUTH CENTRAL VIRGINIA...THE MIDDLE PENINSULA OF VIRGINIA...THE NORTHERN NECK OF VIRGINIA...THE PENINSULA OF SOUTHEAST VIRGINIA AND THE PIEDMONT OF CENTRAL VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. SCATTERED TO ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE LATER TODAY WITH LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. WAMSLEY
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
859 AM EDT THU AUG 13 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0645 PM FLASH FLOOD DOWNTOWN PORTSMOUTH 36.84N 76.30W
08/12/2009 CITY OF PORTSMOUTH VA TRAINED SPOTTER
NUMEROUS ROADS CLOSED FROM FLOODING
&&
ASIEBERSSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA 1103 AM EDT THU AUG 13 2009 VAZ100-131600- NORTHAMPTON VA- 1103 AM EDT THU AUG 13 2009 ...STRONG SHOWERS OVER NORTHAMPTON COUNTY... AT 1058 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG RAIN SHOWERS OVER SOUTHERN NORTHAMPTON COUNTY VIRGINIA...FROM 11 MILES NORTHEAST OF CHERITON TO 9 MILES SOUTH OF BAY VIEW...OR FROM 9 MILES SOUTH OF EXMORE TO 9 MILES SOUTH OF CAPE CHARLES...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 5 MPH. THE STRONG SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE COUNTY THROUGH 12 NOON. THESE SHOWERS MAY ALSO DEVELOP INTO THUNDERSTORMS. WIND GUSTS TO 30 MPH AND VERY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL ACCOMPANY THESE STORMS...ALONG WITH THE CHANCE OF LIGHTNING. IF YOU HEAR THUNDER... YOU ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. MOVE INTO A SAFE SHELTER BEFORE THESE STORMS REACH YOUR AREA. REMAIN INDOORS UNTIL THE STORMS HAVE PASSED. HEAVY RAINFALL MAY CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS...AND POSSIBLE LOCALIZED FLOODING IN LOW LYING AND FLOOD PRONE AREAS. FOSTER
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA 1238 PM EDT THU AUG 13 2009 VAZ091-094-131730- NEWPORT NEWS/HAMPTON VA-YORK VA- 1238 PM EDT THU AUG 13 2009 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING ACROSS NEWPORT NEWS AND HAMPTON... AT 1236 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OVER BEACONSDALE...OR ABOUT OVER NEWPORT NEWS... MOVING EAST AT 10 MPH. THE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR TABB AT 1245 PM EDT...NORTHAMPTON AT 1250 PM EDT...LANGLEY AFB AND...LANGLEY VIEW AT 120 PM EDT...MESSICK AT 130 PM EDT. RAINFALL RATES OF UP TO 2 INCHES PER HOUR WILL CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS...AND POSSIBLE LOCALIZED FLOODING IN LOW LYING AND FLOOD PRONE AREAS. EXPECT FREQUENT LIGHTNING IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS. IF YOU HEAR THUNDER...YOU ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. MOVE INTO A SAFE SHELTER BEFORE THESE STORMS REACH YOUR AREA. REMAIN INDOORS UNTIL THE STORMS HAVE PASSED. SMF
The Norfolk radar (KAKQ), 64 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 17:26 UTC.
1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
There were at least 6 roads closed due to high water.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Virginia in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Virginia, August 2009
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: 194268.