Rain was heavy across portions of the Roanoke Valley, and Southside Virginia during the 21st and 22nd. Many streets were flooded in Roanoke, with isolated flooding in the Piedmont of Virginia.
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.
Rain was heavy across portions of the Roanoke Valley, and Southside Virginia during the 21st and 22nd. Many streets were flooded in Roanoke, with isolated flooding in the Piedmont of Virginia.
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 Aug 21, 8:59 PM EST, 2 hours 9 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 959 PM EDT FRI AUG 21 2009 .SYNOPSIS... A COLD FRONT APPROACHING THE WESTERN SLOPES OF THE APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS WILL BE MAKING ITS WAY ACROSS THE MIDDLE ATLANTIC REGION TONIGHT AND SATURDAY. MUCH COOLER AND DRIER HIGH PRESSURE WILL EVENTUALLY SHOVE THE FRONT OFF THE COAST LATE THIS WEEKEND AND EARLY NEXT WEEK. A WARM UPPER RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE TRIES TO EXTEND EAST TO THE SOUTHEAST COAST BY THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH SATURDAY/... DESPITE DECENT SFC INSTABILITY WITH CAPES STILL 2000 J/KG OR MORE IN THE PIEDMONT...WEAK MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES SEEM TO BE KEEPING MUCH CONVECTION FROM TAKING OFF. HAVE CANCELLED THE SVR TSTM WATCH THAT WAS IN EFFECT IN THE PIEDMONT AREAS. HAVE ALSO LOWERED POPS QUITE A BIT THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS TO REFLECT MORE OF A WIDELY SCATTERED COVERAGE. AS THE UPPER TROUGH MOVES CLOSER OVERNIGHT AND TEMPS ALOFT COOL...WE STILL SHOULD SEE GOOD COVERAGE OF SHOWERS/TSTMS RE-DEVELOPING ACROSS THE AREA. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION... 00Z RNK AND GSO SOUNDINGS STILL SHOW >1500 J/KG OF ELEVATED CAPE WITH THE SFC LAYER STABILIZING A LITTLE. IT LOOKS LIKE THE SFC FNT IS STALLED ON THE WESTERN SLOPES OF THE APPLNS...AND WATER VAPOR SHOWS A STRONG SHORT WAVE DIGGING INTO THE OHIO VALLEY AND BRINGING A PLUME OF MOISTURE NEWD FROM THE GULF COAST STATES. MEANWHILE THE RUC SHOWS TEMPS ALOFT COOLING RAPIDLY FROM THE WEST AND SOUTHWEST. IT STILL LOOKS LIKE THE COVERAGE OF SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE INCREASING OVERNIGHT. WITH PWATS STILL 1.5 TO 1.9 INCHES...I HAVE KEPT IN A MENTION OF HEAVY RAIN AS WELL. FINALLY...WITH DEWPOINTS RUNNING IN THE LOWER TO MID 70S ACROSS THE PIEDMONT AND NO DRIER AIR EXPECTED TO REACH THAT AREA...HAVE RAISED LOW TEMPS A FEW DEGREES IN THE EAST. WITH THE FRONT SLOWING UP IN RESPONSE TO THE DIGGING SHORT WAVE AND APPROACH OF H-BILL THINK IT WISE TO HOLD ONTO FAIRLY HIGH POPS SATURDAY...ESPECIALLY ALONG AND EAST OF THE BLUE RIDGE. WE SHOULD STILL BE WARY OF THE HIGH PWATS AND POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY RAINFALL. IN SPITE OF THE FAST MEAN WIND FLOW...HIGH RAIN RATES IN COMBINATION WITH ANY TRAINING OR ANCHORING OF SHRA/TSRA WILL RESULT IN QUICK ACCUMULATIONS AND POTENTIAL FOR RAPID RUNOFF. TEMPS TONIGHT AND SATURDAY WILL REMAIN WARM AND MUGGY...DEWPOINTS REMAINING ABOVE 65. AS HURRICANE BILL MOVES UP THE EAST COAST...LOOK FOR GRADUAL END TO PRECIP THREAT ONCE THE HURRICANE PULLS NORTH OF 40 DEG LAT...AND ALLOWING THE COLD FRONT TO ACCELERATE EAST. ADVECTION OF DRYER BOUNDARY LAYER AIR INTO THE AREA WILL NOT TAKE PLACE UNTIL THIS OCCURS. && .SHORT TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT/... HURRICANE BILL WILL LIFT NORTHEAST AWAY FROM REGION. SEE NHC DISCUSSION AND ADVISORIES FOR MORE INFO. 12Z NAM MATCHED 15Z NHC TRACK BETTER THAN GFS. PLAYED THE HIGHEST POPS IN THE EAST SATURDAY EVENING...AND TAPER OFF OVERNIGHT. WENT WITH LOW TEMPERATURES CLOSE TO MET GUID. THE FRONT WILL PUSH EAST TO THE COAST BY SUNDAY MORNING. DRIER AIR MOVE INTO THE WEST SATURDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY WITH DEWPOINTS FALLING INTO THE 50S...EXCEPT REMAINING THE LOWER TO MID 60S OUT EAST. KEPT CHC OF SHOWERS/ISOLATED STORMS ON SUNDAY AS COOL POOL PUSHES NEARBY. POSTED HIGH TEMPERATURES SUNDAY FROM THE LOWER 70S IN THE NORTHWEST TO THE MID 80S IN THE SOUTHEAST. PLAYED SUNDAY NIGHT DRY WITH LOWS NEAR ADJMET. MONDAY...POTENTIAL FOR ISOLATED SHOWERS EXISTS IN THE MTNS AS SECONDARY TROUGH PUSHES OVER THE MID ATLANTIC. HIGHS ON MONDAY WILL VARY FROM THE LOWER 70S IN THE GREENBRIER VALLEY TO THE MID 80S IN THE SOUTHEAST. && .LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... FOLLOWED HPCGUIDE FOR MEDIUM RANGE WHICH INCORPORATE A BLEND OF ENS MEANS OF BOTH GFS AND ECMWF. BY THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK...THE UPPER RIDGE EXPANDS EAST TO THE COAST AHEAD OF A SLOWLY SOUTHWARD SINKING FRONT NEAR THE END OF NEXT WEEK. AHEAD OF THE BOUNDARY...THE MIDDLE ATLANTIC SHOULD HEAT UP ONCE AGAIN WITH H85 TEMPS APPROACHING +18C. FRONTAL BOUNDARY STALLS TO OUR SOUTH ACROSS SOUTH CAROLINA ON FRIDAY. && .AVIATION /02Z SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... SHOWERS/TSTMS WILL REMAIN ISOLD TO SCT THROUGH 04Z TO 06Z...THEN ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE IN COVERAGE OVERNIGHT AN UPPER TROUGH AND ITS ASSOCIATED SFC FNT APPROACHES. THINK THESE SHOWERS/TSTMS WILL HAVE ENOUGH COVERAGE TO HAVE PREVAILING SHOWERS AND VCNTY TSTMS IN THE ALL OF THE TAF SITES. THE BULK OF THIS WAVE OF SHOWERS LOOKS TO BE IN THE 06 TO 12Z TIME FRAME AS THE FRONT MOVES INTO THE MTNS. IN ADDITION...IN THE OVERNIGHT HOURS...THINK THAT WITH VERY MOIST LOWER LEVELS...MVFR FOG IS LIKELY...AND POSSIBLY SOME IFR FOG/STRATUS. THE FNT WILL HANG UP IN THE MTNS AND THEN GETS A GOOD PUSH SATURDAY WITH A SECOND SHORT WAVE. SHOWERS AND TSTMS WILL RE- DEVELOP AHEAD OF THE FRONT ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON. AT THIS TIME...IT LOOKS LIKE THE BULK OF THIS ACTIVITY WILL BE FROM ROA EASTWARD...SO I HAVE INCLUDED CB IN THE CLOUD GROUP FOR ROA...LYH AND DAN BEGINNING 16 OR 17Z SATURDAY. THE FRONT WILL BE SLOW TO CROSS THE AREA UNTIL HURRICANE BILL PASSES NORTH OF 40 DEG LAT LATE SAT AFT OR EVENING. AFTER THAT...THE WINDS SHOULD BECOME NORTHWEST ALLOWING FOR DRIER AIR TO INFILTRATE THE AREA FROM THE OHIO VALLEY. THE FRONT WILL FINALLY BE EAST OF US SUNDAY. DRIER AIR ARRIVES TO THE AREA SUNDAY AND INTO THE FIRST OF NEXT WEEK. ASIDE FROM LINGERING LOW LEVEL CLOUDS SUNDAY AND POTENTIAL FOR MVFR CIGS ON SUNDAY...VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED FOR EARLY NEXT WEEK. && .RNK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... VA...NONE. NC...NONE. WV...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...PM NEAR TERM...JJ/PM SHORT TERM...KK LONG TERM...KK AVIATION...JJ/PM
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 656 PM EDT FRI AUG 21 2009 NCZ001>006-018>020-VAZ007-009>020-022>024-032>035-043>047-058-059- WVZ042>045-222300- 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- 656 PM EDT FRI AUG 21 2009 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...TONIGHT. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. RCS
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
1031 PM EDT FRI AUG 21 2009
NCZ003-004-020-220330-
STOKES NC-SURRY NC-YADKIN NC-
1031 PM EDT FRI AUG 21 2009
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT STOKES...SURRY AND YADKIN
COUNTIES...
AT 1031 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 5 MILES NORTHWEST
OF EAST BEND...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH.
VERY HEAVY RAIN WILL FALL FROM THIS STORM...AND WILL CAUSE WATER TO
POND ON ROADS AND QUICKLY FILL ROADSIDE DITCHES AND SMALL STREAMS.
THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR SILOAM AROUND 1045 PM...PILOT MOUNTAIN AROUND
1100 PM...WOODVILLE AROUND 1115 PM AND FRANCISCO AROUND 1130 PM.
LAT...LON 3613 8057 3624 8074 3655 8046 3655 8045
3642 8022 3625 8043 3625 8045 3624 8044
EXPERIMENTAL
DSSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
1036 PM EDT FRI AUG 21 2009
VAZ024-220330-
ROCKBRIDGE VA-
1036 PM EDT FRI AUG 21 2009
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT ROCKBRIDGE COUNTY...
AT 1036 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED OVER LEXINGTON
CITY...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH.
VERY HEAVY RAIN WILL FALL FROM THIS STORM...AND WILL CAUSE WATER TO
POND ON ROADS AND QUICKLY FILL ROADSIDE DITCHES AND SMALL STREAMS.
THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR LEXINGTON CITY AROUND 1045 PM...CORNWALL
AROUND 1100 PM AND FAIRFIELD AROUND 1115 PM.
LAT...LON 3785 7914 3780 7923 3781 7925 3778 7928
3769 7943 3780 7955 3801 7936
EXPERIMENTAL
DSSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 1039 PM EDT FRI AUG 21 2009 VAZ016-220300- CARROLL VA- 1039 PM EDT FRI AUG 21 2009 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT CARROLL COUNTY... AT 1038 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 7 MILES NORTHEAST OF FANCY GAP...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH. VERY HEAVY RAIN WILL FALL FROM THIS STORM...AND WILL CAUSE WATER TO POND ON ROADS AND QUICKLY FILL ROADSIDE DITCHES AND SMALL STREAMS. THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR DUGSPUR AROUND 1045 PM AND LAUREL FORK AROUND 1050 PM. LAT...LON 3686 8058 3673 8047 3665 8069 3674 8075 EXPERIMENTAL DS
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
1115 PM EDT FRI AUG 21 2009
VAZ014-016-017-022-220415-
CARROLL VA-FLOYD VA-MONTGOMERY VA-ROANOKE VA-
1115 PM EDT FRI AUG 21 2009
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT CARROLL...FLOYD...MONTGOMERY AND
ROANOKE COUNTIES...
AT 1114 PM EDT...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE ALONG A LINE FROM PILOT TO
7 MILES SOUTHWEST OF WILLIS...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.
VERY HEAVY RAIN WILL FALL FROM THESE STORMS...AND WILL CAUSE WATER TO
POND ON ROADS AND QUICKLY FILL ROADSIDE DITCHES AND SMALL STREAMS.
THESE STORMS WILL BE NEAR SHAWSVILLE AROUND 1130 PM...
ELLISTON-LAFAYETTE AROUND 1145 PM...GLENVAR AROUND MIDNIGHT AND CHECK
AROUND 1215 AM.
LAT...LON 3725 8035 3732 8015 3723 8009 3705 8018
3684 8041 3674 8066 3711 8046
EXPERIMENTAL
DSSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
1136 PM EDT FRI AUG 21 2009
NCZ004-VAZ032-220430-
PATRICK VA-STOKES NC-
1136 PM EDT FRI AUG 21 2009
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT PATRICK AND STOKES COUNTIES...
AT 1136 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 4 MILES SOUTHWEST
OF FRANCISCO...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH.
WIND GUSTS TO 30 MPH AND PEA-SIZED HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.
VERY HEAVY RAIN WILL FALL FROM THIS STORM...AND WILL CAUSE WATER TO
POND ON ROADS AND QUICKLY FILL ROADSIDE DITCHES AND SMALL STREAMS.
EXPECT FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING FROM THIS STORM. DO NOT
STAY IN THE OPEN OR SEEK SHELTER UNDER TREES WHEN LIGHTNING
THREATENS...MOVE INDOORS WHEN A THUNDERSTORM APPROACHES.
THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR FRANCISCO AROUND 1145 PM...COLLINSTOWN AROUND
MIDNIGHT...STUART AROUND 1215 AM AND CRITZ AROUND 1230 AM.
LAT...LON 3644 8044 3653 8044 3673 8034 3664 8013
3641 8039
EXPERIMENTAL
DSSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
1150 PM EDT FRI AUG 21 2009
VAZ022-023-034-220445-
BEDFORD VA-BOTETOURT VA-ROANOKE VA-
1150 PM EDT FRI AUG 21 2009
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT BEDFORD...BOTETOURT AND ROANOKE
COUNTIES...
AT 1149 PM EDT...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE ALONG A LINE FROM 5 MILES
NORTHEAST OF ROANOKE TO BENT MOUNTAIN...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH.
VERY HEAVY RAIN WILL FALL FROM THESE STORMS...AND WILL CAUSE WATER TO
POND ON ROADS AND QUICKLY FILL ROADSIDE DITCHES AND SMALL STREAMS.
EXPECT FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING FROM THESE STORMS. DO NOT
STAY IN THE OPEN OR SEEK SHELTER UNDER TREES WHEN LIGHTNING
THREATENS...MOVE INDOORS WHEN A THUNDERSTORM APPROACHES.
THESE STORMS WILL BE NEAR LAYMANTOWN AROUND MIDNIGHT...NACE AROUND
1215 AM...VINTON AROUND 1230 AM AND BLUE RIDGE AROUND 1245 AM.
LAT...LON 3739 7968 3714 7998 3716 8000 3718 8001
3717 8006 3715 8010 3717 8015 3748 7990
EXPERIMENTAL
DSThe Roanoke radar (KFCX), 39 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 04:09 UTC.
13 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Street flooding closed the 800 to 1000 block section of Campbell Avenue.
Street flooding closed the the intersection of Ogden Road and Circle Brook Drive.
The emergency room pediatric clinic area was flooded at the Roanoke Memorial Hospital. Three to six inches of water covered the floor, affecting fifteen beds.
A portion of First Street was closed due to flooding.
A portion of Shenandoah Avenue was flooded between 11th and 12th Street.
A portion of Boulevard Street was flooded between Patterson Avenue and Salem Avenue.
Shaffers Crossing flooded and the road closed due to high water.
The 2000 block of Wise Avenue was flooded near the Wasena Bridge.
The intersection of King Street and Belle Avenue was flooded and closed.
The intersection of King Street and Richard Avenue was flooded and closed.
Glade Avenue was flooded and closed.
Poplar Creek overflowed its banks, flooding the intersection of Summit Drive and Railroad Avenue.
Highway 40 in the town of Keysville was flooded and closed.
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: 194998, 195001, 195004, 195005, 195006, 195007, 195008, 195009, 195010, 195011, 195012, 195017, 195020.