Isolated severe thunderstorm along a frontal boundary produced a damaging wind gust across portions of Surry county.
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 severe thunderstorm along a frontal boundary produced a damaging wind gust across portions of Surry county.
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 May 3, 9:53 AM EST, 3 hours 12 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA 1053 AM EDT SUN MAY 3 2009 .SYNOPSIS... A STATIONARY FRONT WILL MEANDER ACROSS VIRGINIA OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. A SERIES OF LOW PRESSURE SYSTEMS WILL MOVE ALONG THIS BOUNDARY THROUGH MID WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/... QUASI-STATIONARY FRONT STRETCHES OVR SRN VA. ALL MODELS HAVE SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT POSITIONS OF THE FRONT AND DIFFERENT TIMING ON THE LOWS COMING OUT ALONG THE FRONT. AS EACH LOW PASSES THE FRONT WILL SHIFT SOUTH THEN COME BACK NORTH AS THE NEXT LOW MOVES BY. USING A BLEND OF NAM AND SREF FOR POSITION OF THE FRONT EXCEPT TODAY KEEPING FRONT N IN VA AS THE NAM TRIES TO PUSH IT INTO NC. WILL HOLD THE FRONT ALONG THE LOWER CHESAPEAKE BAY THROUGH TODAY. LOOKING AT NAM AND LATEST RUC SHOWING CURRENT LIFT NORTH OF FRONT SHIFTING TO ALONG THE FRONT DURING THE AFTERNOON THINK TSTMS WILL AGAIN DEVELOP ALONG THE FRONT THIS AFTERNOON AND DRIFT SLOWLY N INTO THE COLD SECTOR. ALSO WITH THE SLOW MOTION WILL GET SIMILAR RAIN AMOUNTS IN SPOTS LIKE SATURDAY WHERE SOME LOCATIONS HAD NEAR 2 INCHES. GOING WITH A TIGHT GRADIENT ON TEMPERATURES TODAY WITH HIGHS AROUND 80 S OF THE FRONT AND AROUND 60 TO THE N. && .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH TUESDAY/... A SMALL CHANGE IN THE FRONT COULD HAVE BIG CHANGES ON TEMPERATURES MONDAY AND TUESDAY. WILL CONTINUE CLOSE TO NAM AND SREF COMBINED WHICH LOOKS SIMILAR TO THE ECMWF AND KEEPS THE FRONT GENERALLY ALONG THE SOUTHERN CHESAPEAKE BAY. ALL MODELS AGREE ON UPPER SYSTEM FROM THE PLAINS MOVING BY TONIGHT AND EARLY ON MONDAY. THIS ENHANCES DIVERGENCY ALOFT AND INCREASES STRONG THETA E ADVECTION TO THE N OF THE FRONT AS WELL AS STRONG FRONTOGENESIS. SHOULD SEE PLENTY OF HEAVY SHOWERS TONIGHT INTO MONDAY MAINLY TO THE N OF THE FRONT. ALSO LOOKING AT SOUNDINGS HAVE ELEVATED CAPE CLOSE TO 700 N OF THE BOUNDARY SO WILL SEE SOME CONVECTION AS WELL. ANOTHER SHORTWAVE COMES OUT MONDAY NIGHT AND SLOWLY PUSHES THE FRONT TO THE SOUTHEAST ON TUESDAY. THIS SHOULD TRIGGER MORE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ALONG THE FRONT ON TUESDAY. SO COULD SEE SOME SIGNIFICANT RAIN TOTALS IN SOME AREAS THROUGH TUESDAY. ALSO TEMPERATURES WILL HAVE SHARP CONTRAST WITH HIGHS TO THE N OF THE FRONT IN THE 50S TO LOW 60S AND HIGHS S OF THE FRONT NEAR 80. THIS IS CLOSE TO MET AND MOS GUIDE. && .LONG TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/... WENT CLSR TO THE ECMWF MDL FOR THE EXTENDED PERIOD. WRM FRNTL BNDRY NEAR THE VA/NC BORDER TUE NGT...WILL GRADUALLY LIFT N THRU THE AREA DURING WED. ONE COLD FRNT OR TROF WILL APPROACH AND PUSH INTO PORTIONS OF THE REGION LATE THU INTO FRI MORNG...WITH A SECOND STRNGER COLD FRNT THEN EXPECTED TO CROSS THE AREA SAT AFTN/EVENG. DURING THIS PERIOD...SFC HI PRES WILL BE SITTING WELL OFF THE MID ATLC CST...AND PROVIDE A SSW FLO ACRS THE AREA FM LATE WED THRU SAT. WITH THE TIMING AND POSITION OF FRNTL BNDRIES STILL UNCERTAIN IN THE EXTENDED PERIOD...WILL NOT GO ANY HIER POPS THAN 30 PERCENT FOR NOW CONSIDERING THE ACTIVITY WILL LIKELY BE SCATTERED. MAX TEMPS WILL GENERALLY RANGE THRU THE 70S INTO THE LWR 80S THRU THE PERIOD. MIN TEMPS WILL RANGE FM THE MID 50S TO MID 60S. && .AVIATION /15Z SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... CHALLENGING FORECAST OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS AS A BOUNDARY CONTINUES TO REMAIN FAIRLY STATIONARY OVER CENTRAL PORTIONS OF VIRGINIA. A SERIES OF LOW PRES SYSTEMS WILL MOVE E-NE ALONG IT OVER INTO TUE. FCSTG WIND DIRECTION AND TIMING OF SHRA/TSTM (LOWER CIGS/VSBY) WILL BE HARD PRESSED AT TIMES AND HIGHLY DEPENDENT WHERE ACTUAL BOUNDARY SITUATES ITSELF WITH/BETWEEN PASSING SYSTEMS. ERLY THIS AM...SCT/NUMEROUS SHRA AND ISOL THUNDER DVLPG OVER SOUTH CENTRAL VA WITH AIDED LIFT FORCING FROM STATIONARY BOUNDARY. ACTIVITY WILL MAINLY EFFECT PHF/RIC/SBY AT TIMES THROUGH 12Z. LOOK FOR MVFR/IFR CIGS ALONG AND NORTH OF THE BOUNDARY WHILE HIGHER CIGS IN VFR CAT WILL PREVAIL (ORF/ECG). ANY SHRA/TSRA THAT DOES MOVE OVER A TERMINAL WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL FOR PERIODS OF MOD/HVY RAIN (VSBYS 1-2 MILES AT TIMES OR LESS). LOOK FOR A BREAK IN ACTIVITY AFTER INITIAL BATCH OF PRECIP THIS AM. THINKING TWRDS AFTN COVERAGE ONCE AGAIN BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD AND POSSIBLY TAILORED INTO 2 MAIN SECTIONS (ONE OVER NRN VA INTO MD AND ANOTHER SITUATED OVER SRN VA). HAVE CB MENTION IN TAFS. BUFKIT CLOUD VECTOR LAYER SHOWS MOST SHRA/TSTM ACTIVITY MOVEMENT TO TRACK MAINLY DUE ENE DURING THE DAY AND MORE GEARED TO THE NE INTO TONIGHT. BOUNDARY CONTINUES TO REMAIN FAIRLY STATIONARY ACROSS VA AT NIGHT. LOWER CIGS/VSBYS LOOK TO EFFECT RIC/SBY/PHF NORTH OF IT (MAINLY IFR...BUT POSSIBLY LIFR). PHF HIGHLY DEPENDENT ON WHERE BOUNDARY STALLS OUT...COULD SEE HIGHER CIGS THEN CURRENTLY FCSTG (BUST POTENTIAL). ONCE AGAIN MOD/HVY RAIN WILL DVLP WITH RIC/SBY HAVING THE BEST CHCS (ESP NRN VA INTO MD WHERE BEST FORCING LOOKS TO CONTINUE...INCLDG SBY). IFR/LIFR VSBY POSSIBLE WITH PRECIP ACTIVITY. COULD SEE CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY CONTINUING DURING A GOOD PORTION OF THE OVRNT HRS ALONG RIC/WAL LINE AND NORTHWARD. THE PATTERN WILL CHANGE LITTLE THROUGH TUE. && .MARINE... TRICKY FORECAST WITH RESPECT TO WIND DIRECTION THROUGH TUE WITH BOUNDARY DRAPED ACROSS THE REGION (ALTHOUGH MOST WINDS WILL MAINLY BE AOB 10 KTS). THE EXCEPTION WILL BE OVER SRN THIRD OF THE WATERS WHERE STRONGER WINDS OUT OF THE SOUTH MAY OCCUR AT TIMES BETWEEN SYSTEMS. FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL CONTINUE TO BE SITUATED OVER THE REGION AS A SERIES OF LOW PRES SYSTEMS WILL PUSH E-NE ALONG IT OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS. MAIN STORY WILL BE THE POTENTIAL FOR SHRA/TSTMS TO DVLP OVER THE WATERS WITH MOD/HVY RAIN REDUCING VSBYS AT TIMES. OUTSIDE OF CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY...EXPECT WNDS/SEAS/WAVES TO REMAIN BELOW SCA CONDS. MONITORING TWO NRN CSTL ZNS WHERE SEAS CUD GET BACK UP TO 5 FT MON NIGHT-TUE (ESP NEAR 20 NM OUT). && .AKQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MD...NONE. NC...NONE. VA...NONE. MARINE...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...JAB NEAR TERM...JAB/SMF SHORT TERM...JAB LONG TERM...TMG AVIATION...CCW MARINE...CCW
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA 359 AM EDT SUN MAY 3 2009 MDZ021>025-NCZ102-VAZ048-049-060>064-067>078-080>086-089>091-094-095- 099-100-040800- DORCHESTER-WICOMICO-SOMERSET-INLAND WORCESTER-MARYLAND BEACHES- OUTER BANKS CURRITUCK-FLUVANNA-LOUISA-PRINCE EDWARD-CUMBERLAND- GOOCHLAND-HANOVER-CAROLINE-NOTTOWAY-AMELIA-POWHATAN-CHESTERFIELD- HENRICO-KING WILLIAM-KING AND QUEEN-ESSEX-WESTMORELAND-RICHMOND- NORTHUMBERLAND-LANCASTER-DINWIDDIE-PRINCE GEORGE-CHARLES CITY- NEW KENT-GLOUCESTER-MIDDLESEX-MATHEWS-SURRY-JAMES CITY-YORK- NEWPORT NEWS/HAMPTON-NORFOLK/PORTSMOUTH-ACCOMACK-NORTHAMPTON VA- 359 AM EDT SUN MAY 3 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE LOWER EASTERN SHORE OF MARYLAND...THE NORTHERN OUTER BANKS OF NORTH CAROLINA...CENTRAL VIRGINIA...EAST CENTRAL VIRGINIA...INTERIOR SOUTHEAST VIRGINIA...SOUTH CENTRAL VIRGINIA...SOUTH HAMPTON ROADS VIRGINIA...THE EASTERN SHORE OF 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. THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON...PERSISTING INTO TONIGHT. SOME OF THESE STORMS MAY PRODUCE GUSTY WINDS AND HEAVY RAIN. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. THUNDERSTORMS WILL AGAIN DEVELOP MONDAY AND MONDAY NIGHT AND THESE STORMS MAY CONTAIN VERY HEAVY RAIN. WHERE THUNDERSTORMS REPEAT OVER THE SAME AREA ISOLATED FLOODING MAY DEVELOP. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. ANZ630>633-650-652-654-656-658-040800- 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 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM CHINCOTEAGUE TO PARRAMORE ISLAND VA OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM PARRAMORE ISLAND TO CAPE CHARLES LIGHT VA OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM CAPE CHARLES LIGHT VA TO NC VA BORDER OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM NC VA BORDER TO CURRITUCK BEACH LIGHT NC OUT 20 NM- 359 AM EDT SUN MAY 3 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. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO REDEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON...PERSISTING INTO TONIGHT. SOME OF THESE STORMS MAY PRODUCE GUSTY WINDS. .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. VAZ065-066-079-087-088-092-093-096>098-040800- MECKLENBURG-LUNENBURG-BRUNSWICK-GREENSVILLE-SUSSEX-SOUTHAMPTON- ISLE OF WIGHT-SUFFOLK-CHESAPEAKE-VIRGINIA BEACH- 359 AM EDT SUN MAY 3 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR INTERIOR SOUTHEAST VIRGINIA...SOUTH CENTRAL VIRGINIA AND SOUTH HAMPTON ROADS VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON...PERSISTING INTO TONIGHT. A FEW STORMS MAY APPROACH SEVERE LIMITS...WITH STRONG WIND GUSTS AND SMALL HAIL AS THE PRIMARY HAZARDS. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE WITH THESE SLOW MOVING STORMS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. MORE THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP MONDAY INTO TUESDAY. THESE THUNDERSTORMS MAY CONTAIN VERY HEAVY RAIN. WHERE SEVERAL THUNDERSTORMS CROSS THE SAME AREA ISOLATED FLOODING IS POSSIBLE. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. NCZ012>017-030>032-040800- NORTHAMPTON NC-HERTFORD-GATES-PASQUOTANK-CAMDEN-INLAND CURRITUCK- BERTIE-CHOWAN-PERQUIMANS- 359 AM EDT SUN MAY 3 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR COASTAL NORTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA AND INTERIOR NORTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP TODAY PERSISTING INTO TONIGHT. A FEW STORMS MAY APPROACH SEVERE LIMITS...WITH STRONG WIND GUSTS AND SMALL HAIL AS THE PRIMARY HAZARDS. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE WITH THESE SLOW MOVING STORMS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. MORE THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP MONDAY AND CONTINUE INTO TUESDAY. SOME OF THESE STORMS MAY CONTAIN HEAVY RAIN. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA 1239 PM EDT SUN MAY 3 2009 VAZ063-070>073-080>083-088-031730- CHARLES CITY VA-CHESTERFIELD VA-DINWIDDIE VA-HANOVER VA-HENRICO VA-KING AND QUEEN VA-KING WILLIAM VA-NEW KENT VA-PRINCE GEORGE VA-SUSSEX VA- 1239 PM EDT SUN MAY 3 2009 ...LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO CENTRAL VIRGINIA... AT 1235 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS FROM HIGHLAND SPRINGS TO MCKENNEY...MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH. THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR...SANDSTON AROUND 1240 PM... WESTWOOD AROUND 1245 PM... ORAPAX FARMS AROUND 1250 PM... WHARFS STORE AROUND 1255 PM... PETERSBURG AROUND 100 PM... PALLS AROUND 105 PM... HEAVY RAINFALL...OCCASIONAL LIGHTNING AND WIND GUSTS TO 30 MPH WILL ACCOMPANY 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. HEAVY RAINFALL WILL 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 117 PM EDT SUN MAY 3 2009 NCZ012>017-030>032-102-VAZ079>081-087>098-031930- NORTHAMPTON NC-HERTFORD-GATES-PASQUOTANK-CAMDEN-INLAND CURRITUCK- BERTIE-CHOWAN-PERQUIMANS-OUTER BANKS CURRITUCK-BRUNSWICK- DINWIDDIE-PRINCE GEORGE-GREENSVILLE-SUSSEX-SURRY-JAMES CITY-YORK- SOUTHAMPTON-ISLE OF WIGHT-NEWPORT NEWS/HAMPTON-NORFOLK/PORTSMOUTH- SUFFOLK-CHESAPEAKE-VIRGINIA BEACH- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MARGARETTSVILLE...AHOSKIE... ELIZABETH CITY...EDENTON...COROLLA...LAWRENCEVILLE...PETERSBURG... HOPEWELL...EMPORIA...WAKEFIELD...WILLIAMSBURG...POQUOSON... FRANKLIN...NEWPORT NEWS...HAMPTON 117 PM EDT SUN MAY 3 2009 ...SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS SOUTHEAST VIRGINIA AND NORTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA... EXPECT LIGHTNING...WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH...AND HEAVY RAINFALL TO ACCOMPANY THESE SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS. 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 WILL CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS...AND POSSIBLE LOCALIZED FLOODING IN LOW LYING AND FLOOD PRONE AREAS. SMF
The Norfolk radar (KAKQ), 28 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:06 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Wind gust of 52 knots (60 mph) was estimated near Surry.
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, May 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: 173272.