A very unstable atmosphere with plenty of potential for strong downdrafts of wind existed across the the region. Strong thunderstorms formed during the late afternoon and lasted into the early evening.
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 very unstable atmosphere with plenty of potential for strong downdrafts of wind existed across the the region. Strong thunderstorms formed during the late afternoon and lasted into the early evening. Several of these storms realized the potential for the damaging winds and resulted in the downing of numerous trees.
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 Sep 22, 5:58 PM EST, 32 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 658 PM EDT WED SEP 22 2010 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE ALONG THE MID ATLANTIC COAST WILL SHIFT SLOWLY SOUTHEAST...BUT WILL CONTINUE TO EXTEND ACROSS THE AREA INTO FRIDAY. A COLD FRONT WILL DROP SOUTHEAST THROUGH THE AREA SATURDAY BEFORE STALLING SOUTH OF THE REGION SATURDAY NIGHT. THIS FRONT WILL BRING A CHANCE OF RAIN ALONG WITH COOLER TEMPERATURES FOR SUNDAY INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH THURSDAY/... THE PROCESS CONTINUES OF INCREASIING POPS AS CONFIDENCE INCREASES THAT CONVECTION WILL REMAIN ORGANIZED AS IT PROGRESSES TOWARDS THE EASTERN AND SOUTHERN PARTS OF THE AREA. LIKEWISE...AM REDUCING POPS TO ISOLATED/SCATTERED IN THE WAKE OF THE BEST CONCENTRATION. HAVE ALSO RELECTED LATEST TEMPERATURE TRENDS IN RAIN COOLED AIR. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION... SCATTERED SHRA/TSRA POSSIBLE THIS EVENING...INITIALLY ALONG MTNS THEN INTO PIEDMONT B4 DISSIPATING. SBCAPES OF 2000-3000 J/KG TO SUPPORT STRONG UPDRAFTS PERMITTING POTENTIAL FOR ISOLD SVR THREAT THROUGH SUNSET. DCAPES OF 1000-1500 SUGGEST SVR THREAT WILL BE FROM MICROBURSTS WITHIN STRONGEST DOWNDRAFT CORES. FARTHER NORTH...DEEP CONVECTION WILL BE MOVING ACROSS OH VALLEY INTO PA THIS EVENING ALONG SFC FRONT DROPPING SOUTH FROM THE GREAT LAKES. THIS ACTIVITY MAY GRAZE OUR FAR NRN CWA LATE TONIGHT...THUS SUPPORTING AT LEAST SLGT CHC THREAT NORTH OF I-64 DURING THE OVERNIGHT. THE FRONT IS NOT EXPECTED TO MAKE IT INTO THE CWA PER PERSISTENCE OF HIGH PRESSURE ANCHORED OVER THE SE CONUS...BLOCKING ANY AIRMASS CHANGE. AFTER THE DEMISE OF THE EVENING SHOWERS...SKIES SHOULD BECOME CLEAR TO PC...BUT THE AIRMASS WILL STAY SOMEWHAT MOIST. LOOK FOR PATCHY FOG TO FORM WHERE IT RAINS THIS EVENING...AND ACROSS THE RIVER VALLEYS. LOWS WILL RANGE FROM THE UPPER 50S WEST TO THE LOWER TO MID 60S EAST. THE BIG WEATHER STORY THURSDAY WILL BE THE NEAR RECORD TO RECORD HEAT (RECORD HIGHS FOR WED THROUGH FRI ARE LISTED IN THE CLIMATE SECTION BELOW) AS THE UPPER RIDGE INTENSIFIES. WITH THE NAM INDICATING 850MB TEMPS OVER 2 STANDARD DEVIATIONS ABV NORMAL...A DRY GROUND AND LIMITED CLOUD COVER (ESPECIALLY EAST OF THE BLUE RIDGE)...WENT ABV GUIDANCE FOR HIGHS THURSDAY WHICH FORECASTS BLF WITH ANOTHER RECORD HIGH. WARMING TEMPERATURES ALOFT SHOULD KEEP A CAP ON CONVECTION...SO GOING WITH A DRY FORECAST FOR THURSDAY. && .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT/... AN UPPER LEVEL RIDGE WILL HOVER OVER THE REGION THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT THEN MOVES OFF THE SOUTHEAST COAST ON SATURDAY. WHILE THIS RIDGE IS IN THE VICINITY...EXPECTED HOT...HUMID...AND HAZY CONDITIONS TO PERSIST. RAIN CHANCES ARE MINIMAL AND THE GROUND BEING DRY...RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURES (BLACKSBURG/BLUEFIELD) ARE POSSIBLE FRIDAY AS WELL AS WARM OVERNIGHT LOWS THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY NIGHT. THE UPPER LEVEL RIDGE TRACKS OFF THE COAST ON SATURDAY. A WEAK FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL THEN MOVE AND STALL OVER THE MOUNTAINS BY SATURDAY NIGHT. THE PARENT LOW WITH THIS FRONT TRACKS ACROSS SOUTHEASTERN CANADA/LAKE ERIE...THEN QUICKLY MOVES OFF THE NORTHEAST COAST. THIS WAVE WILL DETACH ITSELF FROM THE FRONT WHICH WILL RESIDE OVER THE AREA OVER THE WEEKEND. THE BEST CHANCES FOR SHOWERS WILL BE ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS WITH A FEW STRAYS CELLS EAST OF THE BLUE RIDGE SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. WEATHER FEATURES NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO RAISE POPS...SO WILL KEEP POPS LOW AND IN THE 20-30 PERCENT RANGE. CLOUDS AND THE CHANCE FOR RAIN WILL KNOCK BACK TEMPERATURES TOWARD NORMAL ON SATURDAY...BUT STILL RUNNING ABOVE NORMAL FOR THE DAY. && .LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... THE WEATHER OVER THE LONG TERM IS HIGHLY DEPENDENT ON A CLOSED LOW THAT WILL BE NEAR THE MID MISSISSIPPI VALLEY ON SUNDAY. SOME MODELS HAVE THIS LOW REMAINING STATIONARY WHILE OTHERS TRACK IT ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY EARLY NEXT WEEK. WITH EITHER SOLUTION...THE CHANCES FOR RAIN ARE GOOD EACH DAY WITH A LONGER MORE STEADY RAIN...POSSIBLY HEAVY AT TIMES...TUESDAY. TIMING THE MAIN ISSUE FROM TAKING POPS ANY HIGHER THAN 40-60 PERCENT WITH THIS FORECAST PACKAGE. CURRENT THINKING...HAS THE ONSET OF SPOTTY LIGHT SHOWERS ENTERING THE AREA ON SUNDAY AS WARM AIR ADVECTION RIDES OVER DEVELOPING INSITU WEDGE. PERSIST EASTERLY FLOW WILL KEEP LOW CLOUDS AND LIGHT RAIN/DRIZZLE IN THE AREA THROUGH THE DAY MONDAY. MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY NIGHT...A STRONG SHORT WAVE COMING UP FROM THE SOUTHWEST AND AROUND THIS CLOSED LOW WILL BRING INCREASING DYNAMICS AND MOISTURE OVER THE AREA TO PRODUCE HEAVY DOWNPOURS. CURRENT DRY CONDITIONS AND LOW STREAM FLOW SHOULD BE ABLE TO HANDLE THESE HEAVY DOWNPOURS. RAIN MAY COME TO AN END ON THURSDAY. EASTERLY FLOW...ABUNDANT CLOUDS AND RAIN WILL KEEP TEMPERATURES BELOW NORMAL THROUGH THE PERIOD. SOME AREAS MAY STRUGGLE TO GET OUT OF THE 60S MONDAY AND TUESDAY. && .AVIATION /00Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... AWOS INOP AT KLWB. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND STORMS VCNTY OF MTNS THIS EVENING TO DISSIPATE AFTER DARK. MAY NEED TO AMEND A FEW TAFS (KROA/KLYH/KDAN)...PRIMARILY ALONG AND EAST OF THE BLUE RIDGE TO ADD A PERIOD OF DEEP CONVECTION THIS EVENING...BUT DURATION SHOULD BE BRIEF. OTHER SHOWERS AND STORMS OVER THE OHIO VALLEY WILL HAVE TO BE MONITORED FOR POTENTIAL IMPACT TO KLWB/KBLF LATE TONIGHT. SFC HIGH PRESSURE TO REMAIN THE DOMINANT WEATHER FEATURE THROUGH FRIDAY. WARMING TEMPERATURES ALOFT SHOULD LIMIT DEEP CONVECTIVE THREAT FOR BOTH THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. ASIDE FROM MORNING FOG POTENTIAL IN THE RIVER VALLEYS...PRIMARILY VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED THROUGH FRIDAY. SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY...MODELS ARE SUGGESTING POTENTIAL FOR A STRONG STORM SYSTEM DIVING OUT OF THE UPPER MS VALLEY TO SLOWLY MOVE THROUGH THE AREA LATE IN THE WEEKEND AND EARLY NEXT WEEK...INCREASING THREAT FOR SUB VFR WEATHER. && .CLIMATE... DAILY RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURES FOR WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY: WED 9/22 THUR 9/23 FRI 9/24 ROA: 97/1931 97/1931 95/1933 BCB: 88/1978 88/2007 87/1970 LYH: 98/1895 97/1895 94/1933 DAN: 96/1965 98/1980 96/1980 BLF: 85/2005 87/2007 88/2007 && .EQUIPMENT... THE LEWISBURG AWOS IS INOP. && .RNK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... VA...NONE. NC...NONE. WV...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...PM NEAR TERM...DS/PM SHORT TERM...RCS LONG TERM...RCS AVIATION...PM CLIMATE... EQUIPMENT...
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 239 PM EDT WED SEP 22 2010 NCZ001>003-018>020-VAZ007-009>020-022>024-032>035-043>047-058-059- WVZ042>045-231845- ASHE-ALLEGHANY NC-SURRY-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- 239 PM EDT WED SEP 22 2010 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. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. NCZ004>006-231845- STOKES-ROCKINGHAM-CASWELL- 239 PM EDT WED SEP 22 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. AIR QUALITY ALERT IN EFFECT FROM 9 AM TO 6 PM EDT THURSDAY FOR THE NORTH CAROLINA TRIAD REGION. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. RCS
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
537 PM EDT WED SEP 22 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0515 PM TSTM WND DMG 2 S ROCKY MOUNT 36.97N 79.88W
09/22/2010 FRANKLIN VA PUBLIC
4 INCH TREE DOWN ACROSS DRIVEWAY.
&&
BSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
610 PM EDT WED SEP 22 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0520 PM TSTM WND DMG BEDFORD CITY 37.34N 79.52W
09/22/2010 CITY OF BEDFORD VA COUNTY OFFICIAL
TREES DOWN COUNTY-WIDE
0523 PM TSTM WND DMG MONETA 37.18N 79.63W
09/22/2010 BEDFORD VA FIRE DEPT/RESCUE
LARGE TREE LIMB DOWN
&&
AMSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
626 PM EDT WED SEP 22 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0540 PM TSTM WND DMG 3 NW ALTAVISTA 37.15N 79.34W
09/22/2010 CAMPBELL VA COUNTY OFFICIAL
*** 1 INJ *** TREE FELL ON VEHICLE. MINOR INJURIES.
&&
AMSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
634 PM EDT WED SEP 22 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0447 PM HAIL 5 E BIG ISLAND 37.54N 79.28W
09/22/2010 E1.00 INCH AMHERST VA PUBLIC
QUARTER SIZED HAIL ON TURTLE HOLLOW ROAD
&&
WERTSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
658 PM EDT WED SEP 22 2010
NCZ006-VAZ044-058-230000-
CASWELL NC-HALIFAX VA-PITTSYLVANIA VA-
658 PM EDT WED SEP 22 2010
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT CASWELL...HALIFAX AND
PITTSYLVANIA COUNTIES...
AT 657 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 8 MILES WEST OF
BLAIRS...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH.
WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH AND SMALL HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.
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 DRY FORK AROUND 705 PM...WESTOVER HILLS...AND
BLAIRS AROUND 715 PM...DANVILLE CITY...KEELING...AND PELHAM AROUND
720 PM...GATEWOOD AROUND 725 PM...DANVILLE AIRPORT...RINGGOLD AND AND
PROVIDENCE AROUND 730 PM.
LAT...LON 3651 7951 3655 7952 3655 7958 3678 7941
3655 7896 3654 7896 3654 7914 3630 7915
RCSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
704 PM EDT WED SEP 22 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0540 PM TSTM WND GST 5 NNW EVINGTON 37.30N 79.30W
09/22/2010 E60.00 MPH BEDFORD VA TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
WERTThe Roanoke radar (KFCX), 60 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:31 UTC.
27 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Thunderstorm winds blew down trees at 1003 Frans Road. Damage values are estimated.
Thunderstorm winds blew trees down at the intersection of Frans Road and Cold River Run Road. Damage values are estimated.
Thunderstorm winds blew trees down at the intersection of Frans Road and North Carolina Route 66. Damage values are estimated.
Thunderstorm winds blew a tree down at 3435 North Carolina Highway 89. Damage values are estimated.
Thunderstorm winds blew a tree down at 1000 Francis Road. Damage values are estimated.
Thunderstorm winds blew down numerous trees around the immediate area and numerous other locations in the county. Damage values are estimated.
Thunderstorm winds blew down trees. Damage values are estimated.
A tree was blown down on Marshall Smith Road. Damage values are estimated.
Thunderstorm winds blew a tree down across a trailer at 2979 Horseshoe Road. Damage values are estimated.
Thunderstorm winds blew trees down at the intersection of Tom Martin Road and North Carolina Route 66. Damage values are estimated.
Thunderstorm winds blew trees down along Hart Road. Damage values are estimated.
Thunderstorm winds blew a tree down at the intersection of Moore Springs Road and Stoney Ridge Road. Damage values are estimated.
Thunderstorm winds blew a tree down at 1077 Tom Shelton Road. Damage values are estimated.
Thunderstorm winds blew a tree down at the intersection of Flat Shoals and Sizemore Roads. Damage values are estimated.
Thunderstorm winds blew down a tree at 1101 Main Street. Damage values are estimated.
Thunderstorm winds blew trees down. Damage values are estimated.
Thunderstorm winds blew trees down along Carmichael Road. Damage values are estimated.
Thunderstorms blew trees down along North Carolina Route 65 and Leake Memorial Church Road. Damage values are estimated.
Thunderstorm winds blew a tree down on C. N. Smith Hill Road. Damage values are estimated.
Thunderstorm winds blew a tree down at 100 Mineral Springs Road. Damage values are estimated.
Thunderstorm winds blew a tree down at 105 North Glenn Street. Damage values are estimated.
Thunderstorm winds blew down trees along Phillips Road and Sheppard Mill Road. Damage values are estimated.
Thunderstorm winds blew trees down along Pine Hall Road. Damage values are estimated.
Thunderstorm winds blew trees down. Damage values are estimated.
Thunderstorm winds blew trees down along Edwards Farm Road. Damage values are estimated.
Thunderstorm winds blew a tree down at 410 Hancock Road. Damage values are estimated.
Thunderstorm winds blew a tree down at 120 Hardwood Road. Damage values are estimated.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in North Carolina in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyWarnings in North Carolina, September 2010
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: 261549, 261552, 261553, 261550, 261551, 261554, 261555, 261556, 261557, 261883, 261881, 261882, 261884, 261885, 261886, 261887, 261888, 261889, 261890, 261891, 261892, 261893, 261894, 261895, 261897, 261898, 261899.