A high pressure centered over New England pushed a back door cold front to far southwestern Virginia. At the same time a strong upper level low pressure system approached from the west during the afternoon of the 9th.
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 high pressure centered over New England pushed a back door cold front to far southwestern Virginia. At the same time a strong upper level low pressure system approached from the west during the afternoon of the 9th. This resulted in the development of severe thunderstorms which produced large hail.
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 Apr 9, 1:16 PM EST, 54 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 216 PM EDT SAT APR 9 2011 .SYNOPSIS... A WEAK COOL FRONT HAS STALLED OVER THE WESTERN MOUNTAINS...AND WILL REMAIN NEARLY STATIONARY INTO TONIGHT. THE FRONT WILL LIFT BACK NORTH OF THE AREA SUNDAY AHEAD OF ANOTHER STRONG COLD FRONT THAT WILL CROSS THE REGION LATE MONDAY. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... AS OF 130 PM...AIRMASS HAS BECOME MODERATELY UNSTABLE IN THE WRN MTNS AS EXPECTED. WE EXPECT DISCRETE CELLS...ALONG WITH MULTICELL CLUSTERS OF STORMS. MAIN POTENTIAL IS LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS...BUT ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE ALSO POSSIBLE IN THE DISCRETE CELLS...SO THE SEVERE TSTM WATCH WAS UPGRADED TO A TORNADO WATCH. STRATUS FIELD STILL COVERS MOST OF THE EASTERN CWA. HAVE UPDATED TO LOWER TEMPS SOME MORE IN THE PIEDMONT AREAS...AND ADD SEVERE WORDING TO TSTMS IN THE WRN MTNS. AS OF 1000 AM... VISIBLE SATELLITE SHOWS A SHARP CONTRAST ACROSS THE CWA...WITH LOW...THICK STRATUS ALONG AND EAST OF THE BLUE RIDGE...AND PLENTY OF SUN IN MUCH OF THE MTNS. WITH LOW LEVEL FLOW VEERING FROM NE TO SE THROUGH THE DAY...I EXPECT THE STRATUS TO HANG IN TOUGH ALONG AND EAST OF THE BLUE RIDGE...WHILE LOCATIONS NEAR...BUT WEST OF THE BLUE RIDGE IN STRATUS NOW...WILL LIKELY GET SOME SUN THIS AFTERNOON. OF COURSE...FURTHER WEST WILL HAVE AT LEAST PARTIAL SUNSHINE...AND WILL BECOME UNSTABLE. I HAVE EDGED THE COVERAGE OF TSTMS THIS AFTERNOON A LITTLE FURTHER EAST SINCE THERE IS MORE SUN IN WESTERN SECTIONS OF THE NEW RIVER VALLEY. I INCREASED CLOUD COVER EAST OF THE BLUE RIDGE...AND HAVE LOWER HIGH TEMPS- ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE NW NC PIEDMONT WHERE THEY WILL LIKELY NOT GET OUT OF THE 50S. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION... AT 08Z/4AM SURFACE FRONT EXTENDED FROM GREENBRIER COUNTY WEST VIRGINIA THROUGH WILKES COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA...DEPICTED WELL ON MSAS BY THE TIGHT GRADIENT OF LIFTED INDEX VALUES. ON THE COOL SIDE OF THE FRONT STRATUS AND FOG HAVE FORMED. EXPECT THE FOG TO LIFT IN THE MORNING BUT MUCH OF THE ARA IN THE WEDGE SHOULD BE CLOUDY TODAY. EXPECTING THE CLUSTER OF THUNDERSTORMS IN NORTHEAST MISSOURI TO TRACK INTO THE OHIO VALLEY THIS MORNING AND ALONG THE FRONT THIS AFTERNOON. MODELS BRING THE MCV ASSOCIATED WITH THESE STORMS ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST COUNTIES OF THE FORECAST AREA BETWEEN 18Z/2PM AND 00Z/8PM. EXPECT A WEST OR NORTHWEST STORM MOTION TO AGAIN TRACK THE STORMS INTO THE COOL SIDE OF THE FRONT. HIGH TEMPERATURES SHOULD BE SIMILAR TO FRIDAY WITH MID TO UPPER 50S DEEP IN THE COOL AIR TO MID TO UPPER 70S IN THE FAR SOUTHWEST. BLENDED IN BIAS CORRECTED MET GUIDANCE IN FOR MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES THIS AFTERNOON. LOWS TONIGHT WILL STAY IN THE 40S NORTHEAST TO THE LOWER 60S SOUTHWEST. AGAIN USED THE MET GUIDANCE FOR MINIMUM TEMPERATURES. A STORM SURVEY IS PLANNED FOR TODAY FROM PULASKI TO DRAPER VIRGINIA. ANOTHER SURVEY MAY BE CONDUCTED IN SOUTHERN MONROE COUNTY WEST VIRGINIA. && .SHORT TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT/... HIGH PRESSURE SHIFTS EASTWARD SUNDAY MORNING...BUT WILL START THE DAY WITH A FEW LINGERING SHOWERS AS A WARM FRONT...EXTENDING FROM A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM PUSHING ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS...MOVES NORTHWARD ACROSS OUR AREA. SHOWERS WILL MOVE OUT OF THE AREA BY LATE MORNING...WITH SKIES BECOMING PARTLY CLOUDY ACROSS OUR REGION. SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS WILL BE DOMINANT ACROSS OUR AREA...USHERING IN ALMOST SUMMER LIKE TEMPERATURES...WITH SUNDAY AFTERNOON HIGHS REACHING THE UPPER 70S TO LOWER 80S ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA. THE WARM TREND WILL CONTINUE INTO MONDAY...HOWEVER WIND SPEEDS WILL BE STRONGER AS THE PRESSURE GRADIENT ACROSS OUR AREA TIGHTENS. GUSTS DURING THE AFTERNOON MAY REACH 30 MPH...ESPECIALLY ALONG AND WEST OF THE BLUE RIDGE. THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WILL ALSO INCREASE DURING THE AFTERNOON AS A STRONG COLD FRONT APPROACHES OUR REGION FROM THE UPPER MIDWEST. ALTHOUGH THE STRONGEST ATMOSPHERIC INSTABILITY WILL REMAIN FARTHER TO THE NORTH...THE COMBINATION OF VERY WARM AFTERNOON TEMPERATURES AND RESPECTABLE INSTABILITY AHEAD OF THE FRONT WILL STILL RESULT IN A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING...WITH LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...AND EVEN ISOLATED TORNADOES POSSIBLE...IN ADDITION TO HEAVY DOWNPOURS AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING. THE COLD FRONT CLEARS OUR AREA TO THE EAST SHORTLY AFTER MIDNIGHT ON TUESDAY...WITH DRIER AIR MOVING INTO THE AREA. STILL EXPECT TO SEE RESIDUAL SHOWER ACTIVITY CONTINUE THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING FOR LOCATIONS WEST OF THE BLUE RIDGE...BUT AT LEAST WE CAN EXPECT THIS RESIDUAL POST FRONTAL ACTIVITY TO FALL IN THE FORM OF RAIN AS OPPOSED TO SNOW. HIGH PRESSURE CONTINUES TO BUILD INTO THE AREA ON WEDNESDAY...WHICH WILL KEEP OUR WEATHER DRY THROUGH THE END OF THE WORKWEEK. && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... FAIRLY ACTIVE SPRINGTIME PATTERN TO CONTINUE NEXT WEEK. FIRST SYSTEM COMES OUT OF THE ROCKIES AND TRACKS TOWARD THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES MONDAY INTO TUESDAY. THIS SYSTEM WILL LIKELY BRING A GOOD CHANCE OF SEVERE WEATHER AHEAD AND ALONG OF A FRONTAL BOUNDARY WELL TO OUR WEST ACROSS THE CENTRAL OR NORTHERN PLAINS/MIDWEST SUNDAY. SPC ALREADY HAS A MODERATE RISK FOR DAY 3 IN THIS AREA..AN INDICATION OF THE STRENGTH OF THIS SYSTEM. COLD FRONT APPROACHES SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN REGION LATER MONDAY ALTHOUGH CURRENT MODEL CONSENSUS TIMING FOR THIS FROPA IS MAINLY OVERNIGHT MONDAY WHICH WOULD LESSEN CHANCES FOR SEVERE...BUT 6 TO 12 HOURS EARLIER AND CHANCES FOR SIGNIFICANT STORMS ACROSS OUR AREA MONDAY AFTERNOON INCREASES CONSIDERABLY. STRONG SOUTHERLY FLOW AHEAD OF THE FRONT ON MONDAY WILL BRING VERY WARM TEMPS WITH MEX GUIDANCE SOME 15 TO 20 DEGREES ABV NORMAL..COMPROMISED WITH SOMEWHAT LOWER MET/MEH GUIDANCE GIVING STILL MID-80S EAST AND NEAR 80 WEST. AFTER FRONT PASSES EARLY TUESDAY HIGH PRESSURE WILL DOMINATE FROM THROUGH FRIDAY WITH TEMPERATURES RUNNING A FEW DEGREES ABV CLIMO FOR MID-APRIL..GENERALLY UPPER 60S WEST TO LOW 70S EAST. NEXT FRONT REACHES THE AREA EARLY NEXT WEEKEND AS ANOTHER LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM TRACKS ACROSS THE CENTRAL PLAINS TO GREAT LAKES. FOLLOWING HPC IN THE GRIDS TO KEEP THAT FROPA JUST BEYOND THE END OF THIS FORECAST CYCLE. && .AVIATION /18Z SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... STRATUS PRODUCING IFR CIGS IS HANGING TOUGH EAST OF THE BLUE RIDGE. THIS INCLUDESBCB...ROA...LYH AND DAN. THESE CIGS MAY BRIEFLY RISE TO LOW END MVFR...BUT ARE EXPECTED TO DROP RIGHT BACK DOWN AGAIN TONIGHT...WITH HIGH CONFIDENCE OF IFR CONDS...MODERATE CONFIDENCE OF VLIFR CONDS. FURTHER WEST...NEARLY FULL DAY HEATING HAS PRODUCED MODERATELY UNSTABLE CONDS AND A TORNADO WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED IN EFFECT THRU 900 PM. BLF AND LWB WILL LIKELY SEE A TSTM...AND HAVE A CHC FOR STRONG WINDS AND LARGE HAIL. BCB HAS A LOW CHC OF SEEING A STRONG TSTM. I EXPECT LWB TO DROP DOWN TO VLIFR IN FOG...BLF MAY NOT DROP TO IFR. LOW CIGS/VSBYS WILL RISE THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS SUNDAY. I EXPECT MOST SITES TO BECOME VFR AROUND OR SHORTLY AFTER 18Z/200 PM. A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH THE REGION LATE MONDAY...BRINGING A CHC OF THUNDERSTORMS TO ALL AREAS. VFR THEN RETURNS ACROSS THE EAST BEHIND THE FRONT TUESDAY WITH UPSLOPE MVFR CIGS AND A FEW -SHRA OVER SE WVA. && .RNK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... VA...NONE. NC...NONE. WV...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...AMS NEAR TERM...AMS/JJ SHORT TERM...NF LONG TERM...PC AVIATION...AMS/JJ
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 430 AM EDT SAT APR 9 2011 NCZ001>003-018>020-VAZ007-009>013-015-016-WVZ042>045-101000- ASHE-ALLEGHANY NC-SURRY-WATAUGA-WILKES-YADKIN-TAZEWELL-SMYTH-BLAND- GILES-WYTHE-PULASKI-GRAYSON-CARROLL-MERCER-SUMMERS-MONROE-GREENBRIER- 430 AM EDT SAT APR 9 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA...NORTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA...SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA AND SOUTHEAST WEST VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE AGAIN MONDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THE PRIMARY THREAT FROM THE SEVERE STORMS WILL BE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED TODAY. NCZ004>006-VAZ014-017>020-022>024-032>035-043>047-058-059-101000- STOKES-ROCKINGHAM-CASWELL-MONTGOMERY-FLOYD-CRAIG-ALLEGHANY VA-BATH- ROANOKE-BOTETOURT-ROCKBRIDGE-PATRICK-FRANKLIN-BEDFORD-AMHERST-HENRY- PITTSYLVANIA-CAMPBELL-APPOMATTOX-BUCKINGHAM-HALIFAX-CHARLOTTE- 430 AM EDT SAT APR 9 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA...CENTRAL VIRGINIA...SOUTH CENTRAL VIRGINIA...SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA AND WEST CENTRAL VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE MONDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 931 AM EDT SAT APR 9 2011 VAZ011-013-014-091545- GILES-PULASKI-MONTGOMERY- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...PEARISBURG...RADFORD...PULASKI... BLACKSBURG 931 AM EDT SAT APR 9 2011 ...PATCHY DENSE FOG THIS MORNING... SATELLITE SHOWS WIDESPREAD FOG AND STRATUS ACROSS EASTERN SECTIONS OF THE NEW RIVER VALLEY. THERE ARE LOCALLY DENSE PATCHES OF FOG...WITH VISIBILITIES NEAR ZERO. THIS VERY DENSE FOG WILL LINGER IN SOME LOCATIONS THROUGH 1100 AM. MOTORISTS THIS MORNING SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR SUDDEN REDUCTIONS IN VISIBILITY.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 935 AM EDT SAT APR 9 2011 VAZ016-091545- CARROLL- INCLUDING THE CITY OF...GALAX 935 AM EDT SAT APR 9 2011 ...DENSE FOG ALONG INTERSTATE 77 THIS MORNING... LOCALLY VERY DENSE FOG HAS DEVELOPED ALONG INTERSTATE 77 IN CARROLL COUNTY VA. VISIBILITIES IN SOME STRETCHES OF THE INTERSTATE BETWEEN MILE MARKER 1 AND 7 ARE NEAR ZERO. THIS VERY DENSE FOG MAY LAST INTO THE AFTERNOON. MOTORISTS ALONG INTERSTATE 77 IN CARROLL COUNTY SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR SUDDEN REDUCTIONS IN VISIBILITY...AND SLOWER TRAFFIC.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
1223 PM EDT SAT APR 09 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1105 PM TSTM WND DMG 5 N ARARAT 36.67N 80.51W
04/08/2011 CARROLL VA LAW ENFORCEMENT
1 TREE DOWN ON KENO RD
1100 PM HAIL MEADOWS OF DAN 36.73N 80.42W
04/08/2011 E0.50 INCH FLOYD VA PUBLIC
COVERED THE GROUND
&&
JJACKSONSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 239 PM EDT SAT APR 9 2011 VAZ016-092200- CARROLL- INCLUDING THE CITY OF...GALAX 239 PM EDT SAT APR 9 2011 ...DENSE FOG ALONG INTERSTATE 77 THIS AFTERNOON... LOCALLY VERY DENSE FOG REMAINS ALONG INTERSTATE 77 IN CARROLL COUNTY VA. VISIBILITIES IN SOME STRETCHES OF THE INTERSTATE BETWEEN MILE MARKER 1 AND 7 CONTINUE TO BE NEAR ZERO AT TIMES. THIS VERY DENSE FOG WILL LAST THE REST OF THE AFTERNOON. MOTORISTS ALONG INTERSTATE 77 IN CARROLL COUNTY SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR SUDDEN REDUCTIONS IN VISIBILITY...AND SLOWER TRAFFIC.
The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 123 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:10 UTC.
7 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Hail ranging in size from quarter to ping pong ball size was observed. The largest hail was reported around 5 miles east of Chilhowie.
Hail ranged in size from quarters to up to golf balls.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Virginia in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Virginia, April 2011
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: 300212, 300216, 300261, 300257, 300264, 300265, 300259.