During the afternoon of the 21st, a thunderstorm complex headed south through eastern Kentucky. Convection along the eastern edge of this system helped to prompt additional development farther east.
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.
During the afternoon of the 21st, a thunderstorm complex headed south through eastern Kentucky. Convection along the eastern edge of this system helped to prompt additional development farther east. This process repeated itself through the evening hours leading to multiple thunderstorms moving through the region, with many of the storms producing damaging wind or large hail. Flash flooding also occurred with some of the slower moving storms.
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 Jun 21, 1:00 PM EST, 38 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 200 PM EDT TUE JUN 21 2011 .SYNOPSIS... STILL KEEPING AN EYE ON A WEAK FRONTAL BOUNDARY SITUATED ALONG THE EASTERN BOUNDARY OF THE FORECAST REGION THIS MORNING...HOWEVER THIS BOUNDARY WILL PUSH BACK TO THE NORTHEAST AS AN UPPER LEVEL RIDGE BUILDS INTO THE AREA TODAY. SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS WILL KEEP SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY IN THE FORECAST THROUGH THE END OF THE WORKWEEK AS A COLD FRONT APPROACHES OUR REGION. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... QUITE A BIT OF CUMULUS CLOUDS HAVE FORMED ALONG AND WEST OF THE BLUE RIDGE...WITH MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES TO THE EAST. WITH UPPER LEVEL RIDGE OVERHEAD...THESE CU ARE CURRENTLY CAPPED OFF. HOWEVER AS MENTIONED EARLIER...WAVE CURRENTLY OVER EASTERN TENNESSEE MAY PROVIDE ENOUGH LIFT AND MOISTENING OF THE MID LEVELS TO BREAK THIS CAP AND ALLOW SCATTERED THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT. LATEST HRRR AND LOCAL WRF CONTINUE TO SHOW THIS SOLUTION....WITH THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO NORTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA BY 3 OR 4PM. THUS HAVE INCREASED POPS EVEN MORE ACROSS WESTERN AREAS. MLCAPE OF BETWEEN 2 AND 3K J/KG ACROSS THE CWA. QUITE A BIT OF CAPE IN THE HAIL GROWTH ZONE AND DECENT DOWNDRAFT CAPE AS WELL. DEEP LAYER EFFECTIVE SHEAR IS RATHER WEAK TODAY AND THUS ANY ORGANIZATION OF THE STORMS WILL HAVE TO BE COLD POOL DRIVEN. THIS SHOULD TEND TO LIMIT THE SEVERITY OF ANY EARLY AFTERNOON STORMS...HOWEVER GIVEN ABOVE PARAMETERS...STORMS SHOULD STILL BE ABLE TO AT LEAST BRIEFLY PULSE UP TO SEVERE LIMITS. LESS CONFIDENCE ON HOW FAR EAST THESE STORMS MAKE IT. HIGH RES MODELS SHOW THE STORMS MAKING IT ACROSS THE WHOLE CWA AND GIVEN IMPRESSIVE CAPE VALUES THIS SEEMS POSSIBLE...AND THUS HAVE RAISED POPS. HOWEVER WEAK SHEAR AND THE RIDGING OVERHEAD MAY ALSO LIMIT EASTWARD EXTENT OF STORMS...AND THUS WILL HAVE TO MONITOR THIS THROUGH THE AFTERNOON HOURS. THE POSSIBILITY EXISTS FOR A SECOND AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS TO IMPACT OUR AREA AROUND 8PM TONIGHT...AS THUNDERSTORMS THAT FORM OVER CENTRAL TENNESSEE TODAY WILL TEND TO WORK THERE WAY NORTHEAST. .PREVIOUS DISCUSSION... WILL START THE MORNING OFF WITH AREAS OF PATCHY FOG ACROSS THE REGION...ESPECIALLY WHERE WE EXPERIENCED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ON MONDAY EVENING. AS IS USUAL FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR...WE CAN EXPECT THIS MORNING FOG TO IMPROVE QUICKLY AFTER 9 AM AS DAYTIME HEATING INCREASES. RADAR IS ALSO INDICATING LIGHT SHOWER ACTIVITY PUSHING ACROSS OUR REGION FROM THE NORTHWEST...WITH THE GREATEST SHOWER ACTIVITY DEVELOPING IN THE VICINITY OF A WEAK BACKDOOR FRONTAL BOUNDARY SITUATED ON THE EASTERN EDGE OF OUR FORECAST REGION. EXPECT THESE SHOWERS TO CONTINUE THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE MORNING. AN UPPER LEVEL RIDGE IS EXPECTED TO BUILD OVER OUR REGION TODAY... CAUSING OUR ATMOSPHERIC WINDS TO GRADUALLY SHIFT FROM NORTHWESTERLY TO SOUTHWESTERLY...AND ALLOWING US TO TAP INCREASINGLY HUMID AIR FROM THE GULF COAST REGION. WITH THE RIDGE PUSHING ACROSS OUR AREA...WE CAN EXPECT WARMER AFTERNOON TEMPERATURES FOR TODAY THAN THOSE EXPERIENCED OVER THE LAST COUPLE DAYS...WITH HIGHS RANGING FROM THE MID 80S TO NEAR 90 WEST OF THE BLUE RIDGE...AND LOW TO MID 90S TO THE EAST. THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WILL DIMINISH IN INTENSITY BY MIDNIGHT...BUT STILL EXPECT TO SEE SPOTTY SHOWER ACTIVITY CONTINUE THROUGH THE EARLY MORNING HOURS OF WEDNESDAY AS A COLD FRONT APPROACHES OUR REGION. OVERNIGHT CONDITIONS TONIGHT WILL BE ON THE WARM AND MUGGY SIDE...WITH LOWS RANGING FROM THE MID TO UPPER 60S WEST OF THE BLUE RIDGE...AND EXPECTED TO BE IN THE LOW 70S TO THE EAST. && .SHORT TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/... FORECAST AREA WILL BE IN THE WARM SECTOR WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY WITH A GOOD LEE TROF AT THE SURFACE. COLD FRONT MAY NOT MAKE MUCH PROGRESS EAST WITH UPPER FLOW FROM THE SOUTHWEST AND PARALLEL TO THE BOUNDARY. SURFACE AND LOW LEVEL WINDS WILL BE FROM THE WEST ON WEDNESDAY AND FROM THE SOUTHWEST ON THURSDAY. BEST PROBABILITY OF PRECIPITATION WILL BE IN THE MOUNTAINS ON WEDNESDAY. BY WEDNESDAY NIGHT A JET STREAK WILL PROVIDE SOME UPPER DIFFLUENCE WHICH SHOULD RESULT IN AT LEAST SCATTERED COVERAGE ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA. BY THURSDAY MORNING THE GFS AND SREF WERE SHOWING THE DEEPER MOISTURE JUST SOUTHEAST OF THE FORECAST AREA. PLAN TO TRIM CHANCE OF RAIN ON THURSDAY. AIR MASS DOES NOT CHANGE MUCH THROUGH THE PERIOD. WITH WEST WINDS AND DOWNSLOPING ON WEDNESDAY...PLUS 850 MB TEMPERATURES STILL AROUND +20 HIGH TEMPERATURES IN THE FOOTHILLS AND PIEDMONT WILL BE ABOVE NORMAL. WILL STAY CLOSE TO THE MAV FOR ALL OTHER HIGHS AND LOWS THROUGH THE PERIOD. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... LONG TERM PERIOD LOOKS TO BE FAIRLY ACTIVE WEATHER-WISE AS A SERIES OF SHORT WAVE TROFS CONTINUE TO PINWHEEL AROUND A SLOWLY MOVING UPPER LOW SYSTEM TRANSITIONING FROM THE UPPER GREAT LAKES/SOUTHERN ONTARIO ON FRIDAY...TO NORTHERN MAINE/NEW BRUNSWICK BY MONDAY. FIRST SHORT WAVE EXPECTED TO BE SUFFICIENT TO DRIVE COOL FRONT JUST TO THE SOUTH OF THE BLACKSBURG FORECAST AREA ON FRIDAY...BUT PERHAPS NOT FAR ENOUGH SOUTH TO JUSTIFY AN ENTIRELY DRY FORECAST. FRONT EXPECTED TO STALL JUST TO THE SOUTH OF THE AREA FRIDAY NIGHT...THEN BEGIN BUCKLING NORTHWARD AS A WARM FRONT BACK INTO THE MID APPALACHIAN AND MID ATLANTIC REGION OVER THE WEEKEND. THIS FRONT EXPECTED TO REMAIN IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO/OVER THE AREA SATURDAY INTO SUNDAY...MAINTAINING A GOOD THREAT OF SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS UNTIL FINAL SHORT WAVE FORCES COOLER AND DRIER AIR BACK INTO THE AREA FROM THE NORTH SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY. HPC GUIDANCE GENERALLY USED FOR THE ENTIRE LONG TERM PERIOD WITH ONLY SLIGHT MODIFICATIONS NEEDED TO REFLECT LOCAL CLIMATOLOGICAL BIAS DRIVEN MAINLY BY TOPOGRAPHY. && .AVIATION /18Z TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... VFR CONDITIONS CURRENTLY ACROSS ALL TAF SITES. THIS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH MOST OF THE AFTERNOON. WILL HAVE TO WATCH FOR SCATTERED THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT THIS AFTERNOON. BEST CHANCE OF THESE STORMS WILL BE ACROSS NORTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA UP TO AROUND BLF. THUS HAVE ADDED IN A TEMPO GROUP AT BLUEFIELD. STILL A CHANCE THAT STORMS COULD MOVE ACROSS THE CWA FROM SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST AND IMPACT OTHER TAF SITES. HOWEVER CONFIDENCE IS TOO LOW AT THIS POINT TO PUT ANYTHING OTHER THAN CB IN THE TAFS. IF CAUGHT IN ONE OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS ONE SHOULD EXPECT REDUCTIONS TO IFR/LIFR FOR A BRIEF PERIOD OF TIME...WITH HEAVY RAIN...FREQUENT LIGHTNING...GUSTY WINDS...AND POSSIBLY SOME HAIL. BEST CHANCE SHOULD BE FROM 3PM TO 8PM IN THE WEST...5PM TO 10PM AROUND BCB AND ROA...AND 6PM TO 10PM LYH AND DAN. FOG WILL ALSO BE A POSSIBILITY DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS OF THURSDAY...ESPECIALLY WHERE RAINFALL OCCURS THIS EVENING. EXPECT MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES MOST AREAS TONIGHT...THUS NOT EXPECTING VISIBILITY DROPS TO BELOW MVFR CONDITIONS. HOWEVER IF CLEARING CAN OCCUR...MAY HAVE TO WATCH FOR DENSER FOG AROUND LYH AND WHEREVER IT RAINS THIS AFTERNOON. WEDNESDAY SHOULD FEATURE MAINLY VFR CONDITIONS...HOWEVER WITH A FRONT IN THE VICINITY...WILL LIKELY HAVE MORE AFTERNOON SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...WITH BRIEF REDUCTIONS TO IFR/LIFR. JUST HOW FAR SOUTH FRONT MOVES WILL BE THE ISSUE AS WE HEAD INTO THE END OF THE WEEK INTO THE WEEKEND. CURRENT THOUGHTS ARE THAT THURSDAY MAY BE OUR DRIEST DAY...WITH THE FRONT STAYING CLOSE ENOUGH FOR SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS FRIDAY INTO THE WEEKEND. WILL ALSO HAVE TO WATCH FOR THE USUAL MORNING FOG EACH MORNING. && .RNK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... VA...NONE. NC...NONE. WV...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...JH/NF NEAR TERM...MC/NF SHORT TERM...AMS LONG TERM...WERT AVIATION...MC/NF
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 606 AM EDT TUE JUN 21 2011 NCZ001>006-018>020-VAZ012>018-022>024-032>035-043>047-058-059-221015- ASHE-ALLEGHANY NC-SURRY-STOKES-ROCKINGHAM-CASWELL-WATAUGA-WILKES- YADKIN-WYTHE-PULASKI-MONTGOMERY-GRAYSON-CARROLL-FLOYD-CRAIG-ROANOKE- BOTETOURT-ROCKBRIDGE-PATRICK-FRANKLIN-BEDFORD-AMHERST-HENRY- PITTSYLVANIA-CAMPBELL-APPOMATTOX-BUCKINGHAM-HALIFAX-CHARLOTTE- 606 AM EDT TUE JUN 21 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA...NORTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA...CENTRAL VIRGINIA...SOUTH CENTRAL VIRGINIA...SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA AND WEST CENTRAL VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. VAZ007-009>011-019-020-WVZ042>045-221015- TAZEWELL-SMYTH-BLAND-GILES-ALLEGHANY VA-BATH-MERCER-SUMMERS-MONROE- GREENBRIER- 606 AM EDT TUE JUN 21 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA...WEST CENTRAL VIRGINIA AND SOUTHEAST WEST VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING...A FEW OF WHICH MAY BECOME SEVERE. THE MAIN THREATS WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. SECONDARY THREATS INCLUDE PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN AND FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
1019 AM EDT TUE JUN 21 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0637 AM HAIL 6 NW INGRAM 36.82N 79.21W
06/21/2011 E1.00 INCH PITTSYLVANIA VA PUBLIC
&&
WHPSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
215 PM EDT TUE JUN 21 2011
NCZ001-002-018-019-211915-
ALLEGHANY NC-ASHE NC-WATAUGA NC-WILKES NC-
215 PM EDT TUE JUN 21 2011
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT ALLEGHANY...ASHE...WATAUGA AND
WILKES COUNTIES...
AT 211 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED OVER DEEP GAP...
MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH.
WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH AND SMALL 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.
THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR DEEP GAP AROUND 225 PM...CASCADE FALLS...
FLEETWOOD...AND MAPLE SPRINGS AROUND 235 PM...CASCADE FALLS...AND
FLEETWOOD AROUND 240 PM...SUMMIT...AND BALDWIN AROUND 245 PM...
IDLEWILD AROUND 255 PM AND WEST JEFFERSON AROUND 300 PM.
LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR FAVORITE MEDIA OUTLET FOR LATER
UPDATES OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
LAT...LON 3611 8155 3611 8158 3620 8169 3654 8136
3635 8112 3609 8151 3609 8152
KKThe Roanoke radar (KFCX), 50 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:36 UTC.
36 thunderstorm wind, 12 hail, 5 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Thunderstorm winds blew numerous large tree limbs down. Damage values are estimated.
Thunderstorm winds produced a 62 MPH wind gust at the Roanoke Region Airport.
Quarter size hail occurred at the Roanoke Hospital.
Thunderstorm winds blew trees down across a road. Damage values are estimated.
Thunderstorm wind blew trees down. Damage values are estimated.
Flash flooding from heavy rain resulted in one foot of running water at the intersection of Route 460 and Gus w Nicks Boulevard.
Quarter size hail fell for twenty minutes.
Quarter size hail fell along route 460/11 northeast of Christiansburg between the Christiansburg Wayside to near the intersection with Crown Road.
Quarter size hail fell on Highway 116 west of the Burnt Chimney Post Office.
Thunderstorm winds blew six to eight trees down. Damage values are estimated.
Thunderstorm winds blew several trees down on Grayson Turnpike. Damage values are estimated.
Ping pong ball size hail fell on Sample Road.
Heavy rain prompted flash flooding along Campbell Road, resulting in the closure of the road.
Heavy rain prompted flash flooding along Brighton Road, resulting in the road being closed.
Heavy rain and flash flooding caused the roadway to become damaged on Pollard Street at the intersection of Cleveland Avenue. The intersection needed to be closed through the following day due to the damage.
Thunderstorm winds blew three large trees down between Boones Mill and Burnt Chimney. Damage values are estimated.
Thunderstorm winds blew several large trees down. Damage values are estimated.
Thunderstorm winds blew three 100 foot red oak trees down. Damage values are estimated.
Heavy rain produced flash flooding along State Route 670, Burnt Chimney Road. Water was flowing across the road.
Thunderstorm winds blew trees down in the Hunting Hills area. Damage values are estimated.
Thunderstorm winds blew two trees down on Thornspring Church Road. Damage values are estimated.
At 3149 PITTSVILLE ROAD, golf ball size hail fell, diminished in size, but increased to half-dollar size hail.
Thunderstorm winds blew a large branch down. Damage values are estimated.
Thunderstorm winds blew a large branch down. Damage values are estimated.
Thunderstorm winds blew a tree down on Black Hollow Road. Damage values are estimated.
Thunderstorm winds blew a tree down on West Gretna Road. Damage values are estimated.
Thunderstorm winds blew a tree down on Hazel Hollow Road. Damage values are estimated.
Thunderstorm winds blew two trees down along Highway 220. Damage values are estimated.
Thunderstorm winds blew trees down on East Gretna Road. Damage values are estimated.
Thunderstorm winds blew a large tree down on East Morris Hill Road. Damage values are estimated.
Thunderstorm winds blew a tree down on Markham Road. Damage values are estimated.
Thunderstorm winds blew three trees down. Damage values are estimated.
Thunderstorm winds blew one tree down along Route 60. Damage values are estimated.
Thunderstorm winds blew power lines down on Maple Road. Damage values are estimated.
Thunderstorm winds blew power lines down on Vandola Church Road. Damage values are estimated.
Thunderstorm winds blew a tree down along Route 220 near Mitchelltown. Damage values are estimated.
Thunderstorm winds blew one tree down on Iris Lane. Damage values are estimated.
Thunderstorm winds blew several trees down. Damage values are estimated.
Thunderstorm winds blew a tree onto a house on Walnut Street. Damage values are estimated.
Thunderstorm winds blew several trees down. Damage values are estimated.
Thunderstorm winds blew a tree down on Hodnetts Mill Road. Damage values are estimated.
Thunderstorm winds blew power lines down on Cherrystone Road. Damage values are estimated.
Thunderstorm winds blew a tree down on Henrys Mill Road. Damage values are estimated.
Thunderstorm winds blew a tree down on State Route 832/57. Damage values are estimated.
Thunderstorm winds blew several trees down. Damage values are estimated.
Thunderstorm winds blew a tree down on South Boston Highway. Damage values are estimated.
Thunderstorm winds blew a tree down on Rocksprings Road. Damage values are estimated.
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, June 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: 325863, 325865, 325867, 325869, 325872, 325875, 325891, 325879, 325881, 325883, 325893, 325884, 325887, 325888, 325898, 325894, 325902, 325903, 326023, 325906, 325909, 325910, 325912, 325915, 325916, 325918, 325919, 325920, 325921, 325922, 325923, 325924, 325925, 325926, 325927, 325930, 325931, 325928, 325933, 325935, and more.