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, 3:06 PM EST, 2 hours 24 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 406 PM EDT TUE JUN 21 2011 .SYNOPSIS... 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 /UNTIL 6 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING/... QUITE A BIT OF CUMULUS CLOUDS HAVE FORMED ALONG AND WEST OF THE BLUE RIDGE...WITH MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES TO THE EAST. WEAK UPPER LEVEL WAVE MOVING ACROSS HAS PROVIDED ENOUGH LIFT AND MOISTENING ALOFT...WHICH COMBINED WITH DAYTIME HEATING AND TERRAIN IMPACTS...HAS ALLOWED THUNDERSTORMS TO START FORMING 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 MIXED WITH THEIR SOLUTIONS. THE HRRR SHOWS 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 AND EVENING HOURS. NEXT ISSUE WILL BE WHAT HAPPENS WITH STORMS CURRENTLY FIRING OVER NORTHERN ALABAMA AND TENNESSEE. LOCAL WRF AND HRRR BRING WHAT REMAINS OF THESE STORMS INTO WESTERN AREAS BETWEEN 7 AND 9PM TONIGHT AND PUSH IT EAST THROUGH MIDNIGHT. AGAIN WITH DEEP LAYER SHEAR MINIMAL...THESE STORMS SHOULD HAVE A TOUGH TIME ORGANIZING AND PUSHING INTO OUR AREA. THREAT WILL ALSO DEPEND ON HOW MUCH THESE AFTERNOONS STORMS ABATE THE INSTABILITY OVER US. IF THEY USE UP MOST OF IT THEN ANYTHING APPROACHING SHOULD TEND TO WEAKEN...AND FEEL THIS IS THE MOST LIKELY SOLUTION. BUT WILL HAVE TO WATCH THIS THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS. WENT CLOSER TO THE WARMER GUIDANCE FOR TONIGHTS LOWS GIVEN HIGH DEWPOINTS IN PLACE AND EXPECTED MOSTLY CLOUDY SKY CONDITIONS. MAY HAVE SOME FOG FORMATION TOWARDS MORNING WHERE IT RAINS TODAY...ESPECIALLY IF WE CAN GET A COUPLE HOURS OF MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES. WEDNESDAY WILL BE ANOTHER WARM TO HOT DAY...WITH 850MB TEMPERATURES SIMILAR TO TODAY...AROUND 19 TO 21C. THUS HIGHS SHOULD BE IN THE 80S IN THE MOUNTAINS...AND LOW TO MID 90S IN THE PIEDMONT. ONE DIFFERENCE WILL BE THAT WE SHOULD SEE MORE CLOUDS THAN TODAY...THUS HIGHS WILL BE A LITTLE COOLER THAN TODAY MOST PLACES. GIVEN THIS...LOWERED FORECASTED HIGHS A COUPLE DEGREES...GOING IN BETWEEN THE COOLER MET AND WARMER MAV VALUES...WHICH HAS VERIFIED PRETTY WELL THIS SUMMER. SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM THREAT EXISTS AGAIN ON WEDNESDAY. BEST CHANCE IN THE WEST WHERE ACTIVITY MAY BEGIN DURING THE MORNING HOURS. SREF PROBABILITIES SHOW HIGH PROBABILITIES BY 18Z IN THE WEST...WITH A DECENT SHOT OF AT LEAST SOME PRECIP IN THE EAST DURING THE AFTERNOON. DEEP LAYER SHEAR IS ONCE AGAIN WEAK...ALTHOUGH A LITTLE STRONGER THAN TODAY. CLOUD COVER SHOULD LIMIT OVERALL INSTABILITY. BEST SEVERE THREAT APPEARS TO BE TO OUR NORTHWEST WHERE HIGHER DYNAMICS AND BETTER INSTABILITY EXISTS. THIS SHOWN WELL BY SREF AND MAV SVR PROBABILITIES. NAM SHOWS MORE UNSTABLE AIR MOVING INTO THE PIEDMONT BY AFTERNOON...AND THUS MET SVR PROBABILITIES AND POPS ARE HIGHER THERE. FEEL BEST CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE IN THE WEST...WHILE BEST SVR THREAT WOULD BE TO OUR NORTHWEST OF WV AND OHIO...AND IN THE PIEDMONT IF STORMS ARE ABLE TO CROSS THE BLUE RIDGE. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/... UPPER TROUGH ACROSS THE MIDWEST WILL SLOWLY TRACK EAST INTO THE FORECAST AREA THROUGH THIS PERIOD. A FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL BACKDOOR IN BY THURSDAY NIGHT. MODELS DIFFER ON THE SHORTWAVES OUT AHEAD OF THE FRONT AND PRECIP PLACEMENT. LEANING TOWARD A GFS/ECMWF BLEND WHICH BRINGS ONE SHORTWAVE ACROSS WED EVENING...THOUGH WILL KEEP POPS IN THE CHANCE RANGE...HIGHEST IN THE SW. ONCE THAT WAVE PASSES...OP MODELS KEEP PRECIP AT A MIN AS MAIN THRUST OF LIFT MOVES OFF THE MID ATLANTIC COAST. THE MODELS ARE SHOWING LOWER PWATS THU-THU NIGHT...BUT WILL KEEP POPS LOW TO ACCOUNT FOR THE LEE TROUGH AND SHORTWAVE PASSING BY TO THE NORTHWEST. THU NIGHT-FRI...THE FRONT DROPS SOUTH INTO THE AREA WITH WINDS VEERING TO THE WEST. THIS MAY LEAD TO LESS CHANCE IN THE EAST THU NIGHT INTO FRIDAY WITH CHANCE POPS MAINLY WEST OF THE BLUE RIDGE. STILL COULD SEE SOME SCTD CONVECTION FRI AFTN IN THE FAR EAST. TEMPS THIS PERIOD WILL REFLECT A BLEND OF MAV/MET. WILL SEE SOME COOLER TEMPS BY THU NIGHT...BUT WILL KEEP HIGHS IN THE 80S BOTH THU-FRI...CLOSER TO 90 OUT EAST AHEAD OF FRONT. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... A SLOWLY MOVING UPPER LOW CENTER TRANSITION FROM THE UPPER GREAT LAKES TO NEW BRUNSWICK CANADA BY EARLY NEXT WEEK. SERIAL SHORTWAVES PIVOTING AROUND THE LOW WILL RESULT IN PERIODS OF UNSETTLED WEATHER. HPCGUIDE USED FOR THE MOST OF LONG TERM WITH ONLY SLIGHT MODIFICATIONS NEEDED TO REFLECT LOCAL CLIMATOLOGICAL BIAS DRIVEN MAINLY BY TOPOGRAPHY. FRONT BOUNDARY EXPECTED TO STALL JUST TO THE SOUTH OF THE AREA FRIDAY NIGHT...THEN BEGIN BUCKLING NORTHWARD AS A WARM FRONT BACK INTO THE MID ATLANTIC REGION OVER THE WEEKEND. THE EXACT PLACEMENT OF THE FRONT AND HIGH CENTER IS DIFFERENT DEPENDING ON MODEL CHOICE. IN GENERAL...THE 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 SHOULD FORCES COOLER AND DRIER AIR BACK INTO THE AREA FROM THE NORTH SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY. KEPT SOME LIGHT POPS IN THE WESTERN MOUNTAINS ON TUESDAY. && .AVIATION /20Z 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...MC/NF NEAR TERM...MC SHORT TERM...WP LONG TERM...KK AVIATION...MC/NF
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 327 PM EDT TUE JUN 21 2011 NCZ004>006-020-VAZ035-043>047-058-059-221930- STOKES-ROCKINGHAM-CASWELL-YADKIN-AMHERST-HENRY-PITTSYLVANIA-CAMPBELL- APPOMATTOX-BUCKINGHAM-HALIFAX-CHARLOTTE- 327 PM EDT TUE JUN 21 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA...NORTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA...CENTRAL VIRGINIA AND SOUTH CENTRAL VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. NCZ001>003-018-019-VAZ007-009>020-022>024-032>034-WVZ042>045-221930- ASHE-ALLEGHANY NC-SURRY-WATAUGA-WILKES-TAZEWELL-SMYTH-BLAND-GILES- WYTHE-PULASKI-MONTGOMERY-GRAYSON-CARROLL-FLOYD-CRAIG-ALLEGHANY VA- BATH-ROANOKE-BOTETOURT-ROCKBRIDGE-PATRICK-FRANKLIN-BEDFORD-MERCER- SUMMERS-MONROE-GREENBRIER- 327 PM EDT TUE JUN 21 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA...NORTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA...SOUTH CENTRAL VIRGINIA...SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA...WEST CENTRAL VIRGINIA AND SOUTHEAST WEST VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON 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. THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
500 PM EDT TUE JUN 21 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0456 PM HAIL 2 SSE ROANOKE 37.25N 79.94W
06/21/2011 E1.00 INCH CITY OF ROANOKE VA PUBLIC
HAIL OBSERVED AT THE ROANOKE HOSPITAL.
&&
HYSELLPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
521 PM EDT TUE JUN 21 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0455 PM HAIL 2 ESE ASHLAND 36.43N 81.62W
06/21/2011 E1.00 INCH ASHE NC PUBLIC
&&
EHSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
526 PM EDT TUE JUN 21 2011
WVZ043-045-212200-
GREENBRIER WV-SUMMERS WV-
526 PM EDT TUE JUN 21 2011
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT GREENBRIER AND SUMMERS
COUNTIES...
AT 522 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 4 MILES WEST OF
SANDSTONE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH.
WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH AND HAIL UP TO DIME SIZE 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 SANDSTONE AROUND 535 PM...ELTON AROUND 550 PM
AND LAWN AROUND 600 PM.
LAT...LON 3777 8065 3770 8089 3766 8100 3768 8101
3772 8098 3772 8095 3770 8090 3774 8093
3778 8090 3782 8094 3787 8083 3787 8076
3792 8080 3794 8076
DSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
530 PM EDT TUE JUN 21 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0515 PM FLASH FLOOD 1 ESE ROANOKE 37.27N 79.94W
06/21/2011 CITY OF ROANOKE VA PUBLIC
1 FOOT RUNNING WATER IN ROAD
0515 PM HAIL 1 ESE ROANOKE 37.27N 79.94W
06/21/2011 E1.00 INCH CITY OF ROANOKE VA PUBLIC
0515 PM TSTM WND DMG 1 ESE ROANOKE 37.27N 79.94W
06/21/2011 CITY OF ROANOKE VA PUBLIC
TREES DOWN IN ROAD
&&
EHSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
530 PM EDT TUE JUN 21 2011
VAZ034-212200-
BEDFORD VA-
530 PM EDT TUE JUN 21 2011
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT BEDFORD COUNTY...
AT 526 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 5 MILES SOUTHEAST
OF BIG ISLAND...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 5 MPH.
WIND GUSTS TO 40 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 BOONSBORO AROUND 600 PM.
LAT...LON 3747 7922 3745 7925 3745 7926 3743 7927
3742 7925 3741 7926 3740 7924 3739 7925
3746 7939 3752 7934 3747 7919
DSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
605 PM EDT TUE JUN 21 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0540 PM HAIL 4 E CHRISTIANSBURG 37.14N 80.32W
06/21/2011 M1.00 INCH MONTGOMERY VA BROADCAST MEDIA
WDBJ REPORT FROM VIEWER OFF ROUTE 11 NEAR THE
CHRISTIANSBURG WAYSIDE.
&&
HYSELLThe Roanoke radar (KFCX), 92 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:30 UTC.
7 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Thunderstorm winds blew several trees down. Damage values are estimated.
Quarter size hail fell just east of Lewisburg.
Thunderstorm winds blew trees down in the Second Creek community. Damage values are estimated.
Thunderstorm winds blew multiple large trees down near the intersection of Hillsdale Road and Route 3 near Pickaway. Damage values are estimated.
Thunderstorm wind downed multiple large trees near the intersection of Stringtown Road and Route 219. Stringtown Road was blocked by the downed trees. Damage values are estimated.
Thunderstorm winds blew trees down around Alderson. One tree fell into a house at the intersection of Hickory Avenue and Spring Street. Another tree fell across Route 12. Damage values are estimated.
Heavy rain prompted flash flooding of a stream caused water to flow across Hillsdale Toll Gate Road.
Thunderstorm winds blew trees down that blocked Muddy Creek Mountain Road. Damage values are estimated.
Thunderstorm winds blew multiple trees down across Route 219 just north of Renick. Damage values are estimated.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in West Virginia in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in West 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: 325844, 325845, 325843, 325839, 325841, 325849, 325858, 325850, 325853.