Flash Flood and Hail in West Virginia, June 28, 2011

Name: Flash Flood and Hail in West Virginia, June 28, 2011
Start: 2011-06-28T13:11
End: 2011-06-28T20:00
Location: West Virginia

June 28, 2011 · NWS RNK · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

A cold front swept through the region on the 28th. Multiple clusters of storms accompanied the front as it progressed.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $500,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 2

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS RNK wrote it up.

A cold front swept through the region on the 28th. Multiple clusters of storms accompanied the front as it progressed. One of these storms increased to severe levels over southeast West Virginia and produced large hail. Another storm produced enough rain in a short period of time to cause flash flooding.

What forecasters said that day

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 28, 12:02 PM EST, 1 hour 9 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 28, 12:02 PM EST, 1 hour 9 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
102 PM EDT TUE JUN 28 2011

.SYNOPSIS...
A COLD FRONT WILL DROP SOUTHEAST THROUGH THE AREA TONIGHT BEFORE
EXITING BY WEDNESDAY MORNING. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD IN BEHIND
IT BRINGING A RETURN TO LESS HUMID CONDITIONS UNTIL THE END OF THE
WEEK.
&&

.NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/...
MAIN CONCERN AGAIN WITH CONVECTIVE ORGANIZATION AHEAD OF THE
UPSTREAM COLD FRONT THIS AFTERNOON AND DEGREE OF SEVERE POTENTIAL
AS STRONG INSTABILITY TAKES SHAPE ESPCLY EAST. LATEST MORNING
MODIFIED RAOBS INDICATE CAPES NEAR 2000 J/KG OVER THE MOUNTAINS
AND 2-3K OUT EAST WHERE TEMPS WILL SURGE INTO AT LEAST THE LOWER
90S. APPEARS PASSAGE OF THE MCS WELL TO THE SW MAY TEND TO SLOW
WESTERN DEVELOPMENT INITIALLY AS RATHER DEEP WESTERLY FLOW
PREVAILS FROM THE BLUE RIDGE WEST ATTM. HOWEVER OLD OUTFLOW ACROSS
THE FAR WEST FROM THE EARLIER SHRA TO THE WEST MAY BE THE TRIGGER
TO GET THINGS GOING ACROSS THE SW MOUNTAINS...WITH THIS COVERAGE
THEN DEVELOPING EAST TO ALONG THE LEE TROF IN THE SOUTH AND EAST
WHERE THE LOW LEVEL FLOW IS MORE SW. WEAK BUT UNIDIRECTIONAL
WESTERLY FLOW ALOFT SUPPORTS SOME MULTICLUSTERS WHERE STORMS DO
ORGANIZE WITH HIGH DCAPES DESPITE LESS DRY AIR ALOFT THIS
AFTERNOON. THUS BUMPED UP POPS TO LIKELYS ACROSS PARTS OF THE EAST
IN LINE WITH THE LATEST LOCAL WRF AND THE UPDATED SWODY1 FROM SPC.
THINK THE WESTERLY FLOW MAY TEND TO KEEP THINGS MORE ISOLATED FROM
THE NEW/ROA VALLEYS AND POINTS NORTH SO WENT ON THE LOWER END OF
CHC POPS THERE. BUMPED UP TEMPS A DEGREE OR TWO IN SPOTS GIVEN
MORE SUN EARLY PER VIS PICS AND WEAK DOWNSLOPE ALOFT.

&&

.SHORT TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/...
DURING THIS PORTION OF THE FORECAST...HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS OVER THE
REGION WEDNESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY NIGHT. ANTICIPATE SOME OF THE
COOLEST LOW TEMPERATURES SO FAR THIS SUMMER. EARLY THURSDAY
MORNING...SOME PORTIONS OF THE MOUNTAINS MAY SEE LOWS AROUND 50
DEGREES...WITH LOWER 50S COMMON FOR MUCH OF THE MOUNTAINS. EAST OF
THE BLUE RIDGE...UPPER 50S TO AROUND 60 DEGREES WILL BE MORE COMMON.
THE HIGH PRESSURE REMAINS OVER THE REGION THROUGH FRIDAY. WE ARE NOT
EXPECTING ANY PRECIPITATION...AND TEMPERATURES SHOULD SLOWLY
MODERATE EACH DAY AS 850 MB TEMPERATURES INCREASE AND GEOPOTENTIAL
HEIGHTS INCREASE. A VERY ISOLATED SHOWER OR STORM MAY OCCUR THURSDAY
AFTERNOON OVER THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS OF NORTH CAROLINA AS SOUTHEAST
FLOW WILL GENERATE SOME MILD UPSLOPE CONDITIONS. HOWEVER...WILL NOT
INCLUDE THIS POTENTIAL IN THE FORECAST AT THIS TIME.

&&

.LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY/...
CLOSED LOW DIVING INTO KSFO AND CLOSED LOW MOVING ACROSS NEW
ENGLAND WILL ALLOW THE UPPER RIDGE TO EXPAND INTO THE OHIO VALLEY.
INITIALLY...LLVL MOISTURE AND DEW POINTS PROBABLY WONT BE SUFFICIENT
FOR DIURNAL CONVECTION. PWATS WILL INCREASE AS A WEAK BOUNDARY
FROM WEST TO EAST DROPS INTO THE OHIO VALLEY LATER SUNDAY...SO THE
END OF THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND AND THE BEGINNING OF NEXT WEEK STAND
THE CHANCE FOR WIDELY SCATTERED STORMS...HOT AND HUMID CONDITIONS.
SATURDAY LOOKS TO BE THE HOTTEST DAY BUT SUNDAY HAS THE POTENTIAL
TO ALSO BE AROUND 90 TO THE UPPER 90S IF THE OHIO VALLEY BOUNDARY
IS DELAYED.

&&

.AVIATION /18Z TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/...
WELL MIXED WESTERLY FLOW CONTINUES TO SLOW DOWN CONVECTIVE
DEVELOPMENT EARLY THIS AFTERNOON WITH MOST SHRA/TSRA DEVELOPING
JUST WEST OF KBLF ALONG OLD OUTFLOW AIDED BY DIFF HEATING. STILL
EXPECTING SOME OF THIS COVERAGE TO GRADUALLY DEVELOP EAST BEFORE
POSSIBLY JUMPING EAST OF THE BLUE RIDGE WHERE EVENTUALLY SHOULD
SEE A BROKEN LINE DEVELOP. THUS WILL INCLUDE MORE OF A TSRA
MENTION EITHER IN PREVAILING OR TEMPO GROUPS ACROSS SE WVA/KDAN
AND LESS ALONG THE BLUE RIDGE NEAR KROA WITH -SHRA/CB MENTION ELSW.

OUTSIDE OF ANY STORMS...VFR CONDITIONS SHOULD PREVAIL UNDER
SCTD/BKN CU EXCEPT OVER THE EAST WHERE CLOUDS MAY BE MORE
EXPANSIVE AS DEEPER CONVECTION DEVELOPS.

THE COLD FRONT SHOULD BE SOUTHEAST OF THE REGION LATE TONIGHT BUT
DRIER AIR MAY BE SLOWER IN ARRIVING ESPECIALLY IN THE PIEDMONT.
WITH SHOWERS AROUND INTO THE EVENING...SOME MVFR OR IFR FOG IS
POSSIBLE AT MOST SITES LATE TONIGHT BUT WILL BE MOST WIDESPREAD
INCLUDING THE LOWEST VSBYS AT SITES THAT DO RECEIVE EARLIER
RAINFALL.

HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS OVER THE AREA FOR MID WEEK...RESULTING IN
MOSTLY DRY WX THROUGH SUNDAY. ASIDE FROM SOME LATE NIGHT FOG
ALONG THE RIVERS...PRIMARILY IN THE MTNS...LOOKING AT VFR
CONDITIONS FROM WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY.

&&

.RNK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
VA...NONE.
NC...NONE.
WV...NONE.

&&

SYNOPSIS...JH/WP
NEAR TERM...JH/WP
SHORT TERM...DS
LONG TERM...KM
AVIATION...JH/PM/WP

Hazardous weather outlook, Jun 28, 8:31 AM EST, 4 hours 40 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
931 AM EDT TUE JUN 28 2011

VAZ007-009>014-017>020-022>024-WVZ042>045-291345-
TAZEWELL-SMYTH-BLAND-GILES-WYTHE-PULASKI-MONTGOMERY-FLOYD-CRAIG-
ALLEGHANY VA-BATH-ROANOKE-BOTETOURT-ROCKBRIDGE-MERCER-SUMMERS-MONROE-
GREENBRIER-
931 AM EDT TUE JUN 28 2011

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA...WEST
CENTRAL VIRGINIA AND SOUTHEAST WEST VIRGINIA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.

SCATTERED STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING ISOLATED
DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL WILL BE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY.

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED.

NCZ001>006-018>020-VAZ015-016-032>035-043>047-058-059-291345-
ASHE-ALLEGHANY NC-SURRY-STOKES-ROCKINGHAM-CASWELL-WATAUGA-WILKES-
YADKIN-GRAYSON-CARROLL-PATRICK-FRANKLIN-BEDFORD-AMHERST-HENRY-
PITTSYLVANIA-CAMPBELL-APPOMATTOX-BUCKINGHAM-HALIFAX-CHARLOTTE-
931 AM EDT TUE JUN 28 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.

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING. THESE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS
AND LARGE HAIL.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY.

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jun 28, 8:21 AM EST, 4 hours 50 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
921 AM EDT TUE JUN 28 2011

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0857 PM     TSTM WND DMG     3 SW EDEN               36.48N 79.78W
06/27/2011                   ROCKINGHAM         NC   FIRE DEPT/RESCUE

            ROOF OFF OF A HOUSE ON 1033 KLYCE STREET.

&&

MATTAROCHIA

Local storm report, Jun 28, 8:29 AM EST, 4 hours 42 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
929 AM EDT TUE JUN 28 2011

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0910 PM     TSTM WND DMG     2 NNE EDEN              36.53N 79.73W
06/27/2011                   ROCKINGHAM         NC   911 CALL CENTER

            TREE DOWN ALONG FRIENDLY ROAD

&&

PW

Local storm report, Jun 28, 8:34 AM EST, 4 hours 37 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
934 AM EDT TUE JUN 28 2011

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1010 PM     TSTM WND DMG     2 SE BELLEWS LAKE       36.27N 80.01W
06/27/2011                   ROCKINGHAM         NC   911 CALL CENTER

            TREE DOWN ALONG OAK LEVEL CHURCH ROAD

&&

PW

Local storm report, Jun 28, 8:55 AM EST, 4 hours 16 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
955 AM EDT TUE JUN 28 2011

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1010 PM     TSTM WND DMG     1 WSW YANCEYVILLE       36.40N 79.36W
06/27/2011                   CASWELL            NC   911 CALL CENTER

            TREE DOWN ALONG HATCHETT ROAD

&&

PW

Local storm report, Jun 28, 9:01 AM EST, 4 hours 10 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
1001 AM EDT TUE JUN 28 2011

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1052 PM     TSTM WND DMG     3 NNW PROSPECT HILL     36.29N 79.23W
06/27/2011                   CASWELL            NC   911 CALL CENTER

            TREE DOWN ALONG CORBETT RIDGE ROAD

&&

PW

Local storm report, Jun 28, 9:04 AM EST, 4 hours 7 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
1004 AM EDT TUE JUN 28 2011

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1027 PM     TSTM WND DMG     5 SE YANCEYVILLE        36.35N 79.29W
06/27/2011                   CASWELL            NC   911 CALL CENTER

            TWO TREES DOWN ALONG BURTON CHAPEL ROAD

&&

PW

The radar

The Charleston,WV radar (KRLX), 100 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:09 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 hail, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Mercer

When: June 28, 1:11 PM EST to 1:26 PM EST
Where: Mercer County, 2.14 mi NNE of Dott
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 37.500, -81.240

Hail ranging in size from dime to quarter size fell for a 15 minute period.

Flash Flood, Monroe

When: June 28, 3:00 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where: Monroe County, 1.44 mi SSW of Willow Bend to 2.93 mi SSE of Laurel Branch
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $500,000
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 37.511, -80.560

As much as five inches of rain fell in only a 90 minute time period in and around the community of Zenith. Several roads, including Zenith Road, Wallace Hollow Road and County Road 29/2 - Back County Road, were inundated due to flash flooding of small streams. The flash flood waters also damaged some downstream outbuildings and vehicles.

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Flash Flood: Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in West Virginia in 2011 Every state in 2011 This day in weather history Warnings in West Virginia, June 2011

Sources

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: 326330, 326331.