An upper level storm system approaching from the west helped to trigger numerous showers and thunderstorms. The storms developed along a slow-moving frontal boundary, and with abundant moisture in place, some of the storms produced heavy rainfall with flash flooding.
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.
An upper level storm system approaching from the west helped to trigger numerous showers and thunderstorms. The storms developed along a slow-moving frontal boundary, and with abundant moisture in place, some of the storms produced heavy rainfall with flash flooding.
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 May 13, 3:11 PM EST, 2 hours 18 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
411 PM EDT FRI MAY 13 2011
.SYNOPSIS...
A DEEP UPPER LEVEL LOW APPROACHING OUR REGION FROM THE CENTRAL
PLAINS WILL KEEP SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS IN THE FORECAST THROUGH
THE WEEKEND. WITH ABUNDANT MOISTURE IN THE ATMOSPHERE...PERIODS OF
PROLONGED HEAVY RAIN...IN ADDITION TO STRONG THUNDERSTORMS...WILL
BE POSSIBLE.
&&
.NEAR TERM /THROUGH SATURDAY/...
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THIS EVENING
ACROSS MUCH OF THE EVENING...WITH SOME OF THE STRONGEST ACTIVITY
EXPECTED TO OCCUR WEST OF THE BLUE RIDGE. LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING
WINDS...FREQUENT LIGHTNING...AND PROLONGED PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN
WILL ALL BE POSSIBLE. LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING WILL ALSO BE
POSSIBLE UNDER THE SLOW MOVING STORMS...AS WELL AS WHERE
THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOP REPEATEDLY OVER THE SAME LOCATIONS.
WITH ABUNDANT MOISTURE AND CLOUD COVER IN PLACE ACROSS THE
REGION...WILL KEEP OVERNIGHT LOWS ON THE WARM SIDE...WITH LOWS
GENERALLY IN THE 60S EVERYWHERE EXCEPT THE HIGHEST ELEVATIONS. DO
NOT EXPECT CLOUD COVER TO BREAK AS MUCH DURING THE DAY ON
SATURDAY...AND HAVE THEREFORE LIMITED HIGH TEMPERATURES TO THE 70S
AREAWIDE.
&&
.SHORT TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT/...
UNSETTLED WEATHER EXPECTED THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK AS CUT OFF LOW
SETS UP SHOP OVER THE EAST CENTRAL CONUS. ANTICIPATE MORE CLOUDS
THAN SUN THROUGH THIS FORECAST PERIOD WITH SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS
SHOWERS. THUNDERSTORMS ALSO POSSIBLE...ESP DURING THE PEAK HEATING
OF THE AFTERNOON. MAIN THREAT FROM STORMS THIS WEEKEND AND EARLY
NEXT WEEK WILL BE HAIL...DUE TO THE COOLING TEMPS ALOFT AND STEEP
LAPSE RATES. WILL ALSO NEED TO MONITOR AREA STREAMS. THIS DAILY
REPEAT PERFORMANCE OF SHOWERS IS PROMOTING A LOT OF RUNNOFF.
&&
.LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/...
HPC GUIDANCE USED FOR THE LATTER HALF OF THE WEEK. CONSIDERABLE
DIFFERENCE IN THE LONG RANGE MODELS ON HOW FAST THE CUT-OFF LOW
FILLS AND EXITS THE AREA...THE ECMWF HANGING ONTO THE CIRCULATION
THE LONGEST. A REX BLOCK PATTERN SUGGEST THIS CIRCULATION IS NOT
GOING ANYWHERE VERY FAST...THUS HAVE MAINTAINED AT LEAST LOW CHC
THREAT OF SHOWERS THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK. DID TREND TEMPS UP
SLIGHTLY EACH DAY...THINKING WE SHOULD SEE A BIT MORE SUN WITH EACH
PASSING DAY.
&&
.AVIATION /19Z FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
CONVECTION WILL CONTINUE DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING ACROSS
MUCH OF THE REGION...WITH SOME INTENSE STORMS PRODUCING LARGE
HAIL...AS WELL AS PROLONGED PERIODS OF VERY HEAVY RAIN WHICH WILL
REDUCE VISIBILITIES TO LESS THAN 1SM. ONCE STORMS SUBSIDE...THE
VERY MOIST ATMOSPHERE WILL RESULT IN ANOTHER ROUND OF WIDESPREAD
IFR CONDITIONS WHICH WILL AFFECT ALL AIRPORTS. EXPECT CEILINGS
BELOW 500 FEET AND VISIBILITIES BELOW 1SM TO BE WELL IN PLACE BY
14/07Z. THESE CONDITIONS WILL IMPROVE VERY SLOWLY THROUGH THE
MORNING HOURS...BUT EXPECT MOST LOCATIONS TO BE AT LEAST MVFR...IF
NOT STILL IFR...HEADING INTO SATURDAY AFTERNOON. SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS WILL BECOME WIDESPREAD SATURDAY AFTERNOON AS A DEEP
AND SLOW MOVING UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM APPROACHES OUR
REGION FROM THE CENTRAL PLAINS.
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL STAY WITH THE REGION HEADING INTO
THE EARLY PART OF NEXT WEEK...WITH PERIODS OF MVFR AND IFR
CONDITIONS POSSIBLE DURING THE OVERNIGHT AND MORNING HOURS ACROSS
THE REGION.
&&
.RNK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
VA...FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 10 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR VAZ007-
009>019-022-023.
NC...FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 10 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR NCZ001-002.
WV...FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 10 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR WVZ042>045.
&&
SYNOPSIS...NF
NEAR TERM...NF
SHORT TERM...PM
LONG TERM...PM
AVIATION...NF/WPHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 329 PM EDT FRI MAY 13 2011 NCZ018-019-141930- WATAUGA-WILKES- 329 PM EDT FRI MAY 13 2011 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 297 IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM EDT THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE EVENING. A FEW OF THESE STORMS WILL PRODUCE LARGE DAMAGING HAIL AND STRONG WINDS...IN ADDITION TO PERIODS OF VERY HEAVY RAIN AND FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MAY ONCE AGAIN PRODUCE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS AND LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING IN THE MOUNTAINS ON SATURDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. NCZ001-002-VAZ007-009-010-012-015-141930- ASHE-ALLEGHANY NC-TAZEWELL-SMYTH-BLAND-WYTHE-GRAYSON- 329 PM EDT FRI MAY 13 2011 ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM EDT THIS EVENING... ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 297 IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM EDT THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA AND SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. FLASH FLOOD WATCH. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE EVENING. A FEW OF THESE STORMS WILL PRODUCE LARGE DAMAGING HAIL AND STRONG WINDS...IN ADDITION TO PERIODS OF VERY HEAVY RAIN AND FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING IS ALSO POSSIBLE UNDER SLOW MOVING STORMS...OR WHERE STORMS DEVELOP REPEATEDLY OVER THE SAME LOCATIONS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MAY ONCE AGAIN PRODUCE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS AND LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING IN THE MOUNTAINS ON SATURDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. VAZ011-013-014-016>019-022-023-WVZ042>045-141930- GILES-PULASKI-MONTGOMERY-CARROLL-FLOYD-CRAIG-ALLEGHANY VA-ROANOKE- BOTETOURT-MERCER-SUMMERS-MONROE-GREENBRIER- 329 PM EDT FRI MAY 13 2011 ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM EDT THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA...WEST CENTRAL VIRGINIA AND SOUTHEAST WEST VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. FLASH FLOOD WATCH. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE EVENING. A FEW OF THESE STORMS MAY PRODUCE LARGE DAMAGING HAIL AND STRONG WINDS...IN ADDITION TO PERIODS OF VERY HEAVY RAIN AND FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING IS ALSO POSSIBLE UNDER SLOW MOVING STORMS...OR WHERE STORMS DEVELOP REPEATEDLY OVER THE SAME LOCATIONS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. EXPECT NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS AGAIN THROUGH THE WEEKEND. A FEW STORMS MAY BE SEVERE...WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING IS ALSO POSSIBLE UNDER SLOW MOVING STORMS...OR WHERE STORMS DEVELOP REPEATEDLY OVER THE SAME LOCATIONS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. NCZ003>006-020-VAZ020-024-032>035-043>047-058-059-141930- SURRY-STOKES-ROCKINGHAM-CASWELL-YADKIN-BATH-ROCKBRIDGE-PATRICK- FRANKLIN-BEDFORD-AMHERST-HENRY-PITTSYLVANIA-CAMPBELL-APPOMATTOX- BUCKINGHAM-HALIFAX-CHARLOTTE- 329 PM EDT FRI MAY 13 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...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL INCREASE IN COVERAGE THIS EVENING...AND WILL LINGER THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT. THERE IS A THREAT FOR ISOLATED FLASH FLOODING IF STORMS TRAIN ACROSS THE SAME AREAS. A FEW STORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE WITH ISOLATED WIND DAMAGE OR LARGE HAIL POSSIBLE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. EXPECT NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS AGAIN THROUGH THE WEEKEND. A FEW STORMS MAY BE SEVERE...WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING IS ALSO POSSIBLE UNDER SLOW MOVING STORMS...OR WHERE STORMS DEVELOP REPEATEDLY OVER THE SAME LOCATIONS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
455 PM EDT FRI MAY 13 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0315 PM HEAVY RAIN FRIES 36.72N 80.97W
05/13/2011 M3.31 INCH CARROLL VA TRAINED SPOTTER
3.31 INCHES OF RAIN MEASURED FROM A RAIN GAUGE IN
DOWNTOWN
&&
16PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
504 PM EDT FRI MAY 13 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0300 PM FLASH FLOOD FRIES 36.72N 80.97W
05/13/2011 CARROLL VA LAW ENFORCEMENT
HEAVY RAIN HAS CAUSED A LARGE ROCK TO FALL INTO FRIES
ROAD JUST OUTSIDE THE COMMUNITY OF FRIES.
&&
16PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
508 PM EDT FRI MAY 13 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0240 PM TSTM WND DMG FRIES 36.72N 80.97W
05/13/2011 CARROLL VA TRAINED SPOTTER
MULTIPLE TREES HAVE BEEN BLOWN DOWN ON CARROL DRIVE IN
THE COMMUNITY OF FRIES.
&&
16PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
516 PM EDT FRI MAY 13 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0300 PM FLASH FLOOD 1 SE FRIES 36.70N 80.95W
05/13/2011 CARROLL VA LAW ENFORCEMENT
FRIES ROAD FROM NEAR COUNTRY CONVENIENT TO LOW WATER
BRIDGE WAS FLOODED WITH 6 TO 8 INCHES FLOWING OVER THE
ROAD.
&&
16PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
527 PM EDT FRI MAY 13 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0300 PM FLASH FLOOD FRIES 36.72N 80.97W
05/13/2011 CARROLL VA TRAINED SPOTTER
DALTON ROAD CREEK WAS SEVERAL FEET OUT OF ITS BANKS AND
CAUSED FLOODING AT THE FRIES RV PARK. SEVERAL CARS WERE
ALSO FLOODED AT THE FRIES MIDDLE SCHOOL.
&&
16PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
529 PM EDT FRI MAY 13 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0435 PM HAIL BEECH MOUNTAIN 36.21N 81.89W
05/13/2011 E0.88 INCH WATAUGA NC PUBLIC
&&
16The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 96 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:29 UTC.
1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Heavy rains of 1 to 1.5 inches in a few hours caused water to run over a road in Pinnacle Rock State Park.
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, May 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: 308172.