Unstable northwest flow aloft combined with a stationary/warm front across the eastern portion of the Tennessee Valley and southern Appalachians to produce scattered afternoon and evening thunderstorms in this region of the forecast area. None of the storms reached severe limits, but did produce a fair amount of penny to nickel-sized hail.
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.
Unstable northwest flow aloft combined with a stationary/warm front across the eastern portion of the Tennessee Valley and southern Appalachians to produce scattered afternoon and evening thunderstorms in this region of the forecast area. None of the storms reached severe limits, but did produce a fair amount of penny to nickel-sized hail. In some cases the hail lasted for 30 minutes or more and covered the ground.
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 3, 4:37 PM EST, 29 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 537 PM EDT TUE APR 3 2012 .SYNOPSIS... A WARM FRONT WILL LIFT NORTHWARD INTO OUR ARE THIS EVENING... TRIGGERING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MAINLY ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS. SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WILL REMAIN IN THE FORECAST FOR WEDNESDAY AS A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL SINK SOUTHWARD THROUGH THE AREA. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD IN BEHIND THE FRONT...RESULTING IN DRIER WEATHER FOR THE WEEKEND. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... AS OF 530 PM EDT TUESDAY... WARM FRONT HAS ADVANCED WELL EAST INTO THE COUNTY WARNING AREA WITH SURFACE DEW POINTS RISING BACK INTO THE 50S AND LIFTED INDEX VALUES DOWN TO -6 IN THE WARM SECTOR. HAVE MODIFIED THE PROBABILITY OF PRECIPITATION IN THE WESTERN COUNTY WARNING AREA TO ACCOUNT FOR THE LATEST RADAR TRENDS. AS OF 330 PM EDT TUESDAY... RADAR IMAGERY INDICATES SPOTTY SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY DEVELOPING WITH THE AFTERNOON HEATING ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS THIS AFTERNOON...AS A WARM FRONT BEGINS TO LIFT NORTHWARD ACROSS THE WESTERN PART OF OUR AREA. WILL HAVE TO KEEP OUR EYE ON THIS ACTIVITY THIS EVENING AS A FEW OF THE STRONGER CELLS HAVE ALREADY BEEN BORDERLINE SEVERE AT TIMES. THE STRONGER STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LARGE HAIL AND PERIODS OF VERY HEAVY RAIN. WILL KEEP THE CHANCE OF RAIN GOING INTO THE OVERNIGHT HOURS...HOWEVER THESE STORMS WILL DECREASE IN INTENSITY AFTER SUNSET AS DAYTIME HEATING DECREASES. SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WILL INCREASE IN COVERAGE DURING THE LATE EVENING HOURS AS A COLD FRONT APPROACHES...AND A THUNDERSTORM COMPLEX ENTERS OUR AREA FROM THE GREAT LAKES REGION. WITH INCREASED CLOUD COVER ACROSS THE AREA...ALONG WITH WARM AIR POOLING ACROSS OUR AREA AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT...OVERNIGHT TEMPERATURES WILL BE WARMER THAN LAST NIGHTS...WITH LOWS EXPECTED TO FALL MAINLY INTO THE LOW TO MID 50S...WITH A FEW LOCATIONS HOLDING INTO THE LOW 60S. SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WILL BE WIDESPREAD ON WEDNESDAY AS THE COLD FRONT SINKS SOUTH INTO OUR AREA. SPC HAS A FEW OF OUR PIEDMONT COUNTIES HIGHLIGHTED FOR A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...HOWEVER AFTER INSPECTING SOME OF THE INSTABILITY INDICIES...CANNOT RULE OUT THE POSSIBILITY OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY ANYWHERE SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 81 DURING THE AFTERNOON. TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN A LITTLE COOLER ACROSS THE NORTH WHERE INCREASED CLOUD COVER WILL INHIBIT HEATING DURING THE MORNING...BUT EXPECT NEAR 80 DEGREES FURTHER SOUTH WHERE THE WARMER AIR POOLS AHEAD OF THE FRONT DURING THE AFTERNOON. && .SHORT TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 400 PM EDT TUESDAY... MODELS ARE IN AGREEMENT WITH FRONTAL PASSAGE WEDNESDAY WITH FRONT DRIFTING TO OUR SOUTH AND STALLING WEDNESDAY NIGHT. AFTER THAT...FOCUS WILL BE ON THE UPPER LEVEL CUTOFF LOW WHICH WILL DRIFT EAST FROM TX ACROSS THE MID MS VALLEY THURSDAY AND THE TN VALLEY AND SOUTHERN APPALACHIANS THURSDAY NIGHT...PASSING OFF THE SOUTHEAST ATLANTIC COAST FRIDAY. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE FRONTAL PASSAGE WEDNESDAY EVENING SHOULD END FORE MIDNIGHT...THE THREAT FOR SHOWERS RE-EMERGING ACROSS THE SOUTHERN CWA BY THURSDAY NIGHT AS THE CENTER OF THE UPPER LEVEL CUTOFF LOW PASSES TO OUR SOUTH. ATTM WILL PLACE THE HIGHEST POPS ACROSS VA/NC BORDER COUNTIES AND POINTS SOUTH. FOR BOTH THURSDAY AND FRIDAY THE FORECAST AREA WILL BE ON THE COOL SIDE OF THE FRONT...THUS ANTICIPATE RELATIVELY COOL CONDITIONS WITH LITTLE DIURNAL SPREAD THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT DUE TO CLOUD COVER AND PRECIP. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... AS OF 400 PM EDT TUESDAY NO MAJOR CHANGES TO THE WEEKEND FORECAST. CURRENTLY ENTERTAINING MAINLY DRY CONDITIONS FOR THE EASTER WEEKEND...TEMPERATURES MODERATING...HOWEVER DUE TO THE DRY AIR MASS WHICH IS FORECAST TO BE OVER THE AREA...DO ANTICIPATE COOLER TEMPERATURES AT NIGHT WITH THE THREAT FOR FROST IN THE MOUNTAIN VALLEYS. FLOW NEXT WEEK WHICH INITIALLY LOOKED LIKE IT WOULD GO ZONAL...NOW LOOKS A LITTLE MORE BLOCKY WITH MEAN TROFS DEVELOPING ON BOTH THE EAST AND WEST COASTS. THIS SUGGESTS A COOLER SCENARIO FOR THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK WITH COOLER NORTHWEST FLOW NOW BEING FORECAST AFTER MONDAY. && .AVIATION /22Z TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... AS OF 230 PM EDT TUESDAY... SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WILL AFFECT BLF...LWB AND BCB THIS AFTERNOON...POSSIBLY REACHING AS FAR EAST AS ROA DURING EARLY EVENING. THIS ACTIVITY IS SPOTTY IN NATURE...BUT WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING 30 KT OUTFLOWS. WILL ALSO HAVE TO WATCH FOR HEAVY RAIN...CAPABLE OF REDUCING VISIBILITIES TO LESS THAN A MILE FOR SHORT PERIODS OF TIME. THIS ACTIVITY WILL DIMINISH IN INTENSITY AFTER SUNSET WHEN DAYTIME HEATING ENDS...HOWEVER SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WILL SPREAD EAST OVERNIGHT AS ANOTHER COLD FRONT APPROACHES. CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN VFR OUTSIDE HEAVIER SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY. ANOTHER COLD FRONT WILL PASS THROUGH THE AREA ON WEDNESDAY... BRINGING A BETTER CHANCE FOR PRECIPITATION AND THE ASSOCIATED MVFR TO IFR CEILINGS AND VISIBILITIES. THE FORECAST THURSDAY IS IFFY GIVEN TRACK OF FRONT AND NEXT SFC LOW ACROSS THE TENNESSEE VALLEY INTO THE SOUTHEAST. MODELS ARE KEEPING AN EASTERLY FLOW INTO THE AREA WHICH COULD KEEP CIGS DOWN TO SUB VFR. BY LATE FRIDAY INTO SATURDAY HIGH PRESSURE SHOULD BE ORIENTED WHERE DRIER AIR WORKS IN FROM THE NORTH BRINGING A RETURN TO VFR. && .RNK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... VA...NONE. NC...NONE. WV...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...NF NEAR TERM...AMS/NF SHORT TERM...PM/RCS LONG TERM...PM AVIATION...KK/WP
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 406 PM EDT TUE APR 3 2012 VAZ010-011-013-014-017>020-022>024-034-035-046-047-WVZ042>045-042015- BLAND-GILES-PULASKI-MONTGOMERY-FLOYD-CRAIG-ALLEGHANY VA-BATH-ROANOKE- BOTETOURT-ROCKBRIDGE-BEDFORD-AMHERST-APPOMATTOX-BUCKINGHAM-MERCER- SUMMERS-MONROE-GREENBRIER- 406 PM EDT TUE APR 3 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL VIRGINIA...SOUTH CENTRAL VIRGINIA...SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA...WEST CENTRAL VIRGINIA AND SOUTHEAST WEST VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. FROST IS POSSIBLE FRIDAY NIGHT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. NCZ003>006-019-020-VAZ032-033-043>045-058-059-042015- SURRY-STOKES-ROCKINGHAM-CASWELL-WILKES-YADKIN-PATRICK-FRANKLIN-HENRY- PITTSYLVANIA-CAMPBELL-HALIFAX-CHARLOTTE- 406 PM EDT TUE APR 3 2012 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...TONIGHT. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. A FRONTAL BOUNDARY DRAPED ACROSS THE AREA WILL BE THE FOCUSING MECHANISM FOR THUNDERSTORMS WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. A POTENTIAL EXISTS THAT SOME OF THE STORMS COULD REACH SEVERE LEVELS...WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL THE THREAT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. NCZ001-002-018-VAZ007-009-012-015-016-042015- ASHE-ALLEGHANY NC-WATAUGA-TAZEWELL-SMYTH-WYTHE-GRAYSON-CARROLL- 406 PM EDT TUE APR 3 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA AND SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. THUNDERSTORMS THIS EVENING MAY CONTAIN LARGE HAIL AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING. .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.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
512 PM EDT TUE APR 3 2012
VAZ012>014-016-017-032215-
CARROLL VA-FLOYD VA-MONTGOMERY VA-PULASKI VA-WYTHE VA-
512 PM EDT TUE APR 3 2012
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT CARROLL...FLOYD...MONTGOMERY...
PULASKI AND WYTHE COUNTIES...
AT 511 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED OVER PULASKI...
MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 15 MPH.
WIND GUSTS TO 40 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 DUBLIN AROUND 520 PM...GRAHAMS FORGE AROUND
525 PM...DRAPER AROUND 530 PM...CLAYTOR LAKE STATE PARK AROUND 545
PM...ALLISONIA...CLAYTOR DAM...AND PATTERSON AROUND 550 PM...
GRAYSONTOWN AND AND SYLVATUS AROUND 600 PM.
LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR FAVORITE MEDIA OUTLET FOR LATER
UPDATES OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
LAT...LON 3703 8098 3707 8094 3707 8092 3709 8092
3716 8084 3719 8077 3697 8036 3673 8065
KKSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
538 PM EDT TUE APR 3 2012
NCZ003-004-032245-
STOKES NC-SURRY NC-
538 PM EDT TUE APR 3 2012
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT STOKES AND SURRY COUNTIES...
AT 536 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED OVER MOUNT AIRY...
MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 10 MPH.
WIND GUSTS TO 40 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 FLAT ROCK...AND FLAT ROCK AROUND 545 PM...
LEVEL CROSS AROUND 555 PM...ARARAT AROUND 610 PM...WOODVILLE...AND
WOODVILLE AROUND 615 PM...SILOAM AROUND 625 PM AND WESTFIELD AROUND
630 PM.
LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR FAVORITE MEDIA OUTLET FOR LATER
UPDATES OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
LAT...LON 3626 8047 3626 8050 3627 8054 3628 8054
3628 8056 3639 8084 3656 8066 3651 8014
3626 8040 3626 8044 3624 8045
KKSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
541 PM EDT TUE APR 3 2012
VAZ007-009-010-012-032245-
BLAND VA-SMYTH VA-TAZEWELL VA-WYTHE VA-
541 PM EDT TUE APR 3 2012
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT BLAND...SMYTH...TAZEWELL AND
WYTHE COUNTIES...
AT 536 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 8 MILES NORTH OF
TAZEWELL...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 30 MPH.
WIND GUSTS TO 40 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 GRATTON...AND BLUEFIELD AROUND 555 PM...
BURKES GARDEN AROUND 600 PM...CERES...AND SUITER AROUND 610 PM...
BASTIAN...AND NEBO AROUND 615 PM...BLAND AROUND 620 PM AND MARION
WYTHEVILLE AROUND 625 PM.
LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR FAVORITE MEDIA OUTLET FOR LATER
UPDATES OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
LAT...LON 3722 8169 3721 8168 3721 8156 3723 8152
3726 8150 3728 8142 3731 8140 3734 8136
3695 8088 3676 8114 3677 8115 3676 8119
3676 8126 3719 8173
KKSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
547 PM EDT TUE APR 3 2012
NCZ001-002-018-019-VAZ015-032245-
ALLEGHANY NC-ASHE NC-GRAYSON VA-WATAUGA NC-WILKES NC-
547 PM EDT TUE APR 3 2012
...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT
ALLEGHANY...ASHE...GRAYSON...WATAUGA AND WILKES COUNTIES...
AT 545 PM EDT...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE ALONG A LINE FROM 4
MILES SOUTHEAST OF MOUTH OF WILSON TO JEFFERSON TO 5 MILES NORTHWEST
OF TODD...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 15 MPH.
WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH AND SMALL HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS.
VERY HEAVY RAIN WILL FALL FROM THESE STORMS...AND WILL CAUSE WATER TO
POND ON ROADS AND QUICKLY FILL ROADSIDE DITCHES AND SMALL STREAMS.
THESE STORMS WILL BE NEAR MEAT CAMP AROUND 555 PM...WAGONER...
BALDWIN...AND SCOTTVILLE AROUND 600 PM...OTHELLO...AND STRATFORD
AROUND 605 PM...AND TODD AROUND 610 PM...SANDS AROUND 615 PM AND
GLENDALE SPRINGS AROUND 620 PM.
LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR FAVORITE MEDIA OUTLET FOR LATER
UPDATES OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
LAT...LON 3636 8181 3636 8179 3635 8177 3635 8173
3640 8174 3648 8154 3664 8135 3640 8097
3639 8095 3622 8117 3609 8150 3634 8185
KKPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
553 PM EDT TUE APR 03 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0549 PM HAIL PINEY CREEK 36.55N 81.30W
04/03/2012 E0.25 INCH ALLEGHANY NC FIRE DEPT/RESCUE
HAIL COVERING THE GROUND
&&
AMSSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
606 PM EDT TUE APR 3 2012
VAZ010-011-WVZ042-032300-
BLAND VA-GILES VA-MERCER WV-
606 PM EDT TUE APR 3 2012
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT BLAND...GILES AND MERCER
COUNTIES...
AT 602 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED OVER MATOAKA...
MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 15 MPH.
WIND GUSTS TO 40 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 SPANISHBURG...SANDLICK...AND CAMP CREEK
AROUND 615 PM...SANDLICK AROUND 620 PM...KEGLEY...AND MERCER COUNTY
AIRPORT AROUND 625 PM...BLUEFIELD AROUND 630 PM...PRINCETON...AND
CERES AROUND 635 PM AND ATHENS AROUND 645 PM.
LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR FAVORITE MEDIA OUTLET FOR LATER
UPDATES OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
LAT...LON 3741 8133 3742 8129 3745 8131 3751 8126
3752 8122 3754 8121 3744 8087 3737 8077
3739 8071 3734 8054 3718 8078 3712 8092
3709 8092 3705 8097 3705 8101 3736 8136
KKThe Roanoke radar (KFCX), 116 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:06 UTC.
1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
The public observed penny-sized hail approximately five miles northeast of Glendale Springs.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in North Carolina in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyWarnings in North Carolina, April 2012
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: 376687.