A weak midlevel trough drifted across the southern Appalachians and along with a weak surface front helped to initiate a few severe pulse-type thunderstorms. Severe wind gusts were the main feature of these storms.
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.
A weak midlevel trough drifted across the southern Appalachians and along with a weak surface front helped to initiate a few severe pulse-type thunderstorms. Severe wind gusts were the main feature of these 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 Jul 21, 1:36 PM EST, 3 hours 24 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 236 PM EDT SAT JUL 21 2012 .SYNOPSIS... A FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL LINGER IN NORTH CAROLINA INTO SUNDAY BEFORE DISSIPATING. THERE WILL BE A FEW DISTURBANCES MOVING IN FROM TIME TO TIME INTO TUESDAY KEEPING THE THREAT OF STORMS AROUND. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH SUNDAY/... AS OF 225 PM EDT SATURDAY... AN UPPER LEVEL RIDGE IS STRETCHED FROM THE CENTRAL PLAINS EAST INTO THE OHIO VALLEY. ANOTHER RIDGE IS STRETCHED FROM BERMUDA BACK INTO SOUTHEASTERN COASTAL STATES. IN BETWEEN THESE TWO RIDGES AND OVER THE MID ATLANTIC/TENNESSEE VALLEY IS A WEAK UPPER LEVEL TROUGH. ALSO DRAPED OVER THE REGION IS A WEAK SURFACE BOUNDARY. COUPLED WITH THE TROUGH AND BOUNDARY...CONVERGENCE AND DAYTIME HEATING WILL BRING SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. A FEW OF THESE STORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE EAST OF THE BLUE RIDGE TOWARD THE NC/VA BORDER SOUTH. PWATS ARE 1.50-2.00 INCHES AND STEERING CURRENTS ARE WEAK. THEREFORE...ANY STORM THIS AFTERNOON WILL ALSO HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO DROP 1-3 INCHES OF RAIN. OVERNIGHT...SHOWERS WILL FADE AND WEAK HIGH PRESSURE/WEDGE BUILDS OVER THE AREA. ISENTROPIC LIFT INCREASES IN THIS MOIST ATMOSPHERE FOR AREAS ALONG AND EAST OF THE BLUE RIDGE TO SEE LIGHT RAIN/DRIZZLE DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS SUNDAY. IF DRIZZLE OR RAIN DOES NOT FALL...THESE AREA WILL LIKELY SEE DENSE FOG IN THE MORNING. THE UPPER LEVEL RIDGES WILL REMAIN IN THEIR RESPECTED AREAS WHILE THE TROUGH WEAKENS OVER THE REGION. THE SURFACE BOUNDARY SHOULD DRIFT FARTHER SOUTH IN TO THE CAROLINAS SUNDAY. WITH AFTERNOON HEATING AND TROUGHINESS ALOFT...ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE...MAINLY SOUTH. THE WEDGE WILL ERODE BY THE AFTERNOON. TEMPERATURES SHOULD REBOUND QUICKLY AND LEVEL OFF NEAR NORMAL. && .SHORT TERM /SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 200 PM EDT SATURDAY... WILL USE A MODEL BLEND OF THE 00Z ECMWF/12Z GFS/09Z SREF THIS PERIOD. THE MAIN ISSUE WILL BE SHORTWAVES FLOWING IN THE NW FLOW ALOFT AND HOW STRONG ANY MCS UPSTREAM GETS AND HOW FAR EAST IT CAN MAKE IT. THE ECMWF IS ADVERTISING A QUICKER MOVEMENT TO ONE WAVE COMING ACROSS THE NRN TIER OF THE CWA MON MORNING EARLY THEN OUT TO THE COAST IN THE AFTN...WHILE THE GFS IS SLOWER/WEAKER. WILL KEEP POPS IN THE CHANCE RANGE WITH HIGHEST OVER THE NW AND SW...WITH MODEST THETA-E RIDGING IN THE MTNS AND ANOTHER WEAKER SHORTWAVE SHOWING UP IN THE AFTN. AREA TO STAY INT HE WARM SECTOR THIS PERIOD WITH FRONTAL BOUNDARY LINGERING MORE OVER THE SRN GREAT LAKES INTO MID ATLANTIC...BUT WILL STILL SEE STORMS OFF AND ON THROUGH TUE NIGHT. MODELS SEEM TO BE IN BETTER AGREEMENT INTO TUESDAY WITH PRECIP BUT DIFFERENCES EXIST ON THE INDIVIDUAL VORTS. THE NAM/ECMWF SHOWING THE MAIN TRACK TUE FROM THE SRN GREAT LAKES 12Z TUE TO NRN VA/MID ATLANTIC...WHILE WEAKER SHORTWAVE SHIFTS ACROSS THE TN VALLEY. THE GFS ON THE OTHER HAND BRINGS THE NRN WAVE IN QUICKER AND OUT TO SEA BY 18Z TUE WITH NEXT TWO WAVES LINED UP FROM INDIANA TO ERN KY BY THE END OF THE DAY. FOR NOW IT STILL LOOKS LIKE THE POPS CAN BE KEPT IN THE CHANCE RANGE...BUT THINK THE NRN AND WRN CWA COULD SEE A BETTER THREAT BY TUESDAY AFTN. TEMPS THIS PERIOD WERE KEPT JUST A DEGREE OR TWO COOLER THINKING MORE CLOUD COVER AND CONVECTION MAY KEEP TEMPS DOWN...HOWEVER TUESDAY SHOULD BE HOT AS THE WRLY FLOW WILL BE STRONGER AND IF THE SUN STAYS OUT LONGER...THE PIEDMONT COULD SOAR TOWARD THE CENTURY MARK...BUT COULD ALSO SEE A LITTLE LOWER DEWPOINTS. FOR NOW STICKING WITH MID 90S EAST TO MID TO UPPER 80S WEST. && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... AS OF 1222 PM EDT SATURDAY... LOOKS LIKE WE WILL BE STUCK IN A HUMID SOMEWHAT STORMY BUT TYPICAL LATE JULY PATTERN WITH THE RIDGE STAYING RIGHT ON THE SWRN DOORSTEP OF OUR REGION...WITH THE BLACKSBURG FORECAST AREA REMAINING ON THE SRN FRINGE OF THE TROUGH OVER THE NORTHEAST. WILL BE GOING WITH DAILY THREAT OF SHRA/TSRA BUT WILL SEE ENHANCED PROBABILITIES AS A SERIES OF SHORTWAVES GRAZE BY...BUT TIMING AT THIS POINT IS UP IN THE AIR...WITH FRONTAL BOUNDARY SWINGING TOWARD US IN THE WED-THU TIME FRAME THEN LIFTING NORTH AGAIN BY THE WEEKEND. LOWS AT NIGHT WILL STAY IN THE 60S IN THE MTNS WITH LOWER 70S EAST WITH HIGHS IN THE MID-UPPER 80S MTNS TO LOWER TO MID 90S EAST. OF COURSE ANY CONVECTION AND OR BLOWOFF OF STORMS WILL LIMIT SOME HEATING FROM TIME TO TIME DURING THE DAY. && .AVIATION /19Z SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... AS OF 1257 AM EDT SATURDAY... THE FRONT SINKS SOUTH TONIGHT. BEHIND THE FRONT...COOL EASTERLY FLOW BEING OVERRUN BY MOIST WESTERLY FLOW ALOFT. WITH AN INCREASE IN ISENTROPIC LIFT...LOWER OF THE CLOUD DECK BELOW MVFR WITH AREAS OF DRIZZLE IS HIGHLY LIKELY ESPECIALLY NORTH OF HWY 460 (LYH-ROA-BCB-LWB). THESE CLOUDS MAY NOT LIFT UNTIL MID MORNING SUNDAY. BLF LOOKS TO KEEP A MOIST WEST WIND OVERNIGHT. UPSLOPE ENHANCEMENT AT BLF WILL KEEP LIFR CEILINGS DEEP INTO SUNDAY MORNING. ONCE CLOUDS BURN OFF...AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH AND AFTERNOON HEATING MAY GENERATE AN ISOLATED SHOWER OR THUNDERSTORMS SUNDAY AFTERNOON. FOG MAY BE PROBLEMATIC ACROSS THE MOUNTAIN VALLEYS SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY MORNING. NW FLOW ALOFT LOOKS TO PERSIST MONDAY INTO WEDNESDAY...POSSIBLY RESULTING IN OF SHRA/TSRA THRU THE PERIOD. OTHERWISE EXPECTING VFR OUTSIDE OF ANY PERIODS OF THUNDERSTORMS...AND CONTINUED LATE NIGHT FOG THROUGH MID WEEK. && .RNK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... VA...NONE. NC...NONE. WV...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...AMS/WP NEAR TERM...RCS SHORT TERM...WP LONG TERM...WP AVIATION...AMS/RCS
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 631 AM EDT SAT JUL 21 2012 NCZ001>006-018>020-VAZ007-009>020-022>024-032>035-043>047-058-059- WVZ042>045-221045- ASHE-ALLEGHANY NC-SURRY-STOKES-ROCKINGHAM-CASWELL-WATAUGA-WILKES- YADKIN-TAZEWELL-SMYTH-BLAND-GILES-WYTHE-PULASKI-MONTGOMERY-GRAYSON- CARROLL-FLOYD-CRAIG-ALLEGHANY VA-BATH-ROANOKE-BOTETOURT-ROCKBRIDGE- PATRICK-FRANKLIN-BEDFORD-AMHERST-HENRY-PITTSYLVANIA-CAMPBELL- APPOMATTOX-BUCKINGHAM-HALIFAX-CHARLOTTE-MERCER-SUMMERS-MONROE- GREENBRIER- 631 AM EDT SAT JUL 21 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA...NORTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA...CENTRAL VIRGINIA...SOUTH CENTRAL VIRGINIA...SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA...WEST CENTRAL VIRGINIA AND SOUTHEAST WEST VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
147 PM EDT SAT JUL 21 2012
NCZ006-VAZ058-211830-
CASWELL NC-HALIFAX VA-
147 PM EDT SAT JUL 21 2012
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT PORTIONS OF CASWELL AND HALIFAX
COUNTIES...
AT 142 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 10 MILES EAST OF
PROVIDENCE...MOVING EAST 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.
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 ALTON AROUND 230 PM.
LAT...LON 3641 7926 3654 7928 3654 7922 3655 7921
3662 7888 3654 7887 3654 7913 3640 7914
WPSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
333 PM EDT SAT JUL 21 2012
NCZ006-212030-
CASWELL NC-
333 PM EDT SAT JUL 21 2012
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT CASWELL COUNTY...
AT 329 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED OVER PROVIDENCE...
MOVING EAST AT 10 MPH.
WIND GUSTS TO 50 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 BLANCH AROUND 350 PM...MILTON AROUND 420 PM
AND SEMORA AROUND 430 PM.
LAT...LON 3647 7939 3654 7938 3654 7914 3654 7913
3645 7913 3644 7914 3643 7915
16SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
440 PM EDT SAT JUL 21 2012
NCZ005-VAZ043-212145-
HENRY VA-ROCKINGHAM NC-
440 PM EDT SAT JUL 21 2012
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT HENRY AND ROCKINGHAM COUNTIES...
AT 438 PM EDT...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE ALONG A LINE FROM EDEN TO 4
MILES NORTHWEST OF MADISON...MOVING EAST AT 10 MPH.
WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH AND HAIL UP TO DIME SIZE 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. EXPECT FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING FROM THESE STORMS.
DO NOT STAY IN THE OPEN OR SEEK SHELTER UNDER TREES WHEN LIGHTNING
THREATENS...MOVE INDOORS WHEN A THUNDERSTORM APPROACHES.
THESE STORMS WILL BE NEAR STONEVILLE AROUND 445 PM...MAYODAN AROUND
450 PM...EDEN AROUND 500 PM...DRAPER AROUND 505 PM...MAYFIELD AROUND
535 PM AND WENTWORTH AROUND 540 PM.
LAT...LON 3642 8003 3648 8003 3658 7984 3656 7971
3654 7971 3655 7962 3653 7951 3635 7985
16PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
546 PM EDT SAT JUL 21 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0452 PM TSTM WND DMG 4 NW STONEVILLE 36.50N 79.96W
07/21/2012 ROCKINGHAM NC 911 CALL CENTER
TREE DOWN ON SMITH ROAD
&&
FISHERPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
547 PM EDT SAT JUL 21 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0515 PM TSTM WND DMG WNW WENTWORTH 36.40N 79.77W
07/21/2012 ROCKINGHAM NC 911 CALL CENTER
TREE DOWN ON ROUTE 65
&&
FISHERSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
547 PM EDT SAT JUL 21 2012
VAZ033-212245-
FRANKLIN VA-
547 PM EDT SAT JUL 21 2012
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT FRANKLIN COUNTY...
AT 543 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED OVER FERRUM...
MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 10 MPH.
WIND GUSTS TO 40 TO 50 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. 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 SYDNORSVILLE AROUND 635 PM AND OAK LEVEL
AROUND 640 PM.
LAT...LON 3681 8005 3695 8011 3700 7998 3680 7975
3679 7976 3680 7977 3679 7982 3683 8000
3680 8001 3679 8002 3679 8001 3678 8003
16The Raleigh/Durham radar (KRAX), 108 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:00 UTC.
3 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
County sheriffs office reported five trees blown down near the intersection of Highway 62 and Burton Chapel Road.
The sheriffs office reported a tree blown down along Highway 62 near the community of Jericho.
Two trees were brought down by high winds near Candy Creek Rd.
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, July 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: 403460, 403461, 403465.