Despite weak synoptic forcing there was enough strong July heating to generate late afternoon storms over the piedmont one of which produced damaging winds.
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.
Despite weak synoptic forcing there was enough strong July heating to generate late afternoon storms over the piedmont one of which produced damaging winds.
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 9, 5:13 PM EST, 17 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 613 PM EDT MON JUL 9 2012 .SYNOPSIS... A COLD FRONT WILL DRIFT SLOWLY SOUTH INTO NORTHERN NORTH CAROLINA TONIGHT BEFORE STALLING INTO TUESDAY. THIS BOUNDARY SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE A FOCUS FOR ADDED SHOWERS AND STORMS INTO TUESDAY NIGHT. THIS BOUNDARY WILL BEGIN TO DISSIPATE BY MID OR LATE WEEK BUT RESIDUAL MOISTURE COMBINED WITH HEATING AND UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES WILL KEEP THE THREAT OF SHOWERS AND STORMS AROUND. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TUESDAY/... AS OF 609 PM EDT MONDAY... CLEARED NORTHWEST PORTION OF CWA FROM SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 484. REST OF WATCH REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM. THE MOST UNSTABLE AIR LOCATED EAST OF THE BLUE RIDGE THIS EVENING. ADJUSTED POPS AND TEMPERATURES ACCORDING TO LATEST TRENDS. WILL MAKE MORE ADJUSTMENTS AS NIGHT PROGRESSES. AS OF 245 PM EDT MONDAY... CLUSTERS OF STORMS CONTINUE TO DEVELOP ESPCLY ALONG THE NRN BLUE RIDGE AND SHOULD SPILL SLOWLY SE AS THE MAIN 85H BOUNDARY SAGS IN FROM THE NE THIS EVENING. LATEST MESO-ANALYSIS INDICATES THE BEST INSTABILITY ACROSS THE SOUTH AND SE WHERE THE BEST DCAPES EXIST SO THINKING THE BEST COVERAGE WILL FILL IN OVER THE EASTERN HALF THRU EARLY THIS EVENING WHERE WILL BE CARRYING A PERIOD OF CAT POPS. ELSW TSRA HAS BEEN LIMITED BY DEVELOPMENT FARTHER TO THE SOUTH AND WEST/NW FLOW ALOFT ATTM. MOST SHORT TERM GUIDANCE ALSO SHIFTS THE EASTERN TSRA COMPLEX TOWARD THE VA/NC BORDER THIS EVENING WHILE GRADUALLY BACK BUILDING IT TOWARD THE MOUNTAINS SO HANGING ONTO LIKELY POPS FOR MOST OF THE WEST EXCEPT FOR THE FAR NW WHERE SHOULD BE NORTH OF THE EXITING DEEPER RH/THETA-E. GIVEN VERY MOIST PWATS AND SLOW STEERING HEAVY RAIN MAY BECOME A BIGGER ISSUE SW LATER THIS EVENING AS THE SVR THREAT FADES SO SOMETHING TO WATCH. OTRW WILL GRADUALLY DIMINISH POPS FROM NORTH TO SOUTH AFTER MIDNIGHT AND COULD GO BASICALLY WITHOUT SHRA EXCLUDING THE VA/NC BORDER REGION LATE. KEPT TEMPS SIMILAR TO PREVIOUS WITH MOST SPOTS BEING ABLE TO PUNCH INTO THE 60S. BOUNDARY WILL BE JUST SOUTH OF THE AREA TUESDAY WHILE THE 85H FRONT LINGERS NEAR THE BORDER WITH A MESH OF HIGHER THETA-E STILL NORTH OF THE LOW LEVEL FRONT THRU MUCH OF THE DAY. HOWEVER THE BOUNDARY LAYER FLOW WILL BE TURNING MORE EASTERLY WHICH COULD PRODUCE A LOT MORE CLOUDS AND LESS INSTABILITY THAN EXPECTED PER THE LATEST NAM. BETTER LIFT THOUGH WILL BE CLOSER TO THE FRONT OVER SRN VA/NRN NC WITH SOME UPSLOPE COMPONENT DEVELOPING OVER THE NW NC MOUNTAINS WITH DRYING FILTERING ACROSS THE FAR NORTH. LATEST GFS LOOKS WAY OVERDONE ON PRECIP BUT GIVEN THE LATEST WETTER TRENDS OFF THE SREF AND LOCAL MODELS WILL KEEP LOW LIKELYS SRN THIRD TUESDAY...DECENT CHANCES CENTRAL AND LOW POPS NORTH. OTRW LIKELY LOW CLOUDS AND SOME FOG TO INIT...BECOMING PARTLY SUNNY BUT COOLER BEHIND THE FRONT WITH HIGHS POSSIBLY STAYING IN THE 70S IN THE WEST AND ONLY LOW/MID 80S EAST. && .SHORT TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/... AS OF 300 PM EDT MONDAY... THROUGH THE WEEKEND SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPED ALONG AND SOUTH OF THE 850MB/THETA-E BOUNDARY WITH STRONGER STORMS ALONG AND SOUTH OF THE SURFACE FRONT. MODELS STALL THE 850 MB BOUNDARY ACROSS THE SOUTHERN COUNTY WARNING AREA WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY WITH THE DEEPER MOISTURE AND INSTABILITY NOT VERY FAR SOUTH OF THE FORECAST AREA. BEST PROBABILITY OF PRECIPITATION WILL BE IN THE SOUTHERN COUNTY WARNING AREA BOTH WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. ALSO ON WEDNESDAY SURFACE AND LOW LEVEL WINDS WILL HAVE AN EAST TO SOUTHEAST COMPONENT SO COVERAGE OF STORMS ALONG THE BLUE RIDGE MAY BE ENHANCED...EVEN WITH LITTLE SYNOPTIC FORCING AND GOOD INSTABILITY. EXPECT SCATTERED DEBRIS CLOUDS OVERNIGHT AND IN THE MORNING WITH MORE CUMULUS TYPE CLOUDS DURING THE AFTERNOON. WITH PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES AND DEW POINTS STAYING MOIST...NOT ANTICIPATING MUCH DROP IN TEMPERATURES OVERNIGHT. AFTERNOON HIGHS WILL BE AT OR SLIGHTLY BELOW NORMAL. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY/... AS OF 300 PM EDT MONDAY... UPPER RIDGING OFF THE ATLANTIC COAST BUILDS WEST JUST ENOUGH TO RAISE 500 MB HEIGHTS OVER THE MID ATLANTIC AND CAROLINA STATES SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. WEAKNESS BETWEEN THE ATLANTIC UPPER RIDGE AND THE RIDGE OVER THE WESTERN UNITED STATES AND THE AXIS OF DEEPER MOISTURE OVER THE TENNESSEE AND OHIO VALLEYS FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY...WILL KEEP A MAJORITY OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WEST OF THE FORECAST AREA. EXPECT A GRADUALLY WARMING TREND THROUGH THE PERIOD WITH TEMPERATURES NEAR NORMAL BY SUNDAY AND MONDAY. && .AVIATION /22Z MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... AS OF 1255 PM EDT MONDAY... WIDELY SCATTERED CONVECTION STARTING TO FIRE ACROSS THE NORTH WITH MAIN IMPACTS LIKELY TO KLYH AND KLWB DURING THE NEXT HOUR OR SO. SINCE IFFY AS TO WHETHER OR NOT EITHER AIRPORT WILL GET A STORM NEARBY WILL MAINTAIN A VCTS/TEMPO MENTION THERE AND ADD IN SOME STRONGER WIND GUSTS PENDING RELEASE COVERAGE. OTRW STILL EXPECTING STORMS TO GRADUALLY DEVELOP/PROPAGATE TO THE SOUTH THRU THE AFTERNOON/EARLY EVENING WHILE BECOMING MORE WIDESPREAD ESPCLY SOUTHERN AREAS BY LATE IN THE DAY. THEREFORE WILL INTRO A BIT MORE IN THE WAY OF VSBY RESTRICTIONS WITH MVFR/IFR POSSIBLE AT TIMES OTRW VFR OUTSIDE OF CONVECTION FOR THE MOST PART THIS AFTERNOON. STORMS SHOULD BE SLIDING INTO THE FAR SOUTHERN AREAS EARLY TONIGHT AND JUST HOW MUCH THESE ORGANIZE KEY TO HOW MUCH DRYING OCCURS OVER THE REGION. LATEST NAM HAS A MORE ROBUST BAND OF STORMS SINKING SOUTH OF THE TAF SITES VIA DENSITY OVERNIGHT WHICH WOULD LIKELY END MUCH SHRA/TSRA AFTER THIS EVENING. THUS WILL CONTINUE TO LEAN DRIER ESPCLY AFTER MIDNGIHT...BUT EXPECT SOME LOCATIONS NEAR THE VA/NC BORDER TO HAVE SHOWERS AND THUNDER CHANCES ALL NIGHT. WITH THE FRONT SOUTH OF US TONIGHT...AND SOME DRYING...MAY SEE FOG ISSUES...ALTHOUGH MODELS DO AGREE ON KEEPING IT RATHER CLOUDY SO IFR FOG AT WORST IS EXPECTED AT KLWB/KBCB/KBLF. THIS FRONT WILL BE STALLING SOUTH OF US THIS WEEK. THIS PATTERN SUGGESTS A WETTER SOLUTION NOW...ESPECIALLY SOUTH OF A BLF-ROA-LYH LINE...BUT WILL SEE IF TRENDS CONTINUE TO SLOW THE FRONT DOWN MORE OR LIMIT ITS SWD PUSH AS MORE WAVES MAY TEND TO LIFT THE MOISTURE BACK NORTH BY MIDWEEK. WITH THIS PATTERN...THERE SHOULD BE MORE SHRA/TSRA COVERAGE...BECOMING MORE DIURNALLY DRIVEN BY LATE IN THE WEEK OR THE START OF THE WEEKEND AS THE RESIDUAL BOUNDARY WASHES OUT. && .EQUIPMENT... TEMPERATURE/DEWPOINT SENSOR IS OUT OF SERVICE AT KBCB/BLACKSBURG. THE SENSOR AT KDAN/DANVILLE HAS BEEN FIXED. N0AA ALL HAZARDS RADIO HINTON TRANSMITTER WAS STILL OFF THE AIR DUE TO COMMERCIAL POWER NOT REACHING THE SITE. && .RNK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... VA...NONE. NC...NONE. WV...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...JH NEAR TERM...JH/KK SHORT TERM...AMS LONG TERM...AMS AVIATION...JH/KM/WP EQUIPMENT...
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 324 PM EDT MON JUL 9 2012 NCZ001>006-018>020-VAZ007-009>018-022-023-032>035-043>047-058-059- WVZ042-101930- ASHE-ALLEGHANY NC-SURRY-STOKES-ROCKINGHAM-CASWELL-WATAUGA-WILKES- YADKIN-TAZEWELL-SMYTH-BLAND-GILES-WYTHE-PULASKI-MONTGOMERY-GRAYSON- CARROLL-FLOYD-CRAIG-ROANOKE-BOTETOURT-PATRICK-FRANKLIN-BEDFORD- AMHERST-HENRY-PITTSYLVANIA-CAMPBELL-APPOMATTOX-BUCKINGHAM-HALIFAX- CHARLOTTE-MERCER- 324 PM EDT MON JUL 9 2012 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 484 IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM EDT THIS EVENING... 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...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. THE OTHER THREAT WILL BE MODERATE TO HEAVY RAINFALL WHICH COULD LEAD TO ISOLATED FLASH FLOODING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW...ALTHOUGH A FEW STRONG STORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE TUESDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE NEEDED THROUGH EARLY TONIGHT. VAZ019-020-024-WVZ043>045-101930- ALLEGHANY VA-BATH-ROCKBRIDGE-SUMMERS-MONROE-GREENBRIER- 324 PM EDT MON JUL 9 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WEST CENTRAL VIRGINIA AND SOUTHEAST WEST VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. ISOLATED STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE INTO EARLY THIS EVENING. THE OTHER THREAT WILL BE MODERATE TO HEAVY RAINFALL WHICH COULD LEAD TO ISOLATED FLASH FLOODING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW...ALTHOUGH A FEW STRONG STORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE TUESDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
455 PM EDT MON JUL 9 2012
NCZ019-020-092200-
WILKES NC-YADKIN NC-
455 PM EDT MON JUL 9 2012
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT WILKES AND YADKIN COUNTIES...
AT 451 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 6 MILES WEST OF
RONDA...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 ROARING RIVER AROUND 505 PM...RONDA AROUND
515 PM...CLINGMAN AROUND 525 PM...WINDY GAP AROUND 535 PM AND BUCK
SHOALS AROUND 600 PM.
LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR FAVORITE MEDIA OUTLET FOR LATER
UPDATES OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
LAT...LON 3627 8119 3638 8102 3637 8098 3640 8096
3633 8087 3623 8087 3626 8081 3625 8079
3626 8077 3611 8059 3604 8071 3605 8099
3604 8104
KKSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 459 PM EDT MON JUL 9 2012 VAZ017-022-033-092200- FLOYD VA-FRANKLIN VA-ROANOKE VA- 459 PM EDT MON JUL 9 2012 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT FLOYD...FRANKLIN AND ROANOKE COUNTIES... AT 455 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED OVER COPPER HILL... MOVING EAST 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 COPPER HILL AROUND 515 PM...BENT MOUNTAIN AROUND 530 PM AND CALLAWAY AROUND 600 PM. LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR FAVORITE MEDIA OUTLET FOR LATER UPDATES OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS. LAT...LON 3700 8025 3719 8014 3724 7992 3694 7992 KK
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
508 PM EDT MON JUL 9 2012
VAZ014-022-092215-
MONTGOMERY VA-ROANOKE VA-
508 PM EDT MON JUL 9 2012
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT NORTHEAST MONTGOMERY AND
NORTHWEST ROANOKE COUNTIES...
AT 504 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 7 MILES SOUTH OF
SINKING CREEK...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 5 MPH.
WIND GUSTS TO 30 MPH AND PEA-SIZED HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.
THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR MC DONALDS MILL AROUND 520 PM...BRADSHAW
AROUND 540 PM...BRADSHAW AROUND 545 PM...ELLISTON AROUND 605 PM AND
GLENVAR AROUND 615 PM.
LAT...LON 3734 8026 3736 8024 3733 8003 3717 8018
3729 8036 3736 8031
RABSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
549 PM EDT MON JUL 9 2012
NCZ006-092245-
CASWELL NC-
549 PM EDT MON JUL 9 2012
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT CASWELL COUNTY...
AT 546 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 5 MILES EAST OF
JERICHO...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 5 MPH.
WIND GUSTS TO 30 MPH AND HAIL UP TO DIME SIZE 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 PROSPECT HILL AROUND 610 PM...HIGHTOWERS
AROUND 615 PM AND LEASBURG AROUND 645 PM.
LAT...LON 3634 7939 3644 7914 3629 7914 3625 7915
3624 7916 3624 7936
RABSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
607 PM EDT MON JUL 9 2012
VAZ033-092300-
FRANKLIN VA-
607 PM EDT MON JUL 9 2012
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT FRANKLIN COUNTY...
AT 603 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 8 MILES WEST OF
FERRUM...MOVING EAST AT 10 MPH.
WIND GUSTS TO 30 MPH AND HAIL UP TO DIME SIZE 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 FERRUM AROUND 650 PM AND OAK LEVEL AROUND 700
PM.
LAT...LON 3681 7990 3683 7999 3682 8001 3682 8007
3685 8007 3687 8023 3690 8020 3695 8018
3695 8014 3698 8014 3703 7977 3680 7976
RABSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
624 PM EDT MON JUL 9 2012
VAZ032-033-092315-
FRANKLIN VA-PATRICK VA-
624 PM EDT MON JUL 9 2012
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT WESTERN FRANKLIN AND NORTHERN
PATRICK COUNTIES...
AT 620 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM CONTINUED TO DEVELOP WESTWARD
ACROSS NORTHERN PATRICK AND NORTHERN FRANKLIN COUNTIES FROM MABRY
MILLS...TO CHARITY...TO ENDICOTT...MOVING EAST AT 10 MPH.
WIND GUSTS TO 30 MPH AND HAIL UP TO DIME SIZE ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE
STORMS...ALONG WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALL. 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.
LAT...LON 3672 8041 3674 8042 3674 8039 3676 8040
3680 8038 3680 8036 3683 8034 3694 8008
3679 8004 3678 8010 3674 8010 3674 8008
3672 8010 3669 8009
RABThe Raleigh/Durham radar (KRAX), 107 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:32 UTC.
2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A tree was blown down by thunderstorm winds off route 86.
A tree was reported down off Route 62.
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: 402775, 402777.