A cold front entering the Ohio River Valley triggered scattered thunderstorms across portions of northern North Carolina. The mountains received the heaviest rainfall, where one to two inch rainfall amounts were common, with locally higher amounts.
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 cold front entering the Ohio River Valley triggered scattered thunderstorms across portions of northern North Carolina. The mountains received the heaviest rainfall, where one to two inch rainfall amounts were common, with locally higher amounts. Several of these storms were slow moving, resulting in prolonged locally heavy rainfall which caused a few road closures.
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 8, 7:18 PM EST, 47 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 818 PM EDT TUE MAY 8 2012 .SYNOPSIS... A COOL FRONT WILL MOVE EAST THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS TONIGHT...AND CONTINUE EAST ACROSS THE PIEDMONT OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA ON WEDNESDAY. THIS FRONT WILL BE PRECEDED AND ACCOMPANIED BY SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD EAST INTO THE REGION BEHIND THE FRONT WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY... BRINGING A RETURN TO DRY AND MILD WEATHER FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... AS OF 820 PM EDT TUESDAY... SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAVE INTENSIFIED ALONG FRONTAL SYSTEM A LITTLE MORE THAN PREVIOUSLY ANTICIPATED AS THEY HAVE CROSSED THE ALLEGHANYS INTO VA. PREVIOUSLY TSRA ENDED AT 00Z...BUT GIVEN ISOLATED LIGHTNING STRIKES FROM BATH COUNTY ALL THE WAY SOUTH ALONG THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY DOWN TO OUR NC COUNTIES...INCLUDING ONE HERE RIGHT NEAR THE OFFICE...HAVE ADDED TSRA IN AN EASTWARD MOVING BAND THROUGH 06Z. RAINFALL IS ALSO LOCALLY HEAVY AND WILL NEED TO WATCH FOR MINOR FLOODING ISSUES ACROSS OUR NC COUNTIES WHERE THERE HAS BEEN SOME PERIODIC TRAINING OF ECHOES. NO OTHER CHANGES BEING MADE AT THIS TIME. AS OF 640 PM EDT TUESDAY... NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES NEEDED AT THIS TIME. ALL ELEMENTS APPEAR TO BE ON TRACK WITH THREAT OF TSRA ENDING WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS. FRONT MOVING INTO THE WESTERN PART OF THE CWA...WITH THE BULK OF THE SHRA ACTIVITY AHEAD OF THE FRONT ALONG TO EAST OF THE WV BORDER. AS OF 315 PM EDT TUESDAY... AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WILL SWING FROM THE NORTHERN PLAINS TO THE GREAT LAKES OVERNIGHT. THIS WILL HELP PUSH A COLD FRONT CLOSER TO THE AREA AND OVER THE SOUTHERN OHIO VALLEY TONIGHT. THE BULK OF THE STORMS WILL REMAIN WITH THE SURFACE LOW OVER NEW ENGLAND...THEN TRANSFERS TO THE MID ATLANTIC COASTAL PIEDMONT WHERE HEATING WILL BE MAXIMIZED NEAR A LEE TROUGH THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. CONVECTION TO THE EAST WILL LIMIT THE CHANCES FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE AREA OVERNIGHT. HOWEVER...THERE IS STILL A SMALL CHANCE A SHOWERS WILL DEVELOP AND PASS OVER THE AREA THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. THE FRONT WILL SWING ACROSS THE REGION TOMORROW TO CONTINUE THE THREAT FOR SCATTERED SHOWERS. MOST OF THE STRONGER SHOWERS WILL REMAIN EAST OF THE AREA...THEREFORE WILL ONLY CARRY A CHANCE. BY SUNSET TOMORROW EVENING...FLOW BECOMES NORTHWESTERLY AND COOLER DRIER AIR WILL ENCOMPASS THE REGION. A SECONDARY AND/OR DEW POINT FRONT WILL ACCOMPANY THE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT. SO UNTIL THIS DRIER AIR COMES INTO THE AREA TOMORROW NIGHT...EXPECT GRAY CONDITIONS WITH PASSING SHOWERS AND MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES. WENT A LITTLE WARMER ON OVERNIGHT TEMPERATURES WITH THE FRONT STILL TO OUR WEST TONIGHT. DEW POINTS THIS AFTERNOON RUNNING IN THE U50S TO L60S. THIS IS SIMILAR TO WHAT I HAVE FOR LOWS. THE COLD FRONT AND/OR SHOWERS COME IN EARLY TOMORROW. MOUNTAIN TEMPERATURES MAY REMAIN IN THE 60S WHILE THE EAST COULD SEE M/U 70S. && .SHORT TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 335 PM EDT TUESDAY... COOL FRONT EXPECTED TO BE SOUTHEAST OF THE BLACKSBURG FORECAST AREA EARLY WEDNESDAY EVENING...BUT APPROACHING UPPER TROF AXIS AND WEAK WAVE RIDING NORTHEAST ALONG THE FRONT MAY BE SUFFICIENT TO MAINTAIN WESTERN EDGE OF MAIN CANOPY OF SHOWERS FROM LYNCHBURG TO DANVILLE INTO MID EVENING. OTHERWISE...EXPECT GRADUAL CLEARING EAST OF THE BLUE RIDGE AS UPPER TROF PASSES OVER AND TO THE EAST OF THE AREA AND AS DOWNSLOPING COMPONENT INCREASES IN ADVANCE OF APPROACHING SURFACE RIDGE. HOWEVER...UPSLOPING COLD ADVECTION WINDS ACROSS THE WESTERN FLANKS OF THE APPALACHIANS SHOULD MAINTAIN A GOOD AMOUNT OF CLOUD COVER ACROSS THE WESTERN MOUNTAINS THROUGH MUCH OF THE NIGHT INTO AT LEAST THE FIRST PART OF THURSDAY...WITH EVEN THE POSSIBILITY OF A FEW WIDELY SCATTERED LIGHT SHOWERS...ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF GREENBRIER COUNTY WV. GOOD MIXING WIND THROUGHOUT WEDNESDAY NIGHT SHOULD MAINTAIN A FAIRLY UNIFORM SPREAD OF TEMPERATURES...MAINLY 40S IN THE MOUNTAINS TO LOWER 50S EAST OF THE BLUE RIDGE. CONTINUED UPSLOPING CLOUDS ACROSS THE WEST SHOULD HOLD DAYTIME HIGHS ON THURSDAY TO UPPER 50S TO MID 60S...BUT WITH TEMPERATURES LIKELY TO REACH THE LOWER TO MID 70S EAST OF THE BLUE RIDGE WHERE DOWNSLOPING WILL HELP MAINTAIN CLEAR SKIES WITH STRONG INSOLATION. SURFACE RIDGE WILL ARRIVE OVER THE AREA LATER THURSDAY NIGHT...THEN LINGER THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT...BRINGING CLEARING SKIES TO THE WESTERN MOUNTAINS. GOOD RADIATIONAL POTENTIAL WILL SET UP OVER THE AREA BOTH THURSDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT AS WEAK GRADIENT ALLOWS FOR RAPID EVENING DECOUPLING OF BOUNDARY LAYER. CALM WINDS AND DRY AIR SHOULD SUPPORT OVERNIGHT LOWS IN THE 30S IN MANY OF THE MOUNTAIN VALLEYS...WITH UPPER 30S TO MID 40S LIKELY ELSEWHERE. STRONG INSOLATION ON FRIDAY IN ALL AREAS SHOULD ASSURE THAT DESPITE COOL START...AFTERNOON READINGS SHOULD CLIMB WELL INTO THE 60S IN MOST MOUNTAIN AREAS...WITH 70S ACROSS THE PIEDMONT. MOS GUIDANCE THROUGH THE SHORT TERM PERIOD QUITE CONSISTENT...AND GENERALLY ACCEPTED WITH ONLY SUBTLE TWEAKS NEEDED TO REFLECT LOCAL CLIMATOLOGICAL BIASES DRIVEN MAINLY BY TOPOGRAPHY. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... AS OF 335 PM EDT TUESDAY... SURFACE RIDGE FORECAST TO DRIFT EAST OF THE FORECAST AREA OVER THE WEEKEND BEFORE BECOMING ANCHORED OFF THE MID ATLANTIC COAST EARLY NEXT WEEK. APPROACH OF VERY BROAD LOWER LATITUDE TROF WILL ALLOW FOR BACKING OF UPPER FLOW AS LOWER TROPOSPHERIC WINDS BACK INTO AN UPSLOPE EASTERLY COMPONENT FROM OFF THE ATLANTIC. INCREASING TROPOSPHERIC MOISTURE AND PROXIMITY OF NEXT APPROACHING COOL FRONT...THAT WILL LIKELY BECOME NEARLY STATIONARY OVER/NEAR THE FORECAST AREA LATE IN THE WEEKEND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK WARRANTS A SLOW INCREASE IN THREAT FOR PRECIPITATION THROUGH THE LONG TERM PERIOD...FIRST ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS AND EASTERN FLANKS OF THE BLUE RIDGE...BEFORE SPREADING EAST ACROSS THE PIEDMONT. WITH DRY AIR IN PLACE...AT LEAST INITIALLY...CREATION OF IN-SITU COOL WEDGE LIKELY WITH ONSET OF ANY RAINFALL...SO ANY THREAT OF THUNDER WILL LIKELY BE ELEVATED AND RELATIVELY ISOLATED IN NATURE...SO SEVERE THREAT THREAT APPEARS TO BE QUITE MINIMAL THROUGH THE LONG TERM PERIOD. TEMPERATURES THROUGH THE PERIOD WILL BE HIGHLY PROBLEMATIC AND DEPENDENT ON CLOUD COVER AND ARRIVAL OF PRECIPITATION. AS WOULD BE EXPECTED WITH A SLUGGISH LOW LATITUDE PSEUDO-CLOSED FEATURE...LONGER RANGE MODELS SOMEWHAT DIVERGENT IN TIMING/MOVEMENT OF SURFACE AND UPPER FEATURES...ALTHOUGH GFS AND ECMWF NOT AS DISPARATE AS PREVIOUS RUNS. WITH THE ABOVE IN MIND...UTILIZED HPC GRIDS FOR MUCH OF THE LONG TERM PERIOD...MAKING ONLY SUBTLE MODIFICATIONS TO REFLECT TYPICAL THERMAL BIASES. && .AVIATION /00Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... AS OF 100 PM EDT TUESDAY... RADAR IMAGERY INDICATES SCATTERED SHOWER ACTIVITY...AND THE OCCASIONAL THUNDERSTORM...MOVING EAST ACROSS THE AREA THIS EVENING. SOME OF THIS ACTIVITY IS PACKING HEAVY RAIN...AND HAVE SEEN SEVERAL OBSERVATIONS ACROSS THE REGION WHERE VISIBILITY HAS TEMPORARILY FALLEN TO LESS THAN A MILE AS A SHOWER PASSES OVER. WILL EXPECT THIS TREND TO CONTINUE THROUGH THE EVENING. THE MAIN CONCERN THROUGH THE TAF PERIOD WILL BE A COLD FRONT THAT WILL MOVE INTO THE MOUNTAINS DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS...AND THEN CONTINUE ACROSS THE PIEDMONT REGION THROUGH WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. THE MOIST SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW AHEAD OF THE FRONT TONIGHT WILL RESULT IN WIDESPREAD IFR CEILINGS ACROSS THE AREA...WITH DECKS AT SOME AIRPORTS AS LOW AS 300 FEET. VISIBILITIES WILL ALSO LOWER...WITH FOG...SPOTTY SHOWER ACTIVITY AND DRIZZLE CONTINUING THROUGH SUNRISE. AFTER SUNRISE ON WEDNESDAY...LOW VISIBILITIES ARE EXPECTED TO IMPROVE AS DAYTIME HEATING INCREASES. HOWEVER...DUE TO THE SLOW PROGRESSION OF THE COLD FRONT ACROSS THE AREA...EXPECT THAT LOW CEILINGS WILL LINGER INTO THE LATE MORNING OR EARLY AFTERNOON ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS...BEFORE FINALLY LIFTING BACK TO VFR. FURTHER EAST...WILL KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY DEVELOPING DURING THE AFTERNOON...POTENTIALLY AFFECTING LYH AND DAN...AS A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM DEVELOPS ALONG THE FRONT. REGARDLESS...EXPECT THE COLD FRONT TO MOVE EAST OF THE AREA BY EARLY EVENING...WITH HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING IN FROM THE WEST. EXPECT GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS ON THURSDAY AS HIGH PRESSURE CONTINUES TO BUILD INTO THE AREA. HIGH PRESSURE WILL KEEP CONTROL OF THE AREA THROUGH SATURDAY BEFORE MOVING EAST. EXPECT A RETURN OF SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY AS EARLY AS SUNDAY...AS ANOTHER WEAK COLD FRONT APPROACHES FROM THE WEST. && .RNK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... VA...NONE. NC...NONE. WV...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...WERT NEAR TERM...RAB/RCS SHORT TERM...WERT LONG TERM...WERT AVIATION...NF
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 903 PM EDT TUE MAY 8 2012 NCZ001-002-018-VAZ007-009>020-022>024-WVZ042>045-091000- ASHE-ALLEGHANY NC-WATAUGA-TAZEWELL-SMYTH-BLAND-GILES-WYTHE-PULASKI- MONTGOMERY-GRAYSON-CARROLL-FLOYD-CRAIG-ALLEGHANY VA-BATH-ROANOKE- BOTETOURT-ROCKBRIDGE-MERCER-SUMMERS-MONROE-GREENBRIER- 903 PM EDT TUE MAY 8 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA...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. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. NCZ019-VAZ032>035-043>047-058-059-091000- WILKES-PATRICK-FRANKLIN-BEDFORD-AMHERST-HENRY-PITTSYLVANIA-CAMPBELL- APPOMATTOX-BUCKINGHAM-HALIFAX-CHARLOTTE- 903 PM EDT TUE MAY 8 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA...CENTRAL VIRGINIA...SOUTH CENTRAL VIRGINIA...SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA AND WEST CENTRAL VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. THE PROBABILITY OF WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE THIS EVENING. .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. NCZ003>006-020-091000- SURRY-STOKES-ROCKINGHAM-CASWELL-YADKIN- 903 PM EDT TUE MAY 8 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA AND NORTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED THIS EVENING. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL AND MINOR FLOODING POSSIBLE TONIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. THE PROBABILITY OF WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. RAB
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
412 PM EDT TUE MAY 8 2012
NCZ002-003-VAZ014>017-032-033-082115-
ALLEGHANY NC-CARROLL VA-FLOYD VA-FRANKLIN VA-GRAYSON VA-MONTGOMERY
VA-PATRICK VA-SURRY NC-
412 PM EDT TUE MAY 8 2012
...SHOWERS WITH HEAVY RAIN WILL AFFECT ALLEGHANY...CARROLL...FLOYD...
FRANKLIN...GRAYSON...MONTGOMERY...PATRICK AND SURRY COUNTIES...
AT 408 PM EDT...A LINE OF SHOWERS WITH HEAVY RAIN WAS LOCATED ALONG
A LINE FROM 7 MILES SOUTHWEST OF PILOT TO ENNICE...MOVING EAST AT 25
MPH.
WIND GUSTS TO 30 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE SHOWERS. VERY HEAVY RAIN
MAY FALL FROM THESE SHOWERS...AND CAN CAUSE WATER TO POND ON ROADS
AND QUICKLY FILL ROADSIDE DITCHES AND SMALL STREAMS.
THESE SHOWERS WILL BE NEAR CUMBERLAND KNOB...AND DUGSPUR AROUND 420
PM...PILOT...ALUM RIDGE...AND LOW GAP AROUND 425 PM...GLADESBORO...
AND FANCY GAP AROUND 430 PM...WILLIS...AND LAMBSBURG AROUND 435 PM
AND TERRYS FORK AROUND 440 PM.
LAT...LON 3651 8106 3693 8064 3697 8055 3701 8056
3707 8050 3710 7989 3646 8050
16SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
459 PM EDT TUE MAY 8 2012
VAZ018>020-023-082200-
ALLEGHANY VA-BATH VA-BOTETOURT VA-CRAIG VA-MONROE WV-
459 PM EDT TUE MAY 8 2012
...A NARROW LINE OF HEAVY SHOWERS...WITH ISOLATED
THUNDERSTORMS...WILL AFFECT EASTERN ALLEGHANY...INCLUDING THE CITY
OF COVINGTON...SOUTHEASTERN BATH...WESTERN BOTETOURT...AND CRAIG
COUNTIES THROUGH 600 PM EDT...
AT 454 PM EDT...THIS LINE OF SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS
EXTENDED FROM HOT SPRINGS...TO COVINGTON...TO PAINT BANK...MOVING
EAST
AT 15 MPH.
MOTORISTS TRAVELLING THROUGH THIS AREA SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR
LOCALIZED AREAS OF REDUCED VISIBILITY AS A RESULT OF HEAVY RAIN.
LAT...LON 3804 7978 3796 7957 3788 7965 3785 7962
3774 7969 3768 7967 3751 8001 3745 8004
3739 8014 3738 8019 3734 8026 3737 8033
3731 8043 3733 8045 3742 8048 3747 8039
3752 8039 3771 8013
RABSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
703 PM EDT TUE MAY 8 2012
NCZ003-004-090000-
STOKES NC-SURRY NC-
703 PM EDT TUE MAY 8 2012
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT STOKES AND EASTERN SURRY
COUNTIES...
AT 701 PM EDT...A LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM
THUNDERSTORMS WERE ALONG A LINE FROM 5 MILES SOUTH OF FRANCISCO TO 5
MILES EAST OF PILOT MOUNTAIN TO 5 MILES SOUTH OF PILOT
MOUNTAIN...MOVING EAST AT 10 MPH.
WIND GUSTS TO 30 MPH 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 PINNACLE AROUND 710 PM...VADE MECUM AROUND
715 PM...CAPELLA AROUND 720 PM...HANGING ROCK STATE PARK AROUND 730
PM...LAWSONVILLE AND KING AROUND 735 PM...AND DANBURY AROUND 745 PM.
LAT...LON 3627 8053 3628 8054 3627 8060 3629 8063
3627 8063 3627 8066 3636 8050 3649 8042
3649 8004 3628 8003 3626 8004
RABThe Roanoke radar (KFCX), 82 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 01:02 UTC.
1 flood, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Eight to twelve inches of water was observed flowing across Mountain View Road.
Several roads were washed out and closed by flooding associated with heavy rain. Flooding also required two homes to be evacuated.
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, May 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: 383772, 383771.