A strong cold front entered the mountains of North Carolina during the morning, and passed east of the North Carolina Piedmont counties during the late afternoon. While rain and cloud cover occurring during the early morning greatly limited instability across the area, one storm did exceed severe criteria during the early afternoon in Wilkes County.
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 strong cold front entered the mountains of North Carolina during the morning, and passed east of the North Carolina Piedmont counties during the late afternoon. While rain and cloud cover occurring during the early morning greatly limited instability across the area, one storm did exceed severe criteria during the early afternoon in Wilkes County.
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 Sep 8, 12:29 PM EST, 1 minute earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 129 PM EDT SAT SEP 8 2012 .SYNOPSIS... THE FIRST SIGNIFICANT FRONT OF THE FALL SEASON WILL SWEEP THROUGH THE REGION TODAY AND TONIGHT. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...SOME STRONG WILL ACCOMPANY THE FRONT TODAY AND THIS EVENING FROM WEST TO EAST. DRIER AND MUCH COOLER AIR WILL SPREAD FROM THE GREAT LAKES INTO THE EASTERN U.S. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... AS OF 1230 PM EDT SATURDAY... WATCHING A STRONG COLD FRONT APPROACH THE AREA EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. INSTABILITIES AND A NEGATIVE-TILTED UPPER LEVEL TROUGH SHOULD GENERATE STRONG STORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. RAIN THIS MORNING ACROSS THE FAR WEST SHOULD LIMIT SEVERE POTENTIAL OVER THE MOUNTAINS. ANY WHERE ALONG THE BLUE RIDGE EAST HAS A HIGHER PROBABILITY FOR SEVERE WEATHER...ESPECIALLY INTO THE FOOTHILLS AND PIEDMONT COUNTIES WHERE MORE HEATING HAS OCCURRED THIS MORNING. DAMAGING WINDS ARE THE MAIN THREAT THIS AFTERNOON FROM MULTICELLULAR STORMS AND QUASI-LINEAR CONVECTION LINE. THIS LINE OF STORMS WILL BE ALONG A LINE FROM BLUEFIELD TO LEWISBURG AROUND 100 PM...NEAR THE BLUE RIDGE AROUND 2-3PM. THESE STRONG STORMS SHOULD MOVE EAST OF THE PIEDMONT EARLY THIS EVENING. DRY COOLER WEATHER WILL FOLLOW THE FRONT. AS OF 930 AM EDT SATURDAY... PREFRONTAL SHOWERS ENTERING SE WV THIS MORNING. THIS LINE OF SHOWERS WILL BEHAVE AND WANE IN AREAL COVERAGE AS IT CROSSES THE MOUNTAINS THIS MORNING. AS THE COLD FRONT APPROACHES THE REGION THIS AFTERNOON...5H TROUGH BECOMES NEGATIVELY TILTED. THIS ENERGY AND A STRENGTHENING LOW LEVEL JET WILL BRING A CHANCE FOR SEVERE WEATHER TO THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. CONFIDENCE LOW FOR SEVERE WEATHER ALONG THE BLUE RIDGE BUT HIGH ENOUGH NOT TO SAY THERE IS A ZERO CHANCE. BULK OF THE SEVERE WEATHER FOR THE AREA WILL BE EAST OF THE BLUE RIDGE...PARTICULARLY THE PIEDMONT. AS OF 500 AM EDT SATURDAY... MAIN CONCERN TODAY WILL BE STRONG...FIRST FALL COLD FRONT...SLATED TO SWEEP THROUGH THE CWA FROM W-E BY EVENING AND EARLY SUN MORNING. MODELS APPEAR TO BE A LITTLE SLOW BASED ON CURRENT RADAR TRENDS AND PRE-FRONTAL SQUALL LINE...CURRENTLY EXTENDING FROM PIT- CRW-JKL. HOWEVER...SECONDARY UPPER TROUGH EXPECTED TO SWEEP THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES BY EVENING SHOULD SLOW FURTHER PROGRESS AS INDICATED BY THE MODELS. THUS...WITH RESPECT TO TIMING OF CONVECTION...EXPECT ACTIVITY TO REACH/DEVELOP TOWARD LWB-BLF BY LATE MORNING...ROA/BCB TO LATE MORNING...AND LYH/DAN BY 20Z. AMOUNT OF CONVECTION REMAINS QUITE QUESTIONABLE BECAUSE OF ANTECEDENT MID/HIGH CLOUD COVER. WITH RESPECT TO SEVERE...BASICALLY UNIMPRESSED WITH THE THREAT FOR SUCH ACROSS OUR CWA. BEST LOW-LEVEL WINDS TRACK ACROSS THE AREA EARLY THIS MORNING...AN UNFAVORABLE TIME FOR CONVECTION. INSTABILITY IS ESSENTIALLY NON-EXISTENT ACROSS THE WESTERN PART OF THE CWA...TO MARGINAL ACROSS THE EASTERN AREAS. SIG SVR PARAMETER BARELY REACHES 5000 EVEN ACROSS THE PIEDMONT. ANY SEVERE...BARRING UNFORESEEN BREAKS IN THE CLOUDS AND MORE HEATING ACROSS THE WESTERN AREAS THAN CURRENTLY EXPECTED...SHOULD BE CONFINED TO THE PIEDMONT REGION DURING THE AFTERNOON THROUGH EARLY EVENING. MDT RISK SHOULD REMAIN WELL NORTH OF OUR CWA TOWARD THE NORTHERN MID- ATLANTIC AND NEW ENGLAND WHERE LOW-LEVEL WIND FIELDS AND SHEAR ARE MUCH MORE CONDUCIVE FOR SEVERE/WIDESPREAD DAMAGING WIND. FOR POPS...HAVE GONE WITH LIKELY POPS FROM W-E DURING THE DAY BASED ON THE THOUGHT THAT MOST AREAS SHOULD RECEIVE AT LEAST 0.01 INCH...BUT ACTIVITY WILL NOT BE WIDESPREAD OR CONSISTENT. THERE DOES APPEAR TO BE AT LEAST SOME WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY FOR UPSLOPE/POST CONVECTIVE/POST FRONTAL -SHRA ACROSS WV DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON/EARLY EVENING BEFORE DRIER AIR SHUTS THAT OFF. WILL END ALL POPS AFT 06Z...EVEN ACROSS THE EAST. FOR TEMPS...HAVE USED A MAV/MET BLEND. SUNSHINE SHOULD BE LIMITED ENOUGH TO TEMPER READINGS ACROSS THE WESTERN AREAS...BUT EASTERN AREAS WILL STILL BE WELL ABOVE NORMAL WITH READINGS NEAR NORMAL. MIN TEMPS ADVERTISED BY THE MODELS SUN MORNING APPEARED WAY TOO LOW...DESPITE THE CAA AND COOLER 850MB TEMPS. THUS...I RAISED MOST TEMPS 5 DEG F ACROSS THE BOARD. && .SHORT TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 340 AM EDT SATURDAY... IN THE WAKE OF THE COLD FRONT...COOLER DRIER WEATHER IS EXPECTED SUNDAY AND CONTINUING INTO MONDAY NIGHT. ALLOWED FOR AN ISOLATED SHOWERS ACROSS THE EXTREME NORTHWEST...AS AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH/COLD FRONT TRACKS THE REGION. HIGH TEMPERATURES ON SUNDAY WILL RANGE FROM THE THE LOWER 70S ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS TO AROUND 80 DEGREES IN THE PIEDMONT. SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE WILL DRIFT EAST SUNDAY NIGHT AND BROADEN ACROSS THE EAST COAST MONDAY. LOW TEMPERATURES SUNDAY EXPECTED FROM THE UPPER 40S IN THE MOUNTAINS TO THE MID 50S IN THE PIEDMONT. HIGH TEMPERATURES ON MONDAY WILL RANGE FROM THE MID 70S IN THE WEST TO THE LOWER 80S IN THE EAST. LOWS MONDAY NIGHT WILL DROP INTO THE UPPER 40S IN THE MOUNTAINS TO THE MID 50S IN THE EAST. && .LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... AS OF 100 PM EDT FRIDAY... SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE MOVES OVER THE NORTHERN MID ATLANTIC ON MONDAY AND WEDGES DOWN THE EAST COAST TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. COOL EASTERLY FLOW WILL KEEP EASTERN TEMPERATURES AS COOL AS THE MOUNTAINS BOTH DAYS. EACH DAY NEXT WEEK...TEMPERATURES WILL MODERATE A FEW DEGREES. BY THURSDAY...AN UPPER LEVEL RIDGE WILL HAVE TEMPERATURE AT OR ABOVE NORMAL...CONTINUING INTO FRIDAY. DRY STABLE AIR ASSOCIATED WITH THE SURFACE RIDGE WILL KEEP THE REGION DRY INTO NEXT FRIDAY. THE NEXT CHANCE FOR RAIN MAY NOT COME UNTIL NEXT WEEKEND. && .AVIATION /18Z SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... AS OF 130 PM EDT SATURDAY... A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL BRING SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THE AREAS WEATHER THIS AFTERNOON. THIS COLD FRONT IS LOCATED ACROSS THE SOUTHERN OHIO/EASTERN TENN VALLEY LATE THIS MORNING AND WILL ENTER THE REGION BY 1730Z AT BLF/LWB...THEN ROA/BCB AT 19Z AND LYH/DAN AROUND 20Z-21Z. THE LINE OF CONVECTION ASSOCIATED WITH THE FRONT IS TRACKING SOUTHEAST AROUND 30KFT. WITH DYNAMICS...ENERGY AND MOISTURE IN THE AREA...STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS ARE EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON AT ROA/LYH/DAN. TIMING OF THE STRONG LINE OF STORMS WILL BE THE IMMEDIATE CHALLENGE FOR EACH AIRPORT. GOOD NEWS IS THAT THESE STORMS ARE MOVING FAST AND AIRPORT INTERRUPTION SHOULD NOT EXCEED AN HOUR. WIND COULD GUSTS TO OVER 45KTS AS THE LINE COMES THROUGH...THEN REMAIN BREEZY IN TO THE EVENING (10-20KTS) CONVECTIVE SHOWERS WILL EXIT THE AREA THIS EVENING. OUTSIDE OF SOME BREEZY CONDITIONS THIS EVENING AND SUNDAY AFTERNOON...THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS TO A WEEK WILL BE TRANQUIL. THERE MAY BE SOME FOG IN THE MOUNTAIN VALLEYS EACH MORNING...BUT NOTHING TO DENSE OR TO LINGER INTO MID MORNING. && .RNK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... VA...NONE. NC...NONE. WV...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...RAB NEAR TERM...RAB/RCS SHORT TERM...KK LONG TERM...RCS AVIATION...RCS
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 607 AM EDT SAT SEP 8 2012 NCZ001>003-018-019-VAZ007-009>020-022>024-032>035-WVZ042>045-091000- ASHE-ALLEGHANY NC-SURRY-WATAUGA-WILKES-TAZEWELL-SMYTH-BLAND-GILES- WYTHE-PULASKI-MONTGOMERY-GRAYSON-CARROLL-FLOYD-CRAIG-ALLEGHANY VA- BATH-ROANOKE-BOTETOURT-ROCKBRIDGE-PATRICK-FRANKLIN-BEDFORD-AMHERST- MERCER-SUMMERS-MONROE-GREENBRIER- 607 AM EDT SAT SEP 8 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. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TODAY AS A STRONG COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH THE REGION FROM WEST TO EAST. A FEW STORMS MAY PRODUCE GUSTY WINDS AND BRIEF HEAVY RAIN FROM LATE MORNING THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME. NCZ004>006-020-VAZ043>047-058-059-091000- STOKES-ROCKINGHAM-CASWELL-YADKIN-HENRY-PITTSYLVANIA-CAMPBELL- APPOMATTOX-BUCKINGHAM-HALIFAX-CHARLOTTE- 607 AM EDT SAT SEP 8 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA...NORTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA...CENTRAL VIRGINIA AND SOUTH CENTRAL VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING ACROSS THE PIEDMONT REGION AS A STRONG COLD FRONT MOVES TOWARD THE REGION FROM THE WEST. A FEW OF THESE STORMS MAY BECOME STRONG TO SEVERE AND PRODUCE DAMAGING WIND GUSTS...AS WELL AS BRIEF HEAVY RAIN. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... LIMITED SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
100 PM EDT SAT SEP 8 2012
VAZ007-010-011-019-020-WVZ042>045-081800-
ALLEGHANY VA-BATH VA-BLAND VA-GILES VA-GREENBRIER WV-MERCER WV-
MONROE WV-SUMMERS WV-TAZEWELL VA-
100 PM EDT SAT SEP 8 2012
...SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WITH GUSTY WINDS WILL AFFECT
ALLEGHANY...BATH...BLAND...GILES...GREENBRIER...MERCER...MONROE...
SUMMERS AND TAZEWELL COUNTIES...
AT 1258 PM EDT...A LINE OF SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WERE
ALONG A LINE FROM 6 MILES EAST OF RICHWOOD TO 8 MILES NORTHWEST OF
RICHLANDS...MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH.
WIND GUSTS TO 45 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE SHOWERS AND POSSIBLE
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.
THIS LINE OF SHOWERS WILL BE NEAR RUPERT AROUND 105
PM...SANDSTONE...LAWN...ELTON...AND TROUT AROUND 110 PM...CAMP CREEK
STATE PARK...JUMPING BRANCH...HINTON...AND WILLIAMSBURG AROUND 115
PM AND PIPESTEM RESORT STATE PARK AROUND 120 PM.
LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR FAVORITE MEDIA OUTLET FOR LATER
UPDATES OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
LAT...LON 3823 8035 3811 8035 3804 8021 3807 7997
3821 7989 3815 7944 3705 8098 3713 8191
3725 8174 3721 8156 3728 8142 3758 8120
3761 8108 3772 8098 3770 8090 3782 8094
3788 8076 3803 8081 3826 8045 3827 8044
JHSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
109 PM EDT SAT SEP 8 2012
NCZ003-019-020-081815-
SURRY NC-WILKES NC-YADKIN NC-
109 PM EDT SAT SEP 8 2012
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT SURRY...WILKES AND YADKIN
COUNTIES...
AT 106 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 5 MILES SOUTHEAST
OF WILKESBORO...MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH.
WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH 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 WINDY GAP...AND ROARING RIVER AROUND 115
PM...CLINGMAN...AND RONDA AROUND 120 PM...PLEASANT HILL...AND
PLEASANT HILL AROUND 125 PM...SWANCREEK...JONESVILLE...AND ELKIN
AROUND 130 PM AND BUCK SHOALS AROUND 135 PM.
LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR FAVORITE MEDIA OUTLET FOR LATER
UPDATES OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
LAT...LON 3619 8116 3638 8050 3613 8044 3611 8046
3610 8050 3604 8050 3605 8099 3603 8106
3603 8117
JHThe Roanoke radar (KFCX), 124 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 17:28 UTC.
2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
One tree was blown down by thunderstorm winds on Highway 115 near Spring Drive and Fishing Creek Road.
A power line was blown down by thunderstorm winds along Highway 268 East in the community of Ronda.
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, September 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: 403355, 403358.