An ever persistent upper trough and associated frontal system lingered across the eastern United States. The broad upper trough was centered near Ohio, while the frontal system was stalled across eastern Virginia into north central North Carolina.
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.
An ever persistent upper trough and associated frontal system lingered across the eastern United States. The broad upper trough was centered near Ohio, while the frontal system was stalled across eastern Virginia into north central North Carolina. With a warm, humid air mass across the region, especially across eastern Virginia and northern North Carolina, showers and thunderstorms developed during afternoon heating once again. One of these in Pittsylvania county became severe and produced quarter to near half-dollar-sized hail.
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 Aug 15, 12:45 PM EST, 1 hour 50 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 145 PM EDT WED AUG 15 2012 .SYNOPSIS... AN UPPER TROUGH WILL PASS ACROSS THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON. DRIER CONDITIONS WILL SPREAD ACROSS THE AREA THURSDAY BEFORE A STRONGER UPPER TROUGH IMPACTS THE REGION FRIDAY INTO THE WEEKEND WITH A BETTER CHANCE FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...ESPECIALLY FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY ALONG WITH SEASONABLY MILD TEMPERATURES. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... AS OF 105 PM EDT WEDNESDAY... THE 13Z HRRR WAS HANDLING THE ENERGY MOVING ACROSS WV AND THE CONVECTION SITUATED FROM THIS VORT IN WV SOUTH INTO ERN TN. WILL FOLLOW IT SOME THROUGH MID AFTERNOON WHICH TAKES THE BULK OF PRECIP ENE THROUGH THE NRV/ROA VALLEYS AND TO LYH AND OUT OF THE CWA BY 6PM. TO THE SOUTH...THE VORT TAIL SHOULD ALLOW FOR ISOLATED/SCATTERED SHRA/FEW TSRA. THINK INSTABILITY WILL BE LIMITED WITH HIGHER THRESHOLDS ACROSS SOUTHSIDE VA/NW NC PIEDMONT WHERE THUNDER CHANCES WILL REMAIN UNTIL LATE AFTERNOON. MADE SOME DOWNWARD ADJUSTMENTS AGAIN TO THE TEMPS ESPECIALLY WEST THOUGH SOME CLEARING BEHIND THE VORT MAY SEND TEMPS UP INTO THE MID TO UPPER 70S. THE EAST WILL BE GETTING MORE CLOUDS WITH THE VORT PASSING BY EXCEPT SOUTH OF THE VA/NC BORDER IN WHERE CU/TCU/CB WILL BE SCT WITH SOME MID/HIGH CLOUDS AT TIMES. PREVIOUS VALID DISCUSSION... FOR TONIGHT...SOMEWHAT DRIER AIR WILL ADVECT INTO THE REGION FROM THE NW BEHIND THIS FIRST SHORT WAVE TROUGH. SKIES WILL CLEAR AFT 00Z FROM WEST TO EAST WITH ANY AFTERNOON UPSLOPE CU/SC DISSIPATING QUICKLY AND NO INDICATION OF ANY UPSTREAM CI AT THIS POINT. DEWPOINTS INTO THE MID AND UPPER 50S ACROSS SE WV AND SW VA WILL ALLOW FAVORABLE VALLEYS TO DROP INTO THE MID AND UPPER 50S OVERNIGHT...WITH 60S ACROSS THE PIEDMONT AND HIGHER...EXPOSED ELEVATIONS. && .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT/... THIS PERIOD WILL TREND TO A MORE AMPLIFIED PATTERN WITH A DEEP UPPER TROUGH EVENTUALLY BEING CARVED OUT ACROSS THE EASTERN CONUS. BEFORE THAT...QUICK WARM ADVECTION PUTS H85 TEMPS TO +18C BY 0Z FRIDAY/8P THURSDAY. CONSIDERING THAT DEWPOINTS WON'T RISE AS QUICKLY AS THE TEMPS...RELATIVE HUMIDITY WILL BE RATHER COMFORTABLE ON THURSDAY WITH DEWPOINTS IN THE 50S NEAR MAX MIXING WITH A LIGHT WESTERLY WIND. CLOUDS WILL SLOWLY INCREASE ACROSS SE WEST VA THURSDAY NIGHT...BUT WITH HARDLY ANY CLOUDS...DRY AIR AND NIL WINDS LOW TEMPS MAY RUN A DEGREE OR TWO BELOW GUIDANCE ACROSS THE PIEDMONT AND SOUTHSIDE INTO FRIDAY MORNING. THE UPPER SUPPORT TO THE COLD FRONT...WHICH WILL APPROACH THE REGION LATER FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT...PASSES INTO SOUTHEASTERN CANADA. ANY LINE OF STORMS WHICH FORMS ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY THUS MAY DWINDLE ACROSS WEST VA. COLUMN DOESN'T MOISTEN QUICKLY ENOUGH FOR WIDESPREAD SHWS AND STORMS TO SURVIVE INTO THE PIEDMONT/SOUTHSIDE AND POSSIBLY EVEN THE ROANOKE VALLEY. THUS...FRIDAY DOESN'T LOOK LIKE THAT BAD OF A DAY...WITH ANY SHOWERS OR STORMS HOLDING OFF UNTIL LATE DAY SAVE SOUTHEASTERN WEST VA/NW NC. HIGHEST POPS WILL BE FROM JFZ TO BLF TO WESTERN GREENBRIER. COLD FRONT GETS LEFT BEHIND BY ITS UPPER SUPPORT PERHAPS PARKING IT OVER THE NEW RIVER VALLEY ON SATURDAY. THIS SHOULD KEEP SHOWERS AND STORMS AROUND FOR AT LEAST HALF OF THE DAY ON SATURDAY AS DISTURBANCES RIDE ALONG IT...WITH SKIES SLOW TO CLEAR...AND A FEW SHOWERS STILL AROUND SATURDAY NIGHT. && .LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... AS OF 110 PM EDT TUESDAY... TREND THE PAST FEW DAYS HAS BEEN FOR THE FRIDAY COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE TO LAG A BIT SLOWER. THIS TREND CONTINUES TODAY WITH THE FRONT SWEEPING THROUGH THE REGION FRIDAY NIGHT. HAVE INCREASED POPS FRIDAY NIGHT TO ACCOUNT FOR THE GREATEST CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION...AS COMPARED TO THE SOMEWHAT LOWER CHANCE FRIDAY AFTERNOON. IN FOLLOWING HPC GUIDANCE...WILL HAVE LOW END LIKELY POPS ACROSS THE FAR WESTERN PARTS OF THE AREA EARLY FRIDAY NIGHT...WITH HIGH CHANCE POPS IN THE EAST LATE FRIDAY NIGHT. WHILE WE WILL SEE THE FRONT HEAD TO OUR SOUTH ON SATURDAY...AND THE BEGINNINGS OF SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE WORKINGS ITS WAY INTO THE AREA...A PERSISTENT BROAD TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE ALOFT WILL REMAIN ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN PARTS OF THE COUNTRY. PERIODIC SHORTWAVE TROUGHS OF ENERGY ARE PROGGED TO BE WITHIN THIS LARGER FLOW INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. TIMING OF THESE FEATURES WILL BE PROBLEMATIC...AS THEY WILL LIKELY FLUCTUATE WITH EACH SUCCESSIVE MODEL RUN. FOR THE SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY PORTION OF THE FORECAST...HAVE WEIGHED OUR SOLUTION HEAVILY ON THE HPC GUIDANCE WHICH GOES HEAVY ON MAINTAINING LINGER POPS ON THE BACKSIDE OF THE FRONT INTO SATURDAY...COINCIDENT TO ONE OF THESE WEAKER WAVES ROUNDING THE BASE OF THE LARGER PARENT TROUGH. OTHER ISOLATED SHOWERS ARE FORECAST SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. THE EXISTENCE OF THE UPPER TROUGH PARKED OVER THE REGION WILL YIELD TEMPERATURES AT OR SLIGHTLY BELOW NORMAL FOR THIS TIME OF THE YEAR. && .AVIATION /18Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... AS OF 115 PM EDT WEDNESDAY... GOING WITH SHRA AT BLF/LWB/BCB/ROA IN THE FIRST HOUR WITH NO THUNDER...AS INSTABILITY LACKING. THE THREAT FOR SUB VFR IS NOT LONG-LASTING MAYBE AN HOUR WITH THE HEAVIER SHOWERS WHICH WILL BRING VSBYS DOWN TO 2SM WITH CIGS AROUND 1500-3000FT IN THE MTNS. WITH THE SHORTWAVE EXITING THIS EVENING...THINK WE WILL SEE CLEARING SKIES BUT THE DEWPOINTS STAY ELEVATED ENOUGH WHERE FOG WILL BE AN ISSUE AFTER MIDNIGHT. MODELS SHOW AT LEAST MVFR FOG ACROSS MOST AREAS AFTER 06Z...WITH LIFR AT LWB/BLF. AT BCB WE MAY SEE SUB IFR BUT CONFIDENCE NOT HIGH. HAVE THE FOG CLEARING ACROSS THE AREA BY 14Z THU...AND HIGH PRESSURE WILL BE IN CONTROL WITH VFR CONDITIONS. ASIDE FROM SOME LATE NIGHT FOG AT LWB/BCB ANTICIPATE THE NEXT THREAT FOR SUB VFR TO COME WITH A FRONT FRIDAY INTO SATURDAY. THE FRONT SLOWS AND LINGERS ACROSS CENTRAL SC NORTHEAST TO THE OUTER BANKS THROUGH THE WEEKEND SUCH THAT THE THREAT OF SHOWERS MAY OCCUR IN THE DANVILLE AREA...WIH SOME MVFR POSSIBLE. THE FRONT WILL BE MOVING SLOWLY EAST BY MONDAY AS HIGH PRESSURE WORKS IN FROM THE OHIO VALLEY. && .RNK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... VA...NONE. NC...NONE. WV...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...RAB/WP NEAR TERM...RAB/WP SHORT TERM...KM LONG TERM...DS AVIATION...RAB/WP
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 613 AM EDT WED AUG 15 2012 NCZ001>006-018>020-VAZ007-009>020-022>024-032>035-043>047-058-059- WVZ042>045-161000- 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- 613 AM EDT WED AUG 15 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. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. A DEEPENING UPPER TROUGH ACROSS THE EASTERN U.S. AND AN ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT WILL BRING A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS TO THE AREA LATE FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT. A FEW OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS MAY BECOME STRONG TO SEVERE...WITH THE MAIN THREAT BEING DAMAGING WINDS AND QUARTER-SIZED HAIL. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL REMAIN POSSIBLE INTO SATURDAY AND EVEN INTO SUNDAY ACROSS THE PIEDMONT. HOWEVER...THIS ACTIVITY IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN BELOW SEVERE LIMITS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. RAB
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
1238 PM EDT WED AUG 15 2012
NCZ001-018-VAZ015-151715-
ASHE NC-GRAYSON VA-WATAUGA NC-
1238 PM EDT WED AUG 15 2012
...THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT PORTIONS OF THE HIGH COUNTRY THROUGH
130 PMS...
AT 1232 PM EDT...THUNDERSTORMS WERE ALONG A LINE FROM 7 MILES NORTH
OF MOUNTAIN CITY TO 6 MILES NORTH OF BEECH MOUNTAIN...MOVING EAST AT
20 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 IMPACT THE FOLLOWING COMMUNTIES AND AREAS...SUGAR
GROVE GRAYSON HIGHLANDS STATE PARK...SILVERSTONE...TROUT AND TODD.
LAT...LON 3634 8185 3636 8181 3635 8177 3635 8173
3641 8175 3647 8170 3654 8171 3662 8165
3665 8158 3665 8139 3621 8147 3623 8191
3627 8190 3629 8192
WPSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 216 PM EDT WED AUG 15 2012 VAZ009-010-012-013-015-151845- BLAND VA-GRAYSON VA-PULASKI VA-SMYTH VA-WYTHE VA- 216 PM EDT WED AUG 15 2012 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT BLAND...GRAYSON...PULASKI...SMYTH AND WYTHE COUNTIES... AT 214 PM EDT...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE ALONG A LINE FROM 4 MILES EAST OF BLAND TO SUGAR GROVE...MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH. WIND GUSTS TO 30 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS. PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN MAY ALSO CAUSE PONDING ON ROADWAYS. THESE STORMS WILL BE NEAR CROCKETT AROUND 225 PM...LONG SPUR AROUND 230 PM...SPEEDWELL AROUND 235 PM AND CRIPPLE CREEK AROUND 245 PM. LAT...LON 3715 8075 3665 8124 3676 8151 3713 8119 16
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 hail, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The public observed quarter to 1.25 inch diameter hail along Axton Road near Keen Drive west of Cascade, or approximately five miles north-northeast of Eden, North Carolina.
The public reported that several trees were down on Cobbs Knob Road west of Cascade, or approximately five miles north-northeast of Eden, North Carolina.
The public observed nickel to quarter-sized hail on Gerlene Lane near the North Carolina line, west of Cascade, or approximately five miles north-northeast of Eden, North Carolina.
The public observed quarter-sized hail at the intersection of Cascade Mill Road and Loblolly Drive or approximately one mile northwest of Cascade, only a few miles north of the North Carolina state line.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Virginia in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyWarnings in Virginia, August 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: 409534, 409535, 409533, 409536.