Scattered severe thunderstorms along a frontal boundary produced damaging winds and a funnel cloud across portions of central and southeast Virginia.
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 AKQ wrote it up.
Scattered severe thunderstorms along a frontal boundary produced damaging winds and a funnel cloud across portions of central and southeast Virginia.
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 Wakefield, VA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Aug 15, 2:00 PM EST, 0 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA 300 PM EDT WED AUG 15 2012 .SYNOPSIS... A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL MOVE OFFSHORE TONIGHT. HIGH PRESSURE RETURNS FOR THURSDAY...FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER COLD FRONT LATE FRIDAY INTO SATURDAY. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... LATEST WV IMAGERY SHOWS A POTENT SHORTWAVE ADVANCING EASTWARD TOWARD CENTRAL VA/NC THIS AFTERNOON WITH A WEAK SFC FRONTAL BOUNDARY DRAPED FROM NE TO SW ACROSS OUR FA. BREAKS IN THE CLOUDS EARLIER TODAY ALLOWED TEMPS TO WARM INTO THE UPR 80S/LOW 90S ACROSS EASTERN VA AND NE NC...AND THEREFORE MAXIMIZED INSTABILITY ACROSS THIS REGION (ML CAPE 2000-2500 J/KG). THIS IN COMBINATION WITH THE ADVANCING SHORTWAVE WILL ALLOW FOR SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS AREAS ALONG AND EAST OF I-95 THROUGH THE EARLY EVENING HOURS. SPC HAS PLACED ALL OF OUR FA ALONG AND EAST OF I-95 UNDER A SVR TSTM WATCH UNTIL 02Z. THE GREATEST THREATS WILL BE FOR LOCALIZED DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL...BUT AN ISOLATED TORNADO CANNOT BE RULED OUT DUE TO SUFFICIENT SHEAR UP TO 40 KT. LATEST HIGH RES MODEL GUIDANCE AGREES WITH THE HIGHEST PRECIP CHANCES BEING LOCATED ACROSS EASTERN VA (ESPECIALLY THE TIDEWATER AREA) AND NE NC THROUGH THE EVENING. THEREFORE...WILL MAINTAIN NO LESS THAN 50% POPS FOR OUR EASTERN AREAS THROUGH 00Z. SHOWERS/STORMS WILL DISSIPATE FROM WEST TO EAST LATER THIS EVENING AS THE FRONT/SHORTWAVE PUSH OFFSHORE AND HIGH PRESSURE MOVES IN FROM THE WEST. TEMPS WILL FALL INTO THE L-M60S WELL INLAND TO U60S-L70S NEAR THE COAST TONIGHT. && .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... DRY CONDITIONS ARE ON TAP FOR THURSDAY AS HIGH PRESSURE SITS OVER THE AREA. EXPECT SEASONABLE TEMPERATURES WITH HIGHS IN THE UPPER 80S TO AROUND 90 UNDER A MOSTLY SUNNY SKY. MAINLY CLEAR THURSDAY NIGHT WITH LOWS IN THE 60S TO AROUND 70. THE FLOW TURNS BACK TO THE SW ON FRIDAY IN ADVANCE OF THE NEXT FRONT AND AMPLIFYING UPPER LOW ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES. ANY PRECIP IS NOT EXPECTED TO ARRIVE UNTIL LATE AFTN/EVEN AT THE EARLIEST DUE TO THE SLOW MOVEMENT OF THE FRONT. EXPECT SKY COVER TO BE PARTLY TO MOSTLY SUNNY UNTIL LATE AFTN WHEN LOW POPS MOVE IN FROM NW TO SE. LOW-LEVEL TEMPS/THICKNESS VALUES SUPPORT HIGHS IN THE LOW 90S...ESPECIALLY IF FULL EXTENT OF SW FLOW AND DECENT MIXING CAN BE REALIZED. A LARGE UPPER LOW STALLS OVER THE GREAT LAKES BY SATURDAY WHICH CAUSES THE ADVANCING SFC COLD FRONT TO SLOW DOWN AND ONLY SLOWLY PASS THROUGH OUR FA FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY BEFORE BECOMING STATIONARY OVER THE CAROLINAS LATE SATURDAY. WILL CONTINUE TO CARRY SOLID CHC POPS (30-40%) ACROSS THE AREA FOR NOW AS MODELS REMAIN IN GENERALLY GOOD AGREEMENT ON THIS SCENARIO. HIGHS IN THE 80S. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... WILL LEAN TOWARD THE ECMWF MODEL FOR THE EXTENDED PERIOD. COLD FRNT WILL PUSH ACRS THE AREA AND JUST OFF THE CST FRI NGT INTO SAT NGT...THEN LINGER JUST OFF THE CST SUN INTO ERLY TUE...BEFORE MOVNG FARTHER OUT TO SEA BY LATE TUE. BEST CHCS FOR SHOWERS OR TSTMS WILL BE FRI NGT INTO SAT EVENG...AHEAD OF AND ALNG THE FRNT. THEN...SLGT TO SML CHC OF SHOWERS WILL LINGER MAINLY OVR SRN AND ERN CNTIES LATER SAT NGT INTO TUE MORNG...AS WEAK AREAS OF LO PRES MOVE UP ALNG THE FRNTL BNDRY OFF THE CST. MIN TEMPS WILL BE IN THE UPR 60S TO LWR 70S SAT MORNG...IN THE LWR 60S TO LWR 70S SUN MORNG...AND IN THE 60S TO NEAR 70 MON AND TUE MORNGS. MAX TEMPS WILL BE MAINLY IN THE LWR TO MID 80S THRU THE PERIOD. && .AVIATION /18Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... SCT TO BKN CU (4000-5000 FT) AND ALTOCUMULUS (10000-15000 FT) EXPECTED THIS AFTN INTO THIS EVENG...AS COLD FRNT PUSHES EWRD AND OFF THE CST. BEST SUPPORT FOR SCTD TSTMS WILL BE EAST OF I95...BUT BOTH COVERAGE AND CONFIDENCE TOO LOW TO INCLUDE THUNDER AT ANY TAF SITE. FRNT MOVES OUT TO SEA LATER THIS EVENG INTO THU MORNG...AS HI PRES BLDS IN FM THE W. THE HI WILL SLIDE OUT TO SEA FRI MORNG...AND ANOTHER STRNGER COLD FRNT WILL PUSH INTO AND ACRS THE AREA FRI NGT AND SAT. OUTSIDE ANY ISLTD OR SCTD PCPN THIS AFTN AND EVENG...MAINLY VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED THIS AFTN THRU AT LEAST FRI MORNG. && .MARINE... NO HEADLINES EXPECTED THRU THE WEEK. S-SW WINDS TODAY (AOB 15 KTS) BECOME W-NW FOR A WHILE LATE TONITE AND THU BEHIND WEAK CDFRNT. FLOW BECOMES SW AGAIN BY FRI AHEAD OF NEXT CDFRNT PROGGED ACROSS REGION UNTIL ERLY SAT. SEAS 2-3 FT. && .AKQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MD...NONE. NC...NONE. VA...NONE. MARINE...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...JDM NEAR TERM...JDM SHORT TERM...JDM LONG TERM...TMG AVIATION...TMG MARINE...MPR
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA 409 AM EDT WED AUG 15 2012 MDZ021>025-NCZ012>017-030>032-102-VAZ048-049-060>100-160815- DORCHESTER-WICOMICO-SOMERSET-INLAND WORCESTER-MARYLAND BEACHES- NORTHAMPTON NC-HERTFORD-GATES-PASQUOTANK-CAMDEN-INLAND CURRITUCK- BERTIE-CHOWAN-PERQUIMANS-OUTER BANKS CURRITUCK-FLUVANNA-LOUISA- PRINCE EDWARD-CUMBERLAND-GOOCHLAND-HANOVER-CAROLINE-MECKLENBURG- LUNENBURG-NOTTOWAY-AMELIA-POWHATAN-CHESTERFIELD-HENRICO-KING WILLIAM- KING AND QUEEN-ESSEX-WESTMORELAND-RICHMOND-NORTHUMBERLAND-LANCASTER- BRUNSWICK-DINWIDDIE-PRINCE GEORGE-CHARLES CITY-NEW KENT-GLOUCESTER- MIDDLESEX-MATHEWS-GREENSVILLE-SUSSEX-SURRY-JAMES CITY-YORK- SOUTHAMPTON-ISLE OF WIGHT-NEWPORT NEWS/HAMPTON-NORFOLK/PORTSMOUTH- SUFFOLK-CHESAPEAKE-VIRGINIA BEACH-ACCOMACK-NORTHAMPTON VA- 409 AM EDT WED AUG 15 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE LOWER EASTERN SHORE OF MARYLAND...COASTAL NORTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA...INTERIOR NORTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA...THE NORTHERN OUTER BANKS OF NORTH CAROLINA...CENTRAL VIRGINIA...EAST CENTRAL VIRGINIA...INTERIOR SOUTHEAST VIRGINIA...SOUTH CENTRAL VIRGINIA...SOUTH HAMPTON ROADS VIRGINIA...THE EASTERN SHORE OF VIRGINIA...THE MIDDLE PENINSULA OF VIRGINIA...THE NORTHERN NECK OF VIRGINIA...THE PENINSULA OF SOUTHEAST VIRGINIA AND THE PIEDMONT OF CENTRAL VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAINFALL AT TIMES ARE EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. A FEW STORMS MAY BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LOCALLY DAMAGING WINDS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. ANZ630>638-650-652-654-656-658-160815- CHESAPEAKE BAY FROM SMITH POINT TO WINDMILL POINT VA- CHESAPEAKE BAY FROM WINDMILL POINT TO NEW POINT COMFORT VA- CHESAPEAKE BAY FROM NEW POINT COMFORT TO LITTLE CREEK VA- CURRITUCK SOUND- CHESAPEAKE BAY FROM LITTLE CREEK TO CAPE HENRY VA...INCLUDING THE CHESAPEAKE BAY BRIDGE TUNNEL- RAPPAHANNOCK RIVER FROM URBANNA TO WINDMILL POINT-YORK RIVER- JAMES RIVER FROM JAMESTOWN TO THE JAMES RIVER BRIDGE- JAMES RIVER FROM THE JAMES RIVER BRIDGE TO THE HAMPTON ROADS BRIDGE- TUNNEL- COASTAL WATERS FROM FENWICK ISLAND DE TO CHINCOTEAGUE VA OUT TO 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM CHINCOTEAGUE TO PARRAMORE ISLAND VA OUT TO 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM PARRAMORE ISLAND TO CAPE CHARLES LIGHT VA OUT TO 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM CAPE CHARLES LIGHT VA TO NC VA BORDER OUT TO 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM NC VA BORDER TO CURRITUCK BEACH LIGHT NC OUT TO 20 NM- 409 AM EDT WED AUG 15 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE CENTRAL CHESAPEAKE BAY...THE LOWER CHESAPEAKE BAY...THE MID ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS...CURRITUCK SOUND...THE EASTERN JAMES RIVER...THE EASTERN RAPPAHANNOCK RIVER AND THE EASTERN YORK RIVER. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAINFALL AT TIMES ARE EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. A FEW STORMS MAY BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LOCALLY DAMAGING WINDS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. BMD
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA 245 PM EDT WED AUG 15 2012 VAZ067-068-070-080-151930- AMELIA VA-CHESTERFIELD VA-DINWIDDIE VA-NOTTOWAY VA- 245 PM EDT WED AUG 15 2012 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORM MOVING ACROSS CENTRAL VIRGINIA... AT 243 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER MANNBORO...MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH. THE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR MANNBORO AT 255 PM EDT...AMMON AT 305 PM EDT. WIND GUSTS TO 45 MPH...SMALL HAIL AND FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING ARE EXPECTED IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS. IF YOU HEAR THUNDER...YOU ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. MOVE INTO A SAFE SHELTER BEFORE THESE STORMS REACH YOUR AREA. REMAIN INDOORS UNTIL THE STORMS HAVE PASSED. LAT...LON 3743 7751 3711 7751 3712 7808 3734 7802 MINNICK
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
252 PM EDT WED AUG 15 2012
VAZ088-089-091>097-151930-
CHESAPEAKE VA-ISLE OF WIGHT VA-NEWPORT NEWS/HAMPTON
VA-NORFOLK/PORTSMOUTH VA-SOUTHAMPTON VA-SUFFOLK VA-SURRY VA-SUSSEX
VA-YORK VA-
252 PM EDT WED AUG 15 2012
...STRONG THUNDERSTORM MOVING INTO SOUTHEAST VIRGINIA...
AT 252 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER ISLE OF WIGHT...OR ABOUT OVER SMITHFIELD...
MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH. THE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR
SMITHFIELD...AND...LAWSON AT 300 PM EDT...BENNS CHURCH AT 305 PM
EDT...CARROLLTON...AND...RESCUE AT 310 PM EDT...HOBSON AT 315 PM
EDT...CRITTENDEN AT 320 PM EDT...HILTON VILLAGE AT 325 PM EDT.
WIND GUSTS TO 45 MPH...SMALL HAIL AND FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND
LIGHTNING ARE EXPECTED IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS. IF YOU HEAR
THUNDER...YOU ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. MOVE INTO
A SAFE SHELTER BEFORE THESE STORMS REACH YOUR AREA. REMAIN INDOORS
UNTIL THE STORMS HAVE PASSED.
LAT...LON 3683 7631 3677 7700 3703 7697 3709 7666
3705 7665 3704 7659 3699 7653 3703 7648
3711 7660 3716 7633 3715 7632 3700 7632
3700 7636 3696 7641 3702 7647 3699 7652
3696 7647 3691 7646 3690 7641 3697 7632
MINNICKThe Norfolk radar (KAKQ), 34 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:58 UTC.
10 thunderstorm wind, 1 funnel cloud. Local standard time, as filed.
Numerous trees were downed along Smithfield Boulevard.
Trees were downed along McIlwaine Road.
Funnel cloud was reported.
Trees were downed on Branders Bridge Road.
Numerous trees were downed across the west end of Petersburg. Tree was downed on a house in the 1700 block of Youngs Road.
Trees were downed on power lines at Parkview Avenue and Boyton Plank Road.
Trees were downed and blocking the road in the 800 block of Sunset Avenue.
Several trees were downed along Fort Lee Road. One house was struck by a falling tree resulting in roof and siding damage.
Tree was downed on a parked car at South Boulevard and Crater Road.
Trees were downed along Highway 460 just east of Route 156.
Power lines were downed in the 1500 block of Carey Avenue 64.
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: 410864, 410863, 410862, 410865, 410867, 410868, 410870, 410872, 410869, 410866, 410871.