A few strong thunderstorms developed along the Blue Ridge Mountains during the early evening thanks to strong low level heating and a weakness in an upper level ridge as it was exiting the forecast area for the southeastern states. Moisture from the remnants of Hurricane Isaac was just beginning to build into the area from the lower Ohio River Valley, but deep moisture was still further to the…
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 few strong thunderstorms developed along the Blue Ridge Mountains during the early evening thanks to strong low level heating and a weakness in an upper level ridge as it was exiting the forecast area for the southeastern states. Moisture from the remnants of Hurricane Isaac was just beginning to build into the area from the lower Ohio River Valley, but deep moisture was still further to the west. Instability was somewhat limited during the afternoon, with CAPE values forecast to be around 500-700 J/kg and LI values around -1 to -2. Light mid and upper level winds were conducive for slow moving thunderstorm activity.
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 1, 2:43 PM EST, 2 hours 30 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 343 PM EDT SAT SEP 1 2012 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST STATES TONIGHT WILL GRADUALLY WEAKEN AHEAD OF A WEAK BACKDOOR COLD FRONT THAT SHOULD DRIFT SOUTH INTO THE AREA ON SUNDAY. THE REMNANTS OF ISAAC WILL ALSO SLIDE AROUND THE UPPER RIDGE AND MOVE INTO THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN REGION LATER SUNDAY INTO TUESDAY. TROPICAL MOISTURE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SYSTEM WILL THEN COMBINE WITH THE RESIDUAL FRONT AND HEATING TO PRODUCE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS INTO NEXT WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH SUNDAY/... AS OF 325 PM EDT SATURDAY... TODAY THE AREA GOT ITS FIRST TASTE OF WHAT WILL BECOME A VERY WET PATTERN BY THE MIDDLE OF THE UPCOMING WEEK. THE REMNANTS OF ISAAC CONTINUE TO WOBBLE ACROSS THE MID-MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. PIECES OF ENERGY WILL EJECT FROM THE MAIN SYSTEM...AND CROSS OVER OR CLOSE TO OUR REGION. ALSO...IN THE LOW LEVELS...A FETCH OF MOISTURE ALONG A SW-NE ORIENTATION WILL ESTABLISH ITSELF...AND HAVE ITS ORIGINS FROM OFF THE GULF OF MEXICO. THE RESULT WILL BE A MOISTURE RICH ATMOSPHERE WITH BANDS OF INSTABILITY THAT WILL BRING WAVES OF INCREASED COVERAGE...AND INTENSITY OF PRECIPITATION. THE INFLUENCE OF TODAYS WAVE WILL EXIT THE REGION OVERNIGHT. WE ARE EXPECTING A BIT OF A LULL IN THE ACTIVITY THROUGH THIS EVENING AND LATE TONIGHT. HOWEVER...THE FOCUS FOR THE BEST COVERAGE WILL REMAIN ACROSS SOUTHEAST WEST VIRGINIA. ANOTHER MILD NIGHT IS EXPECTED AGAIN TONIGHT THANKS TO ABOVE NORMAL DEW POINT VALUES. LOWS IN THE UPPER 60S TO AROUND 70 ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS...WITH LOWER 70S ACROSS THE PIEDMONT. ON MONDAY...LOOK FOR PRECIPITATION CHANCES TO INCREASE THROUGHOUT DAY...AND INCREASE COVERAGE FROM WEST TO EAST. BY THE AFTERNOON...SHOWERS AND STORMS WILL BE LIKELY ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS AND JUST LEE OF THE CREST OF THE BLUE RIDGE...TO AROUND THE 40 PERCENT MARK OVER SOUTHSIDE VIRGINIA. LESS BREAKS IN THE CLOUD COVER TOMORROW...ALONG WITH GREATER COVERAGE IN PRECIPITATION WILL YIELD HIGH TEMPERATURES A FEW DEGREES COOLER THAN THOSE REALIZED TODAY. READINGS IN THE LOW TO MID 80S ARE EXPECTED IN THE MOUNTAINS WITH UPPER 80S ACROSS THE PIEDMONT. && .SHORT TERM /SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/... AS OF 230 PM EDT SATURDAY... WET PERIOD LOOKS IN STORE AS THE REMNANT OF ISAAC NUDGES SLOWLY EAST AND ACTS UPON DEEP TROPICAL MOISTURE IN PLACE...AIDED BY LOW LEVEL SOUTHERLY FLOW. HEAVIER SHRA LIKELY MORE DIURNALLY DRIVEN INTO SUNDAY EVENING WITH FOCUS ALONG THE RESIDUAL BACKDOOR FRONT ACROSS THE SOUTHERN CWA...AND PERHAPS ALONG A BAND FEATURE OVER THE WEST INTO EARLY MONDAY MORNING. IMPULSES EJECTING OUT FROM A SLOWLY OPENING 5H CENTER WITH THE ISAAC REMNANT ALSO LIKELY TO KEEP AT LEAST SCTD SHRA GOING ELSW INTO MONDAY SO RUNNING WITH CONTINUED LIKLEY POPS WEST...OTRW MAINLY CHANCE ELSW. BIGGEST CONCERNS APPEAR TO BE LATER MONDAY INTO MONDAY NIGHT AS THE UPPER LOW ASSOCIATED WITH ISAAC NEARS THE WESTERN SLOPES WITH GOOD UPPER DIFFLUENCE IN PLACE WEST AS A PIECE OF THE UPPER SUPPORT DRIFTS INTO THE MOUNTAINS LATE IN THE DAY. THIS LIKELY TO COME IN LINE WITH AN INFLOW BAND ON THE SE OF THE SYSTEM TO POSSIBLY PRODUCE TRAINING HEAVY RAIN PRODUCING SHRA/TSRA LATER MONDAY INTO MONDAY NIGHT. MOST GUIDANCE BASICALLY CONVERGING ON THIS SCENARIO GIVEN VERY HIGH PWATS/THETA-E SO BUMPED WESTERN POPS TO CATEGORICAL MONDAY AFTERNOON/EVENING WITH LIKELYS ELSW EXCEPT FAR SE. HEAVIER RAINFALL COULD THEN LINGER OVERNIGHT MOUNTAINS...AND REDEVELOP TUESDAY BLUE RIDGE IF GIVEN SOME HEATING PER LITTLE CHANGE OTHER THAN GRADUAL DAMPENING OF THE UPPER SYSTEM BY TUESDAY. THIS SUPPORTS KEEPING LIKELY POPS MOST SPOTS INTO TUESDAY WITH ANOTHER ROUND OF HEAVIER RAINFALL POSSIBLE. THUS WILL KEEP MENTION IN THE HWO WITH 1-3 INCHES OF RAIN OR MORE POSSIBLE ESPCLY MOUNTAINS INTO TUESDAY. FOLLOWED A BLEND OF MOS TEMPS AS QUITE DEPENDENT ON EXTENT AND TIMING OF HEAVY RAINFALL AS COULD SEE HIGH TEMPS MON/TUE STAY CLOSER TO THE MUCH COOLER MET VALUES WITH LIMITED INSOLATION. && .LONG TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/... AS OF 1230 PM EDT SATURDAY... TROPICAL MOISTURE WILL REMAIN IN PLACE ACROSS THE MID ATLANTIC INTO AT LEAST MID WEEK BUT SHOULD SEE A GRADUAL DRYING TREND STARTING LATER THURSDAY AND LASTING INTO NEXT WEEKEND. MAIN CONCERN EARLY ON WITH THE ISAAC REMNANT AS IT SEPARATES...WITH THE LOW LEVEL SURFACE WAVE HEADING THRU THE OHIO VALLEY AND POINTS EAST BY WEDNESDAY...WHILE THE MID LEVEL SUPPORT DETACHES AND GETS BLOCKED...SLIDING BY JUST TO OUR SW BEFORE FADING. THIS MAY ACT TO SLOW DOWN THE EXODUS OF THE ASSOCIATED BOUNDARY AS WELL WITH IT LINGERING ACROSS THE REGION TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY. MODELS SUGGEST VERY HIGH PWATS AND STRONG SOUTHERLY MOISTURE TRANSPORT AROUND THE RESIDUAL VORT AXIS DURING THE MID WEEK PERIOD SO RUNNING WITH DECENT CHANCE POPS TUE NIGHT...AND HIGH CHANCE TO LIKELYS WED...PER HEATING OF TROPICAL JUICE ALONG THE LEFTOVER SURFACE BOUNDARY. THIS COULD ALSO LEAD TO A HIGH LIKELIHOOD OF HEAVY RAIN A BIT LONGER SO KEEPING IDEA AS SUGGESTED IN THE HWO. APPROACH OF THE NEXT NRN STREAM S/W TROF AND ITS ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT SHOULD FINALLY ACT AS A KICKER THURSDAY WITH THIS BOUNDARY PUSHING DEEPER MOISTURE TO THE EAST BY THURSDAY AFTERNOON. LEFT IN SOME CHANCE POPS SE AND NW SECTIONS THURSDAY BUT WITH OVERALL NW TRAJECTORY THINK COULD BE ONLY ISOLATED COVERAGE. MODELS PUSH THIS NEXT FRONT TO THE EAST OF THE AREA FRIDAY WITH WEAK HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING IN FROM THE NW SATURDAY BRINGING A TASTE OF DRIER AIR BY SATURDAY. HOWEVER GIVEN THE MAIN 5H TROF WELL NORTH AND A FLAT FLOW IN PLACE...LEAVING IN A LOW POP MENTION FOR FRIDAY GIVEN THE POTENTIAL FOR THE DRIER AIR TO BE A BIT SLOWER THAN PROGGED. TEMPS TO REMAIN PRETTY MUCH STATUS QUO INTO THURSDAY...WITH WARM/MUGGY NIGHTS...AND HUMID DAYS WITH HIGHS MAINLY IN THE 80S. PASSAGE OF FRONT SHOULD START TO KNOCK BACK HUMIDITY LEVELS FRIDAY AS WELL AS TEMPS OUT WEST AND ACROSS THE REGION BY SAT WHEN WILL ONLY SEE THE EAST CLIMB INTO THE 80S WHILE THE MOUNTAINS STAY IN THE 70S. && .AVIATION /20Z SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... AS OF 1243 PM EDT SATURDAY... A SERIES OF UPPER DISTURBANCES WILL ADVECT INTO THE REGION FROM THE REMNANTS OF ISAAC. EACH OF THESE WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO HELP TRIGGER SHOWERS AND STORMS WITHIN AN ALREADY MOIST AND UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE. COVERAGE WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE THROUGH THE AFTERNOON MAINLY ALONG AND WEST OF A KMKW-KLWB LINE. CIGS THROUGH THE AFTERNOON WILL BE MAINLY VFR WITH POCKETS OF MVFR ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS. ALSO...BRIEF SUB-VFR CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE UNDER ANY HEAVIER SHRA/TSRA. TONIGHT...WITH ADDED MOISTURE FROM PRECIPITATION FROM TODAY...WE EXPECTE THE RETRUN OF PATCHY MOUNTAIN AND RIVER VALLEY FOG. SOME AREAS MAY SEE A FEW HOURS OF IFR/MVFR VSBYS LATE TONIGHT. CONDITIONS WILL BE SLOW TO RETURN TO VFR THROUGH THE MORNING. TOMORROW...EXPECT A RETURN OF INCREASED COVERAGE OF SHOWERS AND STORMS WITH THE APPROACH OF THE NEXT UPPER DISTURBANCE. MONDAY INTO WEDNESDAY...THE CENTER OF THE REMNANTS OF ISAAC DRAW CLOSER...AND A GREATER PORTION OF THE AREA MAY BE SUBJECTED TO SUB-VFR CONDITIONS WITH A GOOD COVERAGE PRECIPITATION. && .RNK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... VA...NONE. NC...NONE. WV...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...JH NEAR TERM...DS SHORT TERM...JH LONG TERM...JH AVIATION...DS/MBS
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 313 PM EDT SAT SEP 1 2012 NCZ001>003-018-019-VAZ007-009>020-022>024-032>035-WVZ042>045-021915- 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- 313 PM EDT SAT SEP 1 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...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. VERY HEAVY RAINFALL FROM BANDS OR CLUSTERS OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE REMNANTS OF ISAAC CAN BE EXPECTED SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. RAINFALL TOTALS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES MAY OCCUR IN SPOTS WITH LOCALLY HIGHER TOTALS POSSIBLE IF TRAINING OF STORMS DEVELOPS. THIS MAY BE ENOUGH RAINFALL TO CAUSE AT LEAST LOCALIZED FLOODING BY THE EARLY OR MIDDLE PART OF NEXT WEEK. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. NCZ004>006-020-VAZ043>047-058-059-021915- STOKES-ROCKINGHAM-CASWELL-YADKIN-HENRY-PITTSYLVANIA-CAMPBELL- APPOMATTOX-BUCKINGHAM-HALIFAX-CHARLOTTE- 313 PM EDT SAT SEP 1 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA...NORTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA...CENTRAL VIRGINIA AND SOUTH CENTRAL VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. TROPICAL MOISTURE ASSOCIATED WITH THE REMNANTS OF ISAAC WILL PUSH INTO THE AREA SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY RESULTING IN BANDS OF SLOW MOVING SHOWERS AND STORMS. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE IN SPOTS INTO MID WEEK. BECAUSE OF DRY ANTECEDENT CONDITIONS...WIDESPREAD FLOODING PROBLEMS ARE NOT ANTICIPATED WITH THE PROJECTED RAINFALL AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 457 PM EDT SAT SEP 1 2012 NCZ003-004-020-VAZ016-017-032-033-043-012215- CARROLL VA-FLOYD VA-FRANKLIN VA-HENRY VA-PATRICK VA-STOKES NC- SURRY NC-YADKIN NC- 457 PM EDT SAT SEP 1 2012 ...SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN WILL AFFECT CARROLL...FLOYD...FRANKLIN...HENRY...PATRICK...STOKES...SURRY AND YADKIN COUNTIES... AT 454 PM EDT...SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN WERE ALONG A LINE FROM 3 MILES EAST OF FLOYD TO 6 MILES SOUTHEAST OF DOBSON...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. STORMS WILL BE NEAR ARARAT AROUND 505 PM...ARARAT AROUND 510 PM...WOODVILLE...AND WOODVILLE AROUND 515 PM...WOOLWINE AROUND 520 PM...SILOAM AROUND 525 PM...CHARITY...BUFFALO RIDGE AND AND WESTFIELD AROUND 540 PM. LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR FAVORITE MEDIA OUTLET FOR LATER UPDATES OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS. LAT...LON 3625 8088 3697 8044 3698 7991 3625 8015 KK
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
500 PM EDT SAT SEP 1 2012
VAZ012-013-016-012200-
CARROLL VA-PULASKI VA-WYTHE VA-
500 PM EDT SAT SEP 1 2012
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT CARROLL...PULASKI AND WYTHE
COUNTIES...
AT 458 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 3 MILES WEST OF MAX
MEADOWS...MOVING EAST AT 10 MPH.
WIND GUSTS TO 30 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 COLEMAN STORE AROUND 505 PM...MAX MEADOWS
AROUND 525 PM...GUNTON PARK AROUND 545 PM...GUNTON PARK AROUND 550
PM...GRAHAMS FORGE AROUND 555 PM AND GRAHAMS FORGE AROUND 600 PM.
LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR FAVORITE MEDIA OUTLET FOR LATER
UPDATES OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
LAT...LON 3703 8110 3706 8098 3709 8069 3682 8070
3687 8110
KKSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 553 PM EDT SAT SEP 1 2012 VAZ013-014-017-012300- FLOYD VA-MONTGOMERY VA-PULASKI VA- 553 PM EDT SAT SEP 1 2012 ...SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN WILL AFFECT FLOYD...MONTGOMERY AND PULASKI COUNTIES... AT 545 PM EDT...SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN WERE LOCATED NEAR DUBLIN...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. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF A HALF TO ONE INCH PER 30 MINUTES ARE POSSIBLE WITH HEAVIER BANDS. STORMS WILL BE NEAR CLAYTOR LAKE STATE PARK AROUND 600 PM...CLAYTOR DAM AROUND 615 PM...RADFORD AROUND 625 PM...WALTON AROUND 635 PM...CHILDRESS AROUND 640 PM AND PRICES FORK AROUND 650 PM. LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR FAVORITE MEDIA OUTLET FOR LATER UPDATES OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS. LAT...LON 3727 8025 3694 8021 3700 8077 3718 8078 KK
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 558 PM EDT SAT SEP 1 2012 VAZ019-WVZ043>045-012315- ALLEGHANY VA-GREENBRIER WV-MONROE WV-SUMMERS WV- 558 PM EDT SAT SEP 1 2012 ...SHOWERS WITH HEAVY RAIN WILL AFFECT ALLEGHANY...GREENBRIER...MONROE AND SUMMERS COUNTIES... AT 554 PM EDT...SHOWERS WITH HEAVY RAIN WAS LOCATED OVER ALDERSON...MOVING EAST AT 10 MPH. WIND GUSTS TO 30 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS. VERY HEAVY RAIN WILL FALL FROM THESE STORM...AND WILL CAUSE WATER TO POND ON ROADS AND QUICKLY FILL ROADSIDE DITCHES AND SMALL STREAMS. STORMS WILL BE NEAR ASBURY AROUND 625 PM...RONCEVERTE AROUND 650 PM...FAIRLEA AROUND 700 PM...LEWISBURG AROUND 705 PM AND GREENBRIER RIVER TRAIL AROUND 715 PM. LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR FAVORITE MEDIA OUTLET FOR LATER UPDATES OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS. LAT...LON 3792 8007 3763 8007 3764 8074 3782 8078 KK
The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 8 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:11 UTC.
4 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Winds generated by a thunderstorm outflow boundary blew down a large sycamore tree which fell on a car. The car was totaled.
Thunderstorm winds blew down a large tree.
Multiple trees were blown down on Sugar Run Road just northeast of the intersection of Autumn Drive.
A tree and a power line were blown down by thunderstorm winds on Poor Mountain Road.
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, 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: 414474, 414480, 402790, 402794.