An intense upper low was rotating through the mid-Atlantic region during the period. An equally intense surface low and occluded front was located across the eastern Ohio valley.
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 intense upper low was rotating through the mid-Atlantic region during the period. An equally intense surface low and occluded front was located across the eastern Ohio valley. As the low pressure area approached the region from the west early on the 20th, very strong, gusty southeast winds developed across the higher elevations of southwest Virginia and northwest North Carolina. As the system moved to the north and east of the region, very strong, gusty northwest winds developed and persisted for an extended period across the western part of the Blacksburg forecast area from late on the afternoon of the 21st through much of the 22nd. However, the strongest winds, with gusts of 50 to 65 mph in southwest Virginia and northwest North Carolina, occurred during the late evening hours of the 20th and continued through the early morning hours of the 22nd. Winds gusts of 40 to 50 mph were common. The strong upslope winds also resulted in a persistent snowfall across the upslope areas of the Alleghanys through southwest West Virginia and the mountains of northwest North Carolina.
Below is a sample of some of the highest wind gusts recorded from the southeast West Virginia stations within the Blacksburg, Virginia forecast area. If no data is given, the county either did not have winds exceeding 35 mph or did not have a wind reporting station.
Greenbrier county (2NW Alvon, 12/22/12, 552 am EST) - 60 mph,| (LWB AWOS, 12/22/12, 1228 am EST) - 49 mph,|Mercer county (BLF ASOS, 12/21/12 913 pm EST) - 45 mph.
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 Dec 22, 5:50 AM EST, 2 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
550 AM EST SAT DEC 22 2012
.SYNOPSIS...
LOW PRESSURE OVER NEW ENGLAND WILL LIFT NORTHEAST AND AWAY FROM
THE AREA TODAY. HIGH PRESSURE WILL SLIDE ACROSS THE REGION
TONIGHT. A FAST MOVING...BUT WEAK AREA OF LOW PRESSURE WILL TRACK
ACROSS THE AREA LATE SUNDAY INTO MONDAY. A STRONGER...MORE ROBUST
STORM SYSTEM IS LIKELY TO IMPACT THE REGION FOR THE MIDDLE
PORTION OF NEXT WEEK.
&&
.NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/...
AS OF 500 AM EST SATURDAY...
NOW THAT WE HAVE SURVIVED THE SHORTEST DAY (AND LONGEST NIGHT) OF
THE YEAR...TIME TO START ADDING DAYLIGHT BACK TO THE DIURNAL
CYCLE. STILL GOT TO GET THROUGH THE LAG TIME AND COLD OF WINTER
BUT AT LEAST IT WILL BE GETTING BRIGHTER WITH EACH PASSING DAY.
FOR OUR ADDED MINUTE OF SUNLIGHT TODAY...WE WON'T GET MUCH BANG
FOR OUR BUCK. STRONG COLD AIR ADVECTION IS ONGOING THIS MORNING
AND WILL COUNTER AND RAY OF SOLAR INSOLATION TODAY. TEMPERATURES
THIS MORNING ARE STARTING OUT IN THE TEENS AND 20S IN THE
MOUNTAINS...30S EAST OF THE BLUE RIDGE...AND WE WILL STRUGGLE TO
CLIMB ABOVE FREEZING IN THE MOUNTAINS...AND STRUGGLE TO GET ANY
HIGHER THAN THE 40S EAST OF THE BLUE RIDGE.
CLOUDS AND LINGERING FLURRIES IN THE MOUNTAINS WILL GRADUALLY WANE
TODAY AS THE STORM SYSTEM OVER NEW ENGLAND CONTINUES TO MOVE AWAY
FROM THE AREA. WILL MAINTAIN WINTER WEATHER HEADLINES IN THE
MOUNTAINS THIS MORNING...PRIMARILY FOR BLOWING SNOW AND VERY COLD
WIND CHILLS. LOOK FOR IMPROVEMENT THIS AFTERNOON AS THE CLOUDS GO
AWAY. THE WIND WILL REMAIN QUITE STRONG TODAY...ESPECIALLY THIS
MORNING PER STRONG 70KT 85H CROSS BARRIER FLOW. THE PRESSURE
GRADIENT FEEDING THIS GUSH OF AIR IS PROGGED TO WEAKEN THIS
AFTERNOON...SO THE OVERALL TREND WILL BE FOR LOWERING WIND SPEEDS
AND GUSTS AS WE TRANSITION THROUGH THE AFTERNOON.
WITH WIND DIMINISHING TONIGHT...WENT BELOW THE COLDER GUIDANCE FOR
TMINS...ESP IN THE MTNS WHERE SNOW COVER SHOULD ALLOW FOR GOOD
RADIATIONAL COOLING. MOUNTAIN VALLEYS OF WEST VIRGINIA...FAR
WESTER VIRGINIA AND INTO THE MTNS OF NW NC SHOULD EASILY DIP INTO
THE TEENS. SKIES TONIGHT SHOULD BE CLEAR...FINGER OF HIGH
PRESSURE SLIDING OVERHEAD...THE CENTER OVER FLORIDA...1024 MB.
WITH THE CENTER OF THE HIGH TO OUR SOUTH...SOME WIND...MAINLY OUT
OF THE WEST WILL CONTINUE TO BLOW AT RIDGETOP LEVEL AND JUST LEE
OF THE BLUE RIDGE. THE LOWLANDS AND MOUNTAIN VALLEYS SHOULD
DECOUPLE.
&&
.SHORT TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT/...
AS OF 530 AM EST SATURDAY...
THE EARLY HALF OF CHRISTMAS WEEK WILL BE BUSY AS TWO STORM SYSTEMS
AFFECT OUR AREA IN RAPID SUCCESSION.
SUNDAY WILL START OUT QUIET...WITH HIGH PRESSURE MOVING ALONG THE
GULF COAST AS THE DOMINANT FEATURE IN OUR WEATHER PATTERN. EXPECT
MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES DURING THE MORNING...HOWEVER CLOUD COVER WILL
INCREASE DURING THE AFTERNOON AS ANOTHER LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM MOVES
FROM THE WESTERN GULF COAST REGION INTO THE OHIO RIVER VALLEY...WITH
SHOWER ACTIVITY ENTERING THE MOUNTAINS EARLY MONDAY MORNING.
ATMOSPHERIC TEMPERATURE PROFILES DURING THE PREDAWN HOURS OF MONDAY
APPEAR WARM ENOUGH THAT MOST OF THE PRECIPITATION WILL FALL AS
RAIN...HOWEVER WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED TO SEE A FEW POCKETS OF SLEET
OR FREEZING RAIN IN THE MOUNTAIN VALLEYS...WHERE COLD AIR DRAINAGE
KNOCKS THE TEMPERATURES BELOW FREEZING IN THE LOWEST FEW HUNDRED
FEET OF THE ATMOSPHERE. AS THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM CONTINUES TO
APPROACH MONDAY MORNING...TEMPERATURES WILL CONTINUE TO WARM...
CAUSING ANY WINTRY PRECIPITATION TO CHANGE OVER TO RAIN.
SHOWER ACTIVITY WILL BE WIDESPREAD ACROSS THE AREA MONDAY AFTERNOON
AND EVENING. MODELS HAVE COME INTO MUCH BETTER AGREEMENT ON THE
TIMING OF THE PASSAGE OF THIS SYSTEM...WITH MODELS CALLING FOR THE
LOW TO DRAG A COLD FRONT ACROSS OUR AREA MONDAY EVENING. WITH THE
PASSAGE OF THE COLD FRONT...SHOWER ACTIVITY WILL DIMINISH RAPIDLY
MOST LOCATIONS EXCEPT THE MOUNTAINS...WHERE SHOWER ACTIVITY WILL
LINGER THROUGH THE NIGHT AS A MIX OF RAIN IN THE LOWER ELEVATIONS...
AND LIGHT SNOW HIGHER UP. MOISTURE DIMINISHES QUICKLY AS HIGH
PRESSURE BUILD ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES...AND EXPECT RESIDUAL SHOWER
ACTIVITY WILL COME TO AN END LATE CHRISTMAS MORNING.
DURING LATE CHRISTMAS EVENING...WILL SEE A COMPLEX SCENARIO FOR OUR
AREA TAKE SHAPE AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS SOUTHWARD ALONG THE EASTERN
FACE OF THE APPALACHIANS...WHILE ANOTHER...MORE POWERFUL LOW
PRESSURE SYSTEM ADVANCES TOWARD OUR AREA FROM THE WEST GULF REGION.
THE HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING ACROSS THE PIEDMONTS WILL MAINTAIN A COOL
NORTHEASTERLY FLOW ACROSS THE AREA...WITH OVERNIGHT TEMPERATURES
APPROACHING FREEZING EAST OF THE BLUE RIDGE. THE APPROACHING LOW
PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL PUSH WARMER GULF MOISTURE OVERTOP THE COOLER
AIR AT THE SURFACE...INTRODUCING THE POTENTIAL FOR AREAS OF FREEZING
RAIN AND SLEET TO DEVELOP FROM THE BLUE RIDGE EASTWARD WEDNESDAY
MORNING AND AFTERNOON. FURTHER WEST...SNOW SHOWERS APPEAR MORE
LIKELY FROM THE NEW RIVER VALLEY NORTHWARD...WHILE STRONGER WARM AIR
ADVECTION ACROSS THE NORTH CAROLINA MOUNTAINS IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE
MAINLY RAIN.
THIS LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BECOME A MAJOR WINTER
WEATHER EVENT ACROSS OUR AREA. HOWEVER...CHANGES IN THE TRACK AND/OR
THE TIMING OF THIS LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL
FORECAST MODEL RUNS MAY RESULT IN CHANGES AS TO WHAT TYPE OF
PRECIPITATION TO EXPECT WEDNESDAY MORNING. WITH THE POST HOLIDAY
TRAVEL A MAJOR CONCERN...WILL KEEP A VERY CLOSE EYE ON THE
DEVELOPMENT OF THIS STORM. TRAVELERS ARE ADVISED TO CHECK THE
FORECAST OFTEN OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS.
&&
.LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/...
AS OF 400 AM EST SATURDAY...
FOR WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY...THE TROUGH AXIS OF AN UPPER LOW
AND ASSOCIATED SURFACE COLD FRONT CROSS THE REGION AND WINDS SHIFT
NORTHWEST AND BECOME GUSTY. LOOK FOR THE PRECIPITATION TO TRANSITION
TO SNOW SHOWERS IN THE MOUNTAINS AND MAINLY RAIN SHOWERS EAST OF THE
CREST OF THE BLUE RIDGE. WHILE NO NUMBERS ARE BEING OFFERED AT THIS
TIME...MEASURABLE SNOWFALL WILL BE POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY IN THE
PREFERRED UPSLOPE REGIONS OF SOUTHEAST WEST VIRGINIA SOUTH INTO THE
NORTHERN MOUNTAINS OF NORTH CAROLINA. THE SCENARIO MAY BE SIMILAR TO
OUR CURRENT ONGOING WEATHER EVENT.
BY FRIDAY...THE UPSLOPE WILL END AS UPPER LEVEL RIDGING TAKES PLACE
IN THE MIDWEST AND FLOW ACROSS THE REGION BECOMES MORE ZONAL TO
SLIGHTLY SOUTHWEST. TEMPERATURES WILL ALSO BE SLIGHTLY MILDER ON
FRIDAY.
&&
.AVIATION /10Z SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
AS OF 500 AM SATURDAY...
MAIN ISSUE TODAY WILL CONTINUE TO BE THE WIND. STRONG NW-SE CROSS
BARRIER FLOW EXISTS OVER THE MTNS...WINDS APPROACHING 70 KTS
BETWEEN 3-5KFT AGL. MECHANICAL MIXING OVER THE MTNS WILL RESULT
IN SOME PRETTY HEALTHY WIND GUSTS TODAY AT THE SURFACE IN ADDITION
TO SEVERE MOUNTAIN WAVE TURBULENCE. THESE WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO
DIMINISH THIS EVENING.
LOW PRESSURE CENTERED OVER NEW ENGLAND IS STILL CASTING SOME
MOISTURE AS FAR SOUTH AS THE MOUNTAINS OF WV AND SOUTHWESTERN VA.
CLOUD BASES EAST OF THE BLUE RIDGE WHERE PRIMARILY VFR...WITH SOME
MVFR CIGS IN THE MTNS. OCCASIONAL -SNSH ACCOMPANIED THE CLOUD
COVER IN THE MOUNTAINS WITH MAINLY MVFR VSBYS. THIS MOISTURE IS
EXPECTED TO WANE TODAY...WITH CLEARING TAKING PLACE FROM SOUTHWEST
TO NORTHEAST AS WE TRANSITION THROUGH THE DAY.
CLEAR SKIES AND DIMINISHING WIND TONIGHT SHOULD YIELD WIDESPREAD
VFR CONDITIONS. THIS CLEARING WILL BE BRIEF WITH RENUED CLOUD
COVER LATE SUNDAY INTO MONDAY.
CLOUDS WILL INCREASE BACK ACROSS THE AREA SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY
AS AN AREA OF WEAK LOW PRESSURE DEVELOPS OVER THE TENNESSEE
VALLEY. THIS FEATURE IS PROGGED TO MOVE QUICKLY ACROSS THE MID
ALTANTIC MONDAY AND MONDAY NIGHT. CONFIDENCE IS INCREASING FOR SOME
WETTING RAIN ACROSS THE AREA MONDAY...POSSIBLY BEGINNING AS A PERIOD
OF MIXED PRECIP. MVFR CONDITIONS ARE A GOOD POSSIBILITY MONDAY AND
MONDAY NIGHT. PASSAGE OF THIS SYSTEM SHOULD YEILD BRIEF PERIOD OF
VFR CONDITIONS FOR CHRISTMAS DAY...FOLLOWED BY RAPID DETERIORATING
CONDITIONS WEDNESDAY AS ANOTHER SYSTEM MOVES INTO THE TN VALLEY
FROM THE SOUTHWEST. THIS MID WEEK STORM LOOKS TO BE MUCH
STRONGER...MODELS DEEPENING THIS SYSTEM RAPIDLY AS IT MOVES ALONG
THE SPINE OF THE APPALACHIANS. THIS STORM WILL LIKELY HAVE A MUCH
WIDER AREAL IMPACT COMPARED TO MONDAYS WEAKER SYSTEM...WITH
IMPLICATIONS THAT IT WILL BECOME A MAJOR WINTER STORM FOR PARTS OF
THE REGION...IMPACTING AIR TRAVEL FOR THE POST HOLIDAY.
&&
.RNK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
VA...HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 6 PM EST THIS EVENING FOR VAZ007-
009>020-022>024-032>035.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 1 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR
VAZ007-010-011-019-020.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 7 AM EST THIS MORNING FOR VAZ009-
015.
WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM EST THIS EVENING FOR VAZ043>047-058-
059.
NC...HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 6 PM EST THIS EVENING FOR NCZ001>003-
018-019.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 7 AM EST THIS MORNING FOR NCZ001-
018.
WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM EST THIS EVENING FOR NCZ004>006-020.
WV...HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 6 PM EST THIS EVENING FOR WVZ044.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 1 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR
WVZ044.
WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 1 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR WVZ042-
043-045.
&&
SYNOPSIS...PM/WP
NEAR TERM...PM
SHORT TERM...NF
LONG TERM...NF
AVIATION...PMHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 316 PM EST FRI DEC 21 2012 WVZ042-043-045-222030- MERCER-SUMMERS-GREENBRIER- 316 PM EST FRI DEC 21 2012 ...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 PM EST SATURDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST WEST VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. WINTER STORM WARNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. WINTER STORM WARNING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. VAZ007-010-011-019-020-WVZ044-222030- TAZEWELL-BLAND-GILES-ALLEGHANY VA-BATH-MONROE- 316 PM EST FRI DEC 21 2012 ...HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM EST SATURDAY... ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 PM EST SATURDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA...WEST CENTRAL VIRGINIA AND SOUTHEAST WEST VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. HIGH WIND WARNING. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. HIGH WIND WARNING. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. NCZ001-018-VAZ009-015-222030- ASHE-WATAUGA-SMYTH-GRAYSON- 316 PM EST FRI DEC 21 2012 ...HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM EST SATURDAY... ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 AM EST SATURDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA AND SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. HIGH WIND WARNING. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. HIGH WIND WARNING. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. NCZ002-003-019-VAZ012>014-016>018-022>024-032>035-222030- ALLEGHANY NC-SURRY-WILKES-WYTHE-PULASKI-MONTGOMERY-CARROLL-FLOYD- CRAIG-ROANOKE-BOTETOURT-ROCKBRIDGE-PATRICK-FRANKLIN-BEDFORD-AMHERST- 316 PM EST FRI DEC 21 2012 ...HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM EST SATURDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA...NORTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA...CENTRAL VIRGINIA...SOUTH CENTRAL VIRGINIA...SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA AND WEST CENTRAL VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. HIGH WIND WARNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. HIGH WIND WARNING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. NCZ004>006-020-VAZ043>047-058-059-222030- STOKES-ROCKINGHAM-CASWELL-YADKIN-HENRY-PITTSYLVANIA-CAMPBELL- APPOMATTOX-BUCKINGHAM-HALIFAX-CHARLOTTE- 316 PM EST FRI DEC 21 2012 ...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM EST SATURDAY... 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. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. WIND ADVISORY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. WIND ADVISORY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A mesonet station (APRXWXNET) two miles northwest of Alvon recorded a wind gust of 60 mph at 552 am EST. The Lewisburg Greenbrier Valley Airport recorded a wind gust of 49 mph at 1228 am EST.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in West Virginia in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyWarnings in West Virginia, December 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: 426828.