An upper level low pressure system passed across the Appalachian chain, triggering widely scattered strong to severe thunderstorms. Some of these thunderstorms produced locally damaging winds and locally heavy rain which resulted in minor street flooding.
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 upper level low pressure system passed across the Appalachian chain, triggering widely scattered strong to severe thunderstorms. Some of these thunderstorms produced locally damaging winds and locally heavy rain which resulted in minor street flooding.
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 May 10, 2:31 PM EST, 1 hour 9 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 331 PM EDT FRI MAY 10 2013 .SYNOPSIS... A COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH THE REGION TONIGHT...AND CROSS THE AREA ON SATURDAY. A REINFORCING COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE REGION SATURDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD OVER THE AREA DURING THE EARLY PART OF NEXT WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH SATURDAY/... AS OF 315 PM EDT FRIDAY... A SURFACE COLD FRONT EXTENDED FROM MICHIGAN SOUTHWEST INTO MISSOURI AND EASTERN TEXAS. A SERIES OF DISTURBANCES WAS RIDING NORTHEAST ALONG AND JUST AHEAD OF THE FRONT. ONE OF THESE WAS CURRENTLY CROSSING FROM EASTERN KENTUCKY INTO WEST VIRGINIA...PROGGED TO CONTINUE ITS PATH NORTHEAST AND ENTER PENNSYLVANIA THIS EVENING. THE BULK OF THE ASSOCIATED ENERGY IS EXPECTED TO MISS THE FORECAST AREA. HOWEVER...THAT IS NOT TO SAY THE AREA WILL BE VOID OF SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY. ALREADY...SHOWERS AND STORMS ARE OVER PARTS OF THE REGION. THE GREATEST CONCENTRATION CURRENTLY EXTENDED FROM THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS OF NORTH CAROLINA...NORTH INTO PARTS OF THE MOUNTAIN EMPIRE AND NEW RIVER VALLEY REGION OF SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA. THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS...WHILE THE FOCUS FOR THE CURRENT SHORTWAVE TROUGH OVER KY/WV WILL LIFT NORTH OF THE AREA...THE COLD FRONT ITSELF WILL DRAW CLOSER FROM THE WEST. BY SUNRISE SATURDAY IT IS EXPECTED TO BE NEARLY TO BLUEFIELD WV...AND BY THE EARLY AFTERNOON...NEAR THE CREST OF THE BLUE RIDGE. WE ARE EXPECTED A GENEROUS COVERAGE OF SHOWERS AND SOME STORMS ACROSS THE WESTERN PORTION OF THE AREA THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT. IN THE EAST...MUCH OF THE EARLY ACTIVITY WILL BE DRIVEN BY DIURNAL INSTABILITY...AS THE EASTERN PART OF THE AREA HAS SEEN THE MOST DIRECT SUNSHINE TODAY...AS COMPARED TO THE CIRRUS FILTERED SUN IN THE WEST. COVERAGE IN THE EAST WILL GREATEST LATER TONIGHT AS THE INFLUENCE OF THE COLD FRONT DRAWS CLOSER. DURING THE DAY SATURDAY...ISOLATED STORMS WILL STILL BE POSSIBLE AHEAD OF THE FRONT...BUT ONCE THE FRONT MOVES EAST OF A PARTICULAR AREA...THAT REGION WILL BE LACKING THE INSTABILITY NEEDED FOR ADDITIONAL THUNDER GIVEN THE VAST CLOUD SHIELD THAT WILL BE IN PLACE BEHIND THE FRONT. ISOLATED STORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGH THE AFTERNOON IN ADVANCE OF THE FRONT ACROSS PORTIONS OF SOUTHSIDE VIRGINIA AND NEIGHBORING PARTS OF NORTH CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA. && .SHORT TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 315 PM EDT FRIDAY... RATHER IMPRESSIVE TROUGH OR THIS TIME OF YEAR WILL SEND COLDER TEMPS INTO THE AREA BY THE END OF THE WEEKEND. FRONTAL SYSTEM EXITS EAST SAT NIGHT AND SHOULD SEE SHOWERS ENDING. 8H TEMPS SINK TO +2 IN THE MTNS BY SUNDAY MORNING WITH WINDY CONDITIONS. TEMPS ARE GOING TO STAY UP THANKS TO THE MIXING AND UPSLOPE CLOUDS SO ONLY LOWS IN THE LOWER 40S HIGHER ELEVATIONS WITH MID TO UPPER 40S WEST TO LOWER TO MID 50S EAST. SUNDAY LOOKS BREEZY AND FALL-LIKE. VERY DRY AIR WILL WORK IN ON NW WINDS AND SKIES SHOULD BE MOSTLY SUNNY WITH SOME LINGERING UPSLOPE CLOUDS ACROSS SE WV. HIGHS RANGE FROM THE MID TO UPPER 50S HIGHER ELEVATIONS TO LOWER 60S NEW RIVER VALLEY...WITH UPPER 60S TO LOWER 70S EAST...SO ONLY ABOUT 5-10 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL. SUNDAY NIGHT...WILL BE BETWEEN SHORTWAVES AND THERE COULD BE ENOUGH WEAKENING IN THE WINDS ALLOW FROST TO FORM IN THE MTNS LATE SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY MORNING. WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS IN THE HWO. MAY SEE SOME HIGH LVL CLOUD SPILLING SOUTHEAST AHEAD OF THE NEXT WAVE THOUGH. THE COLDER AIR WILL SURGE IN MORE AFTER A STRONGER SHORTWAVE ARRIVES MONDAY AFTERNOON. HIGHS MONDAY WILL BE 10 TO 15 DEGREES AND SOME 20 BELOW NORMAL RANGING FROM THE UPPER 40S TO LOWER 50S HIGHER TERRAIN...MID TO UPPER 50S NEW RIVER VALLEY AND LOWER 60S EAST. CONCERN MONDAY WILL BE THE LAST SHORTWAVE AND HOW MUCH CLOUDS ARRIVE WITH IT. GIVEN DRY LOW LVLS MODELS SHOWING SOME MID LEVEL MOISTURE WITH IT AND MAY SPIT OUT A LIGHT SHOWER OVER THE ALLEGHANY HIGHLANDS INTO WV. OVERALL MODELS KEEP IT DRY BUT TEND TO UNDERESTIMATE MOISTURE GENERATED BY THE STRONGER VORTS. FOR NOW WILL LEAN TOWARD A BLEND OF THE CLOUDIER ECMWF AND LESS CLOUDS OF THE GFS/NAM. WINDS WILL BE PICKING UP AGAIN WITH THIS WAVE AND THEN WEAKENING OVERNIGHT MONDAY NIGHT. THIS WILL BE BETTER DECOUPLING AT LEAST LATE IN THE MOUNTAINS WHERE THE HIGH SHIFTS OVERHEAD. MORE COVERAGE OF FROST/FREEZE POTENTIAL SO KEEPING THAT HIGHLIGHTED IN THE HWO WITH LOWS AROUND FREEZING WRN MOUNTAINS TO MID TO UPPER 30S ELSEWHERE. && .LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... AS OF NOON EDT FRIDAY. ROLLERCOASTER OF WEATHER THIS PERIOD...AS WE START WITH A DEEP COOL TROUGH OVER OUR AREA WHILE HIGH PRESSURE SWINGS INTO THE REGION SENDING TEMPERATURES DROPPING TOWARD FREEZING BY TUESDAY MORNING. WE MAY SEE ENOUGH DECOUPLING WHERE THE WRN HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA INTO AREAS NORTH OF THE ROANOKE RIVER RECEIVE FROST. STILL MENTIONING THIS IN THE HWO. THE MODELS SHOW THE TROUGH LIFTING OUT BY MIDWEEK WITH HEIGHTS BUILDING AS THE LOW LVL FLOW TURNS SOUTHWEST. THIS WILL BE BRINGING SEASONAL TO ABOVE SEASONAL HIGHS/LOWS TO US BY THURSDAY. PATTERN SUGGEST MAINLY QUIET EARLY ALTHOUGH LEE TROUGH GETS FORMING TOWARD THURSDAY WHERE SOME CONVERGENCE COULD FIRE A FEW SHRA/TSRA IN THE MTNS. THERE IS SOME DIFFERENCE THU-FRI AS GFS/ECMWF DIFFER ON THE NEXT UPSTREAM TROUGH. THE 00Z ECMWF IS MORE AMPLIFIED ALOFT WITH SLOWER TIMING OF NEXT SYSTEM. OVERALL...LEANED TOWARD ECMWF/ENSEMBLES AT DAY 7...WHICH INDICATES SOME TROUGHINESS AND A BETTER CHANCE 30 OF THUNDERSTORMS IN THE WEST WITH SLIGHT CHANCE EAST. STILL STAYING ON THE HUMID/WARM SIDE. && .AVIATION /20Z FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... AS OF 145 PM EDT FRIDAY... VFR CONDITIONS CURRENTLY EXIST ACROSS THE REGION. ISOLATED SHRA/TSRA DEVELOPMENT IS TAKING PLACE OVER WV AND NEIGHBORING PARTS OF SW VA. ANTICIPATE INCREASING COVERAGE OF SHRA/TSRA AS WE HEAD INTO THE EVENING HOURS...WITH ISOLATED IFR/MVFR CIGS/VSBYS UNDER THE HEAVIER PRECIPITATION. OVERNIGHT...OUTSIDE THE AREAS OF THUNDERSTORMS...CEILINGS WILL REMAIN VFR THROUGH MUCH OF THE EVENING...AND THEN TRANSITIION TO MVFR AFTER ROUGHLY 06Z/2AM ACROSS MAINLY THE MOUNTAINS. COVERAGE OF PRECIPITATION WILL BE GREATEST ACROSS THE WESTERN AND NORTHERN PARTS OF THE REGION. VSYBS WILL TREND TO MVFR WITHIN THIS PRIMARY AREA OF PRECIPITATION. EXPECT SOME IMPROVEMENT TO CONDITIONS DURING SATURDAY MORNING...WITH SHRA/TRSA MORE SCATTERED WITH A GREATER FOCUS IN THE EAST. MOST OF THE PRECIPITAITON WILL END ACROSS THE AREA EARLY SATURDAY NIGHT. LINGERING LOW LEVEL MOISTURE WILL YIELD SOME MOUNTAIN AND RIVER VALEY FOG. MOSTLY VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY AS COLDER HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS INTO THE REGION. THERE MAY BE SOME LATE NIGHT/EARLY MORNING VALLEY FOG...BUT COVERAGE OF THIS WILL DECREASE EACH SUBSEQUENT NIGHT AS DRIER AIR WORKS ITS WAY INTO THE REGION. ON WEDNSDAY...A FAST MOVING SYSTEM MAY BRING A RETURN OF SCATTERED SHOWERS AND STORMS TO THE AREA. && .HYDROLOGY... AS OF 320 PM EDT FRIDAY... AS AN AVERAGE...WIDESPREAD RAINFALL THROUGHOUT THE UPCOMING 24 HOURS IS EXPECTED TO BE UNDER ONE HALF OF AN INCH. LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS AND RATES ARE EXPECTED UNDER ANY STRONG STORMS THAT EXIST CURRENTLY...OR WILL DEVELOP OVERNIGHT OR SATURDAY. GIVEN THE EXPECTED RELATIVELY FAST SPEED OF THE INDIVIDUAL STORMS...ONE INDIVIDUAL STORM CELL WILL NOT PROMPT FLASH FLOODING. HOWEVER...IF ANY AREA...ESPECIALLY WITHIN A REGION THAT RECEIVED EXCESSIVE RAINFALL EARLIER IN THE WEEK...MANAGES TO EXPERIENCE TRAINING OF THESE HEAVIER CELLS...LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING IS A POTENTIAL. NO WATCH PLANNED GIVEN THE EXPECTED ISOLATED NATURE OF ANY FLASH FLOODING. THE SITUATION WILL BE BEST HANDLED BY HIGHLIGHTING THE POTENTIAL IN THE HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK AND THE ISSUANCE OF ANY FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS AS NEEDED. && .RNK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... VA...NONE. NC...NONE. WV...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...DS NEAR TERM...DS SHORT TERM...WP LONG TERM...WP AVIATION...DS HYDROLOGY...DS
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 338 PM EDT FRI MAY 10 2013 NCZ003>006-019-020-VAZ022-032>035-043>047-058-059-111945- SURRY-STOKES-ROCKINGHAM-CASWELL-WILKES-YADKIN-ROANOKE-PATRICK- FRANKLIN-BEDFORD-AMHERST-HENRY-PITTSYLVANIA-CAMPBELL-APPOMATTOX- BUCKINGHAM-HALIFAX-CHARLOTTE- 338 PM EDT FRI MAY 10 2013 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. ISOLATED STRONG STORMS WITH GUSTY WINDS AND HAIL ARE POSSIBLE THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT. SOME OF THESE STORMS MAY CONTAIN LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN. IF ENOUGH STORMS PASS OVER THE SAME AREA IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME...LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING WILL BE POSSIBLE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. FROST IS POSSIBLE IN SHELTERED VALLEYS BOTH SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY NIGHT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. NCZ001-002-018-VAZ007-009>020-023-024-WVZ042>045-111945- ASHE-ALLEGHANY NC-WATAUGA-TAZEWELL-SMYTH-BLAND-GILES-WYTHE-PULASKI- MONTGOMERY-GRAYSON-CARROLL-FLOYD-CRAIG-ALLEGHANY VA-BATH-BOTETOURT- ROCKBRIDGE-MERCER-SUMMERS-MONROE-GREENBRIER- 338 PM EDT FRI MAY 10 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA...SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA...WEST CENTRAL VIRGINIA AND SOUTHEAST WEST VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. ISOLATED STRONG STORMS WITH GUSTY WINDS AND HAIL ARE POSSIBLE LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO TONIGHT AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT. SOME OF THESE STORMS MAY CONTAIN LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN. IF ENOUGH STORMS PASS OVER THE SAME AREA IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME...LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING WILL BE POSSIBLE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. FROST IS POSSIBLE BOTH SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY NIGHT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
244 PM EDT FRI MAY 10 2013
NCZ001-002-VAZ015-101915-
ALLEGHANY NC-ASHE NC-GRAYSON VA-
244 PM EDT FRI MAY 10 2013
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BLACKSBURG HAS ISSUED A
* SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT FOR...
NORTHWESTERN ALLEGHANY COUNTY IN NORTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA...
CENTRAL ASHE COUNTY IN NORTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA...
WESTERN GRAYSON COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA...
* UNTIL 315 PM EDT
* AT 238 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS
TRACKING A DEVELOPING THUNDERSTORM NEAR SHATLEY SPRINGS...OR 4
MILES SOUTHWEST OF LANSING...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.
* PEA SIZE HAIL MAY OCCUR WITH THIS STORM.
* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
JEFFERSON...
MOUTH OF WILSON...
ASHLAND...
LANSING...
AND SCOTTVILLE.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
THIS STORM WILL LIKELY INTENSIFY...SO MONITOR LOCAL RADIO AND
TELEVISION FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION...AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS...FROM
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
&&
LAT...LON 3674 8133 3651 8116 3635 8159 3650 8170
3651 8170
TIME...MOT...LOC 1838Z 240DEG 26KT 3648 8158
PWSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
341 PM EDT FRI MAY 10 2013
NCZ001-018-102030-
WATAUGA NC-ASHE NC-
341 PM EDT FRI MAY 10 2013
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BLACKSBURG HAS ISSUED A
* SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT FOR...
CENTRAL WATAUGA COUNTY IN NORTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA...
SOUTHWESTERN ASHE COUNTY IN NORTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA...
* UNTIL 430 PM EDT
* AT 338 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS
TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR VALLE CRUCIS...OR 3 MILES
SOUTH OF SUGAR GROVE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH.
* PEA SIZE HAIL MAY OCCUR WITH THIS STORM.
* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
TODD...
BOONE...
SUGAR GROVE...
MEAT CAMP...
AND LOVILL.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
THIS STORM COULD INTENSIFY...SO MONITOR LOCAL RADIO AND TELEVISION
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION...AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS...FROM THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
&&
LAT...LON 3634 8173 3634 8171 3635 8172 3644 8159
3627 8142 3613 8179 3623 8189
TIME...MOT...LOC 1938Z 236DEG 17KT 3621 8179
PWSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
354 PM EDT FRI MAY 10 2013
WVZ045-102030-
GREENBRIER WV-
354 PM EDT FRI MAY 10 2013
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BLACKSBURG HAS ISSUED A
* SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT FOR...
NORTHEASTERN GREENBRIER COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST WEST VIRGINIA...
* UNTIL 430 PM EDT
* AT 351 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS
TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR RENICK...MOVING NORTHEAST AT
25 MPH.
* PEA SIZE HAIL MAY OCCUR WITH THIS STORM.
* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
RENICK...
LEONARD...
RORER...
TROUT...
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
PROLONGED HEAVY RAINFALL COULD CAUSE WATER TO FLOW OVER THE ROADWAY.
DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE WHERE THE ROAD HAS BECOME FLOODED.
&&
LAT...LON 3811 8036 3805 8027 3804 8021 3804 8018
3803 8015 3790 8042 3804 8055 3817 8037
TIME...MOT...LOC 1951Z 230DEG 23KT 3801 8041
PWSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 430 PM EDT FRI MAY 10 2013 VAZ010-012-102115- BLAND VA-WYTHE VA- 430 PM EDT FRI MAY 10 2013 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BLACKSBURG HAS ISSUED A * SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT FOR... CENTRAL BLAND COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA... NORTHWESTERN WYTHE COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA... * UNTIL 515 PM EDT * AT 426 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR RURAL RETREAT...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH. * PEA SIZE HAIL MAY OCCUR WITH THIS STORM. * LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... BLAND... RURAL RETREAT... BASTIAN... HICKSVILLE... AND SUITER. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... PROLONGED HEAVY RAINFALL MAY CAUSE WATER TO FLOW OVER THE ROADWAY. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE WHERE THE ROAD HAS BECOME FLOODED. && LAT...LON 3724 8116 3715 8090 3682 8128 3694 8136 TIME...MOT...LOC 2026Z 213DEG 25KT 3693 8128 PW
The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 114 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:39 UTC.
4 thunderstorm wind, 1 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.
Heavy rain over a period of 40 minutes resulted in minor street flooding across parts of the community of Marion.
A tree was blown down along Peppers Ferry Road between Jade Drive and Onyx Drive, while another tree was downed near the intersection of Wisteria Drive and Oakwood Court.
Two trees were blown down near the intersection of Route 460 and Brookfield Lane, with one falling on a power line.
A thunderstorm blew several trees and power lines down between the communities of Lexington and Buena Vista.
Multiple trees were blown down along Dixie Hill Road.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Virginia in 2013Every state in 2013This day in weather historyWarnings in Virginia, May 2013
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: 455303, 455305, 455307, 455309, 455312.