Deep atmospheric moisture was observed pooling ahead of an approaching cold front, although downslope westerly wind flow worked to inhibit convective development, resulting in only widely scattered showers and thunderstorms. Atmospheric winds aloft were light, resulting in slow storm motion.
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.
Deep atmospheric moisture was observed pooling ahead of an approaching cold front, although downslope westerly wind flow worked to inhibit convective development, resulting in only widely scattered showers and thunderstorms. Atmospheric winds aloft were light, resulting in slow storm motion.
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 2, 6:23 PM EST, 1 hour 29 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 723 PM EDT MON SEP 2 2013 .SYNOPSIS... COLD FRONT OVER THE OHIO VALLEY WILL CROSS THE MOUNTAINS OVERNIGHT WITH COOLER AND DRIER AIR FILTERING EASTWARD BY LATE TUESDAY. HIGH PRESSURE WILL DOMINATE THE MID- TO LATE WEEK WITH SEVERAL REINFORCING FRONTS FROM THE NORTHWEST. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TUESDAY/... AS OF 300 PM EDT MONDAY... CONVECTION OVER THE EASTERN OHIO VALLEY DEVELOPING WILL MOVE EAST AND BRING SCATTERED STORMS TO MAINLY WESTERN ZONES AND AT LEAST SLGHT CHANCE OF ACTIVITY FURTHER EAST INTO THE EVENING. NOT EXPECTING SEVERE BUT WITH CAPES APPROACHING 1500-2000 J/KG COULD BE A FEW MARGINALLY SEVERS STORMS. SLIGHTLY DRIER AIR AND WESTERLY WIND COMPONENT WORKING AGAINST WIDEPSREAD COVERAGE SO HOLDING GENERALLY CHC POPS INTO THIS EVENING. BIG TRANSITION AIR MASS FRONT LOCATED BACK OVER OHIO WITH MUCH COOLER AND DRIER LAGGING BACK BEHIND OVER CENTRAL MIDWEST WILL MOVE EASTWARD TONIGHT AND CROSS CWA OVERNIGHT. MAYBE A FEW MORE SHOWERS ALONG FRONT BUT MAINLY DRY BEHIND OR LOW POPS BY EARLY AFTERNOON AS DRIER AIR FILTERS IN AT LAST. STILL WARM IN THE EAST BUT APPROACHING UPPER 80S TOMORROW AND UPPER 70S WEST AND NOTICEABLY DRIER THROUGH THE DAY..ESPECIALLY IN THE WEST. && .SHORT TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 300 PM EDT MONDAY... A COOL AND DRY PERIOD IS STILL EXPECTED BEHIND TUESDAY'S FRONT. WITH AN UPPER TROUGH SHARPENING ACROSS SE CANADA...ANOTHER COLD FRONT WILL ARRIVE ON THURSDAY. HOWEVER...THE AIRMASS LOOKS MUCH TOO DRY TO SUPPORT ANYTHING WEST OF THE BLUE RIDGE WITH MAYBE JUST A FEW SPRINKLES ACROSS SE WEST VA. POTENTIALLY A FEW SHOWERS OR STORMS COULD POP UP ACROSS THE EXTREME SE CWA ALONG THE SOUTHSIDE...BUT WILL NOT ADD ANY POPS FOR NOW LATE THURSDAY AFTERNOON. TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT WILL BOTH BE CHILLY. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... AS OF 300 PM EDT MONDAY... SE CANADIAN TROUGH BEGINS TO SCOOT EAST AND SOME OF THE UPPER HIGH OVER THE FOUR CORNERS WILL OOZE EAST IN ITS PLACE...WITH RISING HEIGHTS. AS THE EASTERLY COMPONENT VEERS LATE WEEKEND AND EARLY NEXT WEEK...TEMPS WILL WARM INTO THE 80S MAKING ELEVATED CONVECTION MORE LIKELY ACROSS THE WEST. BEFORE THIS...HIGH PRESSURE WHICH SETTLES OVER THE MIDDLE ATLANTIC AFTER THURSDAY'S FRONT SHOULD CONTINUE THE DRY AND SOMEWHAT COOL REGIME THROUGH SATURDAY. && .AVIATION /00Z TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... AS OF 715 PM EDT MONDAY... A COLD FRONT AND ITS ASSOCIATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE MOVING ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY AT 700 PM THIS EVENING. AT CURRENT SPEED...THESE SHOWERS WILL COME OVER LWB AROUND 9PM. A CLUSTER OF PREFRONTAL SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL HIT BLF BY 8PM THEN FRONTAL SHOWERS MOVE OVER THE AREA AFTER 1000 PM. THESE SHOWERS WILL FADE IN AREAL COVERAGE AS THEY APPROACH THE BLUE RIDGE WITH LOSE OF HEATING AND WITHIN WESTERLY FLOW. IF STORMS DO ADVANCE TO AND PAST THE BLUE RIDGE...THE AREAL COVERAGE WILL BE ISOLATED AND THEREFORE WILL ONLY CARRY VCSH FOR BCB/ROA STARTING AROUND MIDNIGHT AND LYH/DAN IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS TUESDAY. THE FRONT MAY GET HELD UP ACROSS THE AREA TUESDAY AS A SURFACE LOW DEVELOPS OVER THE CAROLINA PIEDMONT. THIS MAY DELAY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS AT LYH/DAN UNTIL THE DAYTIME HOURS TUESDAY. THE SURFACE FRONT WILL MOVE EAST OF THE AREA ON TUESDAY...HOWEVER THE DEW POINT FRONT DOES NOT ADVANCE EAST UNTIL TUESDAY NIGHT. MOIST WESTERLY FLOW WILL KEEP LOW CLOUDS AND/OR DRIZZLE ON WESTERLY SLOPES (BLF) FROM MIDNIGHT THROUGH EARLY TUESDAY AFTERNOON. TRUE FRONT AND MAIN UPPER TROUGH WILL MOVE EAST OF THE AREA TUE NIGHT. THUS...EXPECTING MOSTLY VFR CONDITIONS AS MUCH DRIER AIR ADVECTS INTO THE AREA FROM THE NORTHWEST. THESE DRY CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL THROUGH THE REST OF THE WORK WEEK. NW WINDS OF 8-12KTS WITH LOW END GUSTS CAN BE EXPECTED TUE BEHIND THE FRONT...OTHERWISE AVIATION CONDITIONS SHOULD BE QUITE GOOD TUE-FRI OUTSIDE EARLY MORNING FOG AT SITES SUCH AS LWB/BCB/LYH. && .RNK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... VA...NONE. NC...NONE. WV...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...WP NEAR TERM...PC SHORT TERM...KM LONG TERM...KM AVIATION...RCS
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 420 AM EDT MON SEP 2 2013 NCZ001>006-018>020-VAZ007-009>020-022>024-032>035-043>047-058-059- WVZ042>045-030830- 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- 420 AM EDT MON SEP 2 2013 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. A FEW THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING COULD BECOME STRONG TO SEVERE WITH DAMAGING WINDS THE MAIN THREAT...ALONG WITH HEAVY RAIN. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
704 PM EDT MON SEP 2 2013
VAZ007-022345-
TAZEWELL VA-
704 PM EDT MON SEP 2 2013
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BLACKSBURG HAS ISSUED A
* SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT FOR...
NORTHERN TAZEWELL COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA...
* UNTIL 745 PM EDT
* AT 659 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING
A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR TIPTOP...MOVING TO THE EAST AT 10 MPH.
* DIME SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 30 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS
STORM.
* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
BLUEFIELD...
BURKES GARDEN...
TIPTOP...
GRATTON...
AND AMONATE.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
DO NOT STAY IN THE OPEN OR SHELTER UNDER TREES WHEN LIGHTNING
THREATENS. SEEK SHELTER INSIDE A STURDY BUILDING OR IN A VEHICLE.
&&
LAT...LON 3722 8170 3720 8168 3721 8155 3723 8151
3726 8150 3728 8141 3724 8123 3721 8129
3717 8127 3715 8133 3712 8127 3710 8127
3708 8129 3719 8179
TIME...MOT...LOC 2259Z 291DEG 7KT 3721 8144
RABSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
804 PM EDT MON SEP 2 2013
VAZ010-030045-
BLAND VA-
804 PM EDT MON SEP 2 2013
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BLACKSBURG HAS ISSUED A
* SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT FOR...
BLAND COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA...
* UNTIL 845 PM EDT
* AT 800 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING
A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR BASTIAN...MOVING TO THE SOUTHEAST AT 10
MPH.
* PEA SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 30 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS
STORM.
* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
BLAND...
BASTIAN...
HICKSVILLE...
LONG SPUR...
AND MECHANICSBURG.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
DO NOT STAY IN THE OPEN OR SHELTER UNDER TREES WHEN LIGHTNING
THREATENS. SEEK SHELTER INSIDE A STURDY BUILDING OR IN A VEHICLE.
&&
LAT...LON 3723 8118 3719 8091 3718 8089 3719 8088
3719 8087 3717 8088 3715 8085 3711 8093
3707 8092 3703 8109 3715 8124
TIME...MOT...LOC 0000Z 296DEG 8KT 3716 8114
RABSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
819 PM EDT MON SEP 2 2013
VAZ009-030100-
SMYTH VA-
819 PM EDT MON SEP 2 2013
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BLACKSBURG HAS ISSUED A
* SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT FOR...
NORTHWESTERN SMYTH COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA...
* UNTIL 900 PM EDT
* AT 817 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS
TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR ALLISON GAP...MOVING TO THE
EAST-SOUTHEAST AT 20 MPH.
* WIND GUSTS UP TO 30 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM...OCCASIONAL
CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING...AND BRIEF HEAVY RAIN ARE EXPECTED WITH
THIS THUNDERSTORM.
* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
SALTVILLE...
CHILHOWIE...
ALLISON GAP...
QUARRY...
AND BROADFORD.
THOSE ENGAGED IN OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES IN THE AREA SHOULD SEEK SHELTER
INSIDE UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED.
LAT...LON 3695 8182 3697 8171 3694 8169 3695 8164
3698 8159 3698 8156 3676 8162 3677 8169
3693 8183
TIME...MOT...LOC 0017Z 278DEG 19KT 3690 8183
RABThe Roanoke radar (KFCX), 106 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:51 UTC.
1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
A deputy sheriff observed six to eight inches of water associated with heavy rain flowing over Wittens Mill Road near Dolphin Lane. The high water washed out a nearby driveway.
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, September 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: 471846.