A combination of upper level disturbances crossing the area along with heating and convergence along the lee trough triggered a band of showers and thunderstorms mainly east of the mountains.
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 combination of upper level disturbances crossing the area along with heating and convergence along the lee trough triggered a band of showers and thunderstorms mainly east of the mountains.
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 Jul 9, 3:15 PM EST, 2 hours 58 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 415 PM EDT WED JUL 9 2014 .SYNOPSIS... A SLOW MOVING COOL FRONT WILL SLIDE SOUTHEAST INTO THE MOUNTAINS TODAY...BEFORE DRIFTING INTO NORTH CAROLINA AND STALLING OVERNIGHT. WEAK HIGH PRESSURE WILL FOLLOW THE FRONT FOR THURSDAY INTO SATURDAY. A MUCH STRONGER COLD FRONT WILL BE PASSING THROUGH THE REGION NEXT MONDAY AND TUESDAY. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH THURSDAY/... AS OF 400 PM EDT WEDNESDAY... COMBINATION OF SHORT WAVE CROSSING THE FORECAST AREA AND SURFACE CONVERGENCE ALONG THE LEE TROF HAD TRIGGERED A BAND OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS IN THE EASTERN COUNTY WARNING AREA. ADDITIONAL SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE NEW RIVER VALLEY INTO NORTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE EAST DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. OVERNIGHT DRIER AIR AS SEEN ON THE WATER VAPOR LOOP WILL PUSH INTO THE REGION AS THE LEADING WEAK COLD FRONT DRIFTS SOUTH INTO NORTH CAROLINA AND STALLS. MODELS CONTINUED TO SHOW A LOW ALONG THE FRONT LATE TONIGHT THAT PUSHES THE DEEPER MOISTURE BACK INTO THE FORECAST AREA AFTER MIDNIGHT. HAVE A LULL IN THE PRECIPITATION... ESPECIALLY IN THE NORTHWEST HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA THIS EVENING...THEN BRING BETTER PROBABILITIES BACK IN BY MORNING. TEMPERATURES WILL DEPEND ON CLOUD COVER. WITH LITTLE DROP IN DEW POINTS TONIGHT MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN MILD. IF CLEARING DOES OCCUR...MAY BE ADDING FOG BACK INTO THE FORECAST IN LOCATIONS THAT HAD RAIN THIS AFTERNOON. CLOUDS AND SHOWERS WILL ALSO LIMIT RISE IN TEMPERATURES...ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE SOUTH AND EAST ON THURSDAY. STAYED CLOSER TO COOLER SIDE OF GUIDANCE FOR MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES. && .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 300 PM EDT WEDNESDAY... EXPECT AN AREA OF PRECIPITATION TO BE COVERING THE SOUTHEAST PORTION OF THE BLACKSBURG CWA AT THE START OF THE SHORT TERM PERIOD...WITH GOOD LOW LEVEL MOISTURE CONVERGENCE ALONG A SFC BOUNDARY IN THIS AREA. THIS REGION WILL ALSO FALL UNDER THE RIGHT REAR QUAD OF AN UPPER LEVEL AND GOOD UPPER LEVEL DIVERGENCE.THIS AREA OF PRECIP WILL GRADUALLY WANE DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. FOR FRIDAY...THE UPPER LEVEL TROF AXIS WEAKENS AND SHIFTS SLIGHT EAST...PLACING THE BEST UPPER LEVEL SUPPORT EAST OF THE BLACKSBURG FORECAST AREA. STILL EXPECT WIDELY SCATTERED SHOWERS AND STORMS IN THIS AREA WITH WEAK CONVERGENCE ALONG THE DYING BOUNDARY. A SECOND AREA FOR PRECIP DEVELOPMENT WILL BE POSSIBLE IN THE MOUNTAINS...WITH AN UPSLOPE FLOW AND A SFC BOUNDARY FORECAST BY THE GFS/NAM/SREF/ECMWF NEAR THE VA/WV BORDER. AS THE DEEPEST MOISTURE AND BEST UPPER LEVEL SUPPORT SHIFT EAST...THE COVERAGE OF PRECIPITATION FRIDAY SHOULD BE LESS...AS WELL AS THE AMOUNT OF CLOUD COVER. GENERALLY FOLLOWED THE GFS MOS GUIDANCE FOR HIGHS WITH HAS PERFORMED THE BEST IN OUR AREA OVER THE PAST FEW DAYS. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... AS OF 245 PM EDT WEDNESDAY... AS SFC HIGH PRESSURE SHIFTS EAST ON SATURDAY...THE LOW LEVEL FLOW BECOMES EAST/SOUTHEAST BRINGING WEAK UPSLOPE FLOW. AT THIS POINT...THE DEEPEST MOISTURE WILL BE SOUTH AND EAST OF OUR AREA...BUT ENOUGH LOW LEVEL CONVERGENCE SHOULD SPARK ISOLATED/WIDELY SCATTERED SHOWERS/STORMS ACROSS THE SOUTHERN BLUE RIDGE. BY SUNDAY AND MONDAY...A LOW LEVEL THETA-E AXIS SURGES INTO OUR AREA WHICH WILL INCREASE COVERAGE OF DIURNALLY DRIVEN SHOWERS AND STORMS. BUT SIMILAR TO WHAT WE HAVE EXPERIENCED RECENTLY...A DEEP WEST/SOUTHWEST FLOW SHOULD KEEP THE CONVECTION SCATTERED. TOWARD THE END OF THE LONG TERM PERIOD THE MEDIUM RANGE MODELS CONTINUE TO FORECAST A BROAD UPPER TROF AND AN ASSOCIATED CUT OFF LOW OVER THE NORTHERN GREAT LAKES BY TUESDAY. THIS FEATURE HELPS DRIVE A COLD FRONT THROUGH OUR AREA ON TUESDAY. THERE ARE STILL DIFFERENCES WITH REGARD TO THE TIMING OF THIS FRONT...WITH THE 06Z GFS FASTER THAN THE 00Z ECMWF. USING A BLEND OF THESE SOLUTIONS...WILL CONTINUE TO CARRY A CHANCE OF SHOWERS/STORMS ON TUESDAY. TEMPERATURES SHOULD CLIMB IN ADVANCE OF THE FRONT TO NEAR OR SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL...BEFORE FALLING BELOW NORMAL TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY WHEN DRIER AIR ARRIVES. && .AVIATION /20Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... AS OF 125 PM EDT WEDNESDAY... COMMS ISSUES REMAIN AT KDAN DESPITE AN INTERMITTENT RETURN OF OBSERVATION DATA. AMD NOT SKED CONTINUED IN THE TAF. SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS WERE DEVELOPING AT 1PM/17Z AHEAD OF A SHORT WAVE MOVING THROUGH SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA. THE BEST COVERAGE OF STORMS WILL BE ALONG AND EAST OF THE BLUE RIDGE FROM 20Z/4PM UNTIL SUNSET. HAVE USED THIS TIMING FOR THE KDAN/KLYH TAFS...OTHERWISE HAVE THUNDER IN THE VICINITY OF THE AIRPORTS UNLESS RADAR INDICATES AN IMMINENT THREAT. GUSTS UP TO 30 KNOTS WILL BE COMMON WITH THE STRONGER STORMS...AS WELL AS MVFR CEILINGS AND VISIBILITIES. DRIER AIR COMES IN AT MID AND UPPER LEVELS BEHIND THE SHORT WAVE TONIGHT. THE SURFACE COLD FRONT WILL MOVE INTO NORTH CAROLINA BY LATE TONIGHT. WITH MOSTLY LOCATIONS EXPECTED TO HAVE RAIN THIS AFTERNOON...ANY CLEARING THAT OCCURS OVERNIGHT WILL RESULT IN THE FORMATION OF FOG. LOW CONFIDENCE ON HOW MUCH VISIBILITIES WILL BE RESTRICTED BUT HAVE LEFT LIFR CONDITIONS IN THE KLWB TAF. EXTENDED AVIATION... THE COLD FRONT WILL STALL JUST TO THE SOUTH THURSDAY WITH IMPULSES RIDING ALONG IT. EXPECT AFTERNOON AND EVENING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ASSOCIATED MVFR OR LOWER CONDITIONS... ESPECIALLY FOR KDAN/KLYH ON THURSDAY. A LOWER PROBABILITY OF PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED ACROSS THE AREA ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY AS WEAK HIGH PRESSURE SLIDES IN FROM THE NORTH. MOISTURE AND MORE WIDESPREAD SHRA/TSRA LIKELY TO RETURN FOR THE END OF THE WEEKEND AS THE FRONT RETURNS NORTH RESULTING IN PERIODS OF MVFR CONDITIONS. OTRW PATCHY FOG RESULTING IN LOCAL MVFR TO IFR CONDITIONS LIKELY DURING THE LATE NIGHTS AND EARLY MORNINGS ESPCLY VALLEY LOCATIONS AND WHERE EARLIER AFTERNOON RAINFALL OCCURRED. && .EQUIPMENT... AS OF 400 PM EDT WEDNESDAY... COMMUNICATIONS OUTAGE CONTINUES WITH KDAN ASOS NOT TRANSMITTING. THE FAA IS AWARE OF THE OUTAGE AND WILL BE WORKING ON IT...BUT NO ESTIMATED TIME OF WHEN IT WILL BE WORKING AGAIN. && .RNK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... VA...NONE. NC...NONE. WV...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...AMS NEAR TERM...AMS SHORT TERM...PH LONG TERM...AMS/PH/WERT AVIATION...AMS/JH EQUIPMENT...WP
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 347 AM EDT WED JUL 9 2014 NCZ001-002-018-VAZ007-009>020-022>024-WVZ042>045-100800- ASHE-ALLEGHANY NC-WATAUGA-TAZEWELL-SMYTH-BLAND-GILES-WYTHE-PULASKI- MONTGOMERY-GRAYSON-CARROLL-FLOYD-CRAIG-ALLEGHANY VA-BATH-ROANOKE- BOTETOURT-ROCKBRIDGE-MERCER-SUMMERS-MONROE-GREENBRIER- 347 AM EDT WED JUL 9 2014 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA...SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA...WEST CENTRAL VIRGINIA AND SOUTHEAST WEST VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. A FEW THUNDERSTORMS CONTAINING STRONG TO LOCALIZED DAMAGING WINDS MAY OCCUR THIS AFTERNOON ALONG A COLD FRONT MOVING INTO THE AREA. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. NCZ003>006-019-020-VAZ032>035-043>047-058-059-100800- SURRY-STOKES-ROCKINGHAM-CASWELL-WILKES-YADKIN-PATRICK-FRANKLIN- BEDFORD-AMHERST-HENRY-PITTSYLVANIA-CAMPBELL-APPOMATTOX-BUCKINGHAM- HALIFAX-CHARLOTTE- 347 AM EDT WED JUL 9 2014 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...TODAY AND TONIGHT. A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS AND LOCALIZED LARGE HAIL MAY OCCUR THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING AHEAD OF A WEAK COLD FRONT MOVING INTO THE REGION. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
440 PM EDT WED JUL 09 2014
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0320 PM TSTM WND DMG 3 NNW KEELING 36.76N 79.32W
07/09/2014 PITTSYLVANIA VA 911 CALL CENTER
ONE TREE DOWN AT THE INTERSECTION OF DOBSON ROAD AND
SPRING GARDEN ROAD
&&
PWSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
449 PM EDT WED JUL 9 2014
VAZ033-034-092145-
FRANKLIN VA-BEDFORD VA-
449 PM EDT WED JUL 9 2014
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BLACKSBURG HAS ISSUED A
* SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT FOR...
EASTERN FRANKLIN COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL VIRGINIA...
SOUTHWESTERN BEDFORD COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL VIRGINIA...
* UNTIL 545 PM EDT
* AT 449 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING
A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR BURNT CHIMNEY...MOVING TO THE EAST-SOUTHEAST
AT 25 MPH.
* WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.
* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
MONETA...
PENHOOK...
BOONES MILL...
BURNT CHIMNEY...
AND WIRTZ.
LAT...LON 3684 7967 3712 8004 3715 8000 3714 7996
3718 7989 3721 7989 3722 7985 3723 7984
3719 7951 3704 7958 3704 7960 3698 7961
TIME...MOT...LOC 2047Z 275DEG 21KT 3715 7988
RABSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
555 PM EDT WED JUL 9 2014
VAZ034-044-045-092300-
BEDFORD VA-CAMPBELL VA-PITTSYLVANIA VA-
555 PM EDT WED JUL 9 2014
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BLACKSBURG HAS ISSUED A
* SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT FOR...
SOUTH CENTRAL BEDFORD COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL VIRGINIA...
SOUTHWESTERN CAMPBELL COUNTY IN CENTRAL VIRGINIA...
NORTHERN PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL VIRGINIA...
* UNTIL 700 PM EDT
* AT 555 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM NEAR HUDDLESTON TO
NEAR AJAX TO NEAR SAGO...MOVING TO THE EAST AT 30 MPH.
* WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS.
* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
HURT...
MT AIRY...
GRETNA...
HODGES...
AND ALTAVISTA.
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 3705 7907 3706 7908 3705 7910 3681 7915
3689 7963 3697 7962 3716 7951 3714 7906
TIME...MOT...LOC 2151Z 260DEG 27KT 3713 7948 3699 7954 3693 7969
RABSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 602 PM EDT WED JUL 9 2014 NCZ004-005-VAZ032-043-092245- ROCKINGHAM NC-STOKES NC-HENRY VA-PATRICK VA- 602 PM EDT WED JUL 9 2014 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BLACKSBURG HAS ISSUED A * SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT FOR... NORTHWESTERN ROCKINGHAM COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA... NORTHERN STOKES COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA... SOUTHWESTERN HENRY COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL VIRGINIA... SOUTHEASTERN PATRICK COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA... * UNTIL 645 PM EDT * AT 601 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR COLLINSTOWN...MOVING TO THE EAST AT 25 MPH. * PEA SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. * LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... SPENCER... FRANCISCO... SANDY RIDGE... AYERSVILLE... AND PENNS STORE. 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 3645 8040 3659 8043 3672 7993 3650 7983 TIME...MOT...LOC 2200Z 257DEG 21KT 3654 8034 RAB
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
643 PM EDT WED JUL 9 2014
VAZ043-092330-
HENRY VA-
643 PM EDT WED JUL 9 2014
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BLACKSBURG HAS ISSUED A
* SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT FOR...
HENRY COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL VIRGINIA...
* UNTIL 730 PM EDT
* AT 642 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING
A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR VILLA HEIGHTS...MOVING TO THE EAST AT 25
MPH.
* WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THESE
THUNDERSTORMS...ALONG WITH OCCASIONAL CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING
AND VERY HEAVY RAINFALL.
* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
MARTINSVILLE CITY...
AXTON...
BASSETT...
MARTINSVILLE AIRPORT...
AND AIKEN SUMMIT.
THIS INCLUDES THE MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY.
LAT...LON 3662 8005 3677 8005 3680 7977 3680 7975
3681 7965 3676 7966 3660 7970
TIME...MOT...LOC 2239Z 270DEG 24KT 3669 7992
RABSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
651 PM EDT WED JUL 9 2014
NCZ005-006-092330-
ROCKINGHAM NC-CASWELL NC-
651 PM EDT WED JUL 9 2014
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BLACKSBURG HAS ISSUED A
* SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT FOR...
SOUTHEASTERN ROCKINGHAM COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA...
CASWELL COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA...
* UNTIL 730 PM EDT
* AT 649 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS
TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM FROM JUST EAST OF MONROETON...TO
CAMP SPRINGS...TO RAYNES...MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH.
* PEA SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
STORM.
* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
PROSPECT HILL...
JERICHO...
YANCEYVILLE...
CAMP SPRINGS...
AND HAMER.
LAT...LON 3625 7964 3649 7952 3648 7914 3624 7916
3625 7953 3624 7953 3624 7961
TIME...MOT...LOC 2247Z 209DEG 16KT 3625 7947
RABThe Roanoke radar (KFCX), 108 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:13 UTC.
2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
One tree was blown down by thunderstorm winds on Cherry Grove Road.
Thunderstorm winds blew down one tree at the intersection of Route 57 and Hamlett Road.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in North Carolina in 2014Every state in 2014This day in weather historyWarnings in North Carolina, July 2014
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: 535950, 535952.