An unseasonably warm and moist air mass in advance of a strong late spring cold front brought the first significant severe thunderstorm event to the Blacksburg, VA National Weather Service forecast area of the 2015 calendar year. The bulk of the severe thunderstorms were mainly east of the Blue Ridge, but began around 530 pm EDT in the Southern Shenandoah Valley and northern Blue Ridge counties…
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 unseasonably warm and moist air mass in advance of a strong late spring cold front brought the first significant severe thunderstorm event to the Blacksburg, VA National Weather Service forecast area of the 2015 calendar year. The bulk of the severe thunderstorms were mainly east of the Blue Ridge, but began around 530 pm EDT in the Southern Shenandoah Valley and northern Blue Ridge counties within the forecast area. Another round of severe thunderstorms began around 1000 pm EDT near Lynchburg and moved east across the Piedmont, affecting some of the same counties impacted by storms earlier in the evening.
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 11, 2:44 PM EST, 2 hours 6 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 344 PM EDT MON MAY 11 2015 .SYNOPSIS... LOW PRESSURE WAS OVER THE GREAT LAKES WITH A COLD FRONT TRAILING INTO EASTERN TEXAS. THIS FRONT WILL MOVE EAST TONIGHT AND WILL BE OFF THE COAST BY TUESDAY NIGHT. HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN AND WILL KEEP THE AREA COOL AND DRY THROUGH THURSDAY. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TUESDAY/... AS OF 325 PM EDT MONDAY... REMNANTS OF ANA HAS PULLED AWAY FROM THE AREA...BUT HAS LEFT THE REGION IN A TROPICAL AIRMASS. WITH SOME WEAK CONVERGENCE AND AFTERNOON HEATING OVER THE WEST...HAS GENERATED SLOW MOVING PULSE STORMS THIS AFTERNOON. THESE STORMS WILL DRIFT TO THE EAST-NORTHEAST THROUGH EARLY THIS EVENING. THESE PULSE STORMS WILL FADE WITH LOSS OF HEATING BUT MAY NOT COMPLETELY GO AWAY OVERNIGHT AS INSTABILITIES LINGER UNTIL MIXING INCREASES WITH THE APPROACHING COLD FRONT TONIGHT. PREFRONTAL SHOWERS WILL MOVE IN ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS LATE THIS EVENING. AS THE FRONT TRACKS ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS TONIGHT...WEST WINDS INCREASE WITH DOWNSLOPING LIMITING CONVECTION ACTIVITY EAST OF THE BLUE RIDGE. THE BEST CHANCE FOR CONVECTION EAST OF THE BLUE RIDGE WILL BE THIS EVENING. DYNAMICS WITH THE FRONT SPLIT WITH THE MAIN PIECE OF ENERGY TRACKING NORTH INTO THE GREAT LAKES AND OHIO VALLEY AND THE OTHER SOUTH INTO THE SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI VALLEY OVERNIGHT. WITH WEAK DYNAMICS...DO NOT EXPECT ANY SEVERE STORMS THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT. SOME PULSE STORMS THIS AFTERNOON COULD FLIRT CLOSE TO SEVERE WITH HAIL...BUT OVER ALL ACTIVITY WILL BE THE RUN-OF- THE-MILL THUNDERSTORMS. THE FRONT CROSSES THE MOUNTAINS TONIGHT AND WILL BE EAST OF THE PIEDMONT BY LATE TUESDAY MORNING. THE DEW POINT FRONT LAGS BEHIND AND DOES NOT CLEAR THE AREA UNTIL TUESDAY AFTERNOON. WITH CLEARING BEHIND THE FRONT AND A WARM START TO THE DAY...HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN ABOVE NORMAL WITH UPPER 70S WEST TO UPPER 80S EAST. PRESSURE RISES BEHIND THE FRONT WILL ALSO BRING BREEZY AND GUSTY CONDITIONS DURING THE DAY TUESDAY. NOTHING CLOSE TO ADVISORY CRITERIA. && .SHORT TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 330 PM EDT MONDAY... HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD ACROSS THE AREA FOR MID WEEK...PROVIDING FAIR DRY CONDITIONS...TEMPERATURES CLOSE TO THE SEASONAL NORM. THE PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL BE STRONG ENOUGH FOR BREEZY CONDITIONS TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY...BUT AS THE HIGH DRIFTS OVERHEAD WEDNESDAY NIGHT...THE WINDS WILL DIMINISH. MODEL GUIDANCE IS IN GOOD AGREEMENT AND WAS GENERALLY FOLLOWED FOR BOTH THE MAX AND MINS. TRIMMED DEWPOINTS A FEW DEGREES COMPARED TO GUIDANCE PER POTENTIAL TO MIX DOWN DRIER AIR ALOFT. THIS RESULTED IN AFTERNOON RELATIVE HUMIDITY MINIMUMS 10 PERCENT DRIER THAN PREV FORECASTS. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... AS OF 300 PM EDT MONDAY... WEATHER PATTERN FAVORS THE RETURN OF THE AN UPPER LEVEL RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE SOUTHEAST UNITED STATES WITH BUILDING HEIGHTS ACROSS OUR FORECAST AREA. THIS WILL RESULT IN AN UPWARD TREND OF TEMPERATURES AND DEWPOINTS WITH AN OVERALL RETURN TO SUMMER-LIKE WEATHER WITH TEMPERATURES 5 TO 10 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL IN ADDITION TO A DAILY THREAT FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. && .AVIATION /20Z MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... AS OF 135 PM EDT MONDAY... A SLOW MOVING COLD FRONT WILL CROSS OVER THE MOUNTAINS THIS EVENING...THEN OVER THE PIEDMONT TUESDAY MORNING. AHEAD OF THIS FRONT...SLOW MOVING PULSE STORMS ARE FORMING ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS. THESE STORMS WILL CONTINUE INTO THE EVENING...THEN FADE WITH LOSS OF HEATING. MORE SHOWERS EXPECTED AS THE FRONT CROSSES OVER THE REGION OVERNIGHT. CONFIDENCE AND TIMING OF THESE AFTERNOON PULSE STORMS OVER A PARTICULAR AIRPORT IS LOW...THEREFORE WILL CARRY VICINITY THUNDERSTORMS AT ALL SITES THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. A MUCH DRIER AIR MASS COMES INTO THE REGION WITH VFR CONDITIONS TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS ARE EXPECTED ON TUESDAY AND POSSIBLY WEDNESDAY. THE NEXT CHANCE OF SUB VFR WEATHER AND PRECIPITATION WILL BE ON FRIDAY. && .CLIMATE... AS OF 425 AM EDT MONDAY... A FEW MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE RECORDS MAY BE SET TODAY. HERE ARE THE CURRENT RECORD HIGHS... ROANOKE 91 IN 1953 LYNCHBURG 94 IN 1896 DANVILLE 94 IN 1953 BLUEFIELD 83 IN 2007 LEWISBURG 82 IN 2007 BLACKSBURG 84 IN 2007 && .RNK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... VA...NONE. NC...NONE. WV...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...RCS NEAR TERM...RCS SHORT TERM...PM LONG TERM...PM AVIATION...RCS CLIMATE...AMS
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 345 PM EDT MON MAY 11 2015 NCZ001>006-018>020-VAZ007-009>020-022>024-032>035-043>047-058-059- WVZ042>044-507-508-121945- 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- EASTERN GREENBRIER-WESTERN GREENBRIER- 345 PM EDT MON MAY 11 2015 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. THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. RCS
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
349 PM EDT MON MAY 11 2015
NCZ001-112045-
ASHE NC-
349 PM EDT MON MAY 11 2015
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BLACKSBURG HAS ISSUED A
* SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT FOR...
WESTERN ASHE COUNTY IN NORTHWESTERN NORTH CAROLINA...
* UNTIL 445 PM EDT
* AT 348 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING
A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR TROUT...MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 10
MPH.
* DIME SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 30 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
STORM. FREQUENT CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING IS EXPECTED WITH THIS
THUNDERSTORM.
* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
JEFFERSON...
LANSING...
ASHLAND...
WEST JEFFERSON...
AND TROUT.
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 3642 8172 3645 8171 3656 8159 3642 8137
3632 8161 3635 8164 3638 8171 3640 8174
3641 8174
TIME...MOT...LOC 1947Z 222DEG 10KT 3637 8167
RABSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 406 PM EDT MON MAY 11 2015 VAZ017-032-033-043-112100- FLOYD VA-HENRY VA-PATRICK VA-FRANKLIN VA- 406 PM EDT MON MAY 11 2015 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BLACKSBURG HAS ISSUED A * SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT FOR... FLOYD COUNTY IN SOUTHWESTERN VIRGINIA... WESTERN HENRY COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL VIRGINIA... NORTHEASTERN PATRICK COUNTY IN SOUTHWESTERN VIRGINIA... SOUTHWESTERN FRANKLIN COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL VIRGINIA... * UNTIL 500 PM EDT * AT 404 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING SEVERAL STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE REGION...INCLUDING NEAR ALUM RIDGE...NEAR FLOYD AND JUST NORTHEAST OF FLOYD...NEAR FERRUM...AND BETWEEN ROCKY MOUNT AND FERRUM...MOVING TO THE EAST AT 10 MPH. * PEA SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 30 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH ANY OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS. FREQUENT CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING CAN BE EXPECTED WITH ALL OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS. * LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... BASSETT... FERRUM... WOOLWINE... FLOYD... AND WILLIS. 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 3683 8052 3697 8055 3706 7991 3661 7996 TIME...MOT...LOC 2002Z 251DEG 9KT 3693 8048 RAB
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
417 PM EDT MON MAY 11 2015
NCZ003-020-112115-
YADKIN NC-SURRY NC-
417 PM EDT MON MAY 11 2015
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BLACKSBURG HAS ISSUED A
* SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT FOR...
NORTHEASTERN YADKIN COUNTY IN NORTHWESTERN NORTH CAROLINA...
SOUTHEASTERN SURRY COUNTY IN NORTHWESTERN NORTH CAROLINA...
* UNTIL 515 PM EDT
* AT 416 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING
A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR BURCH...MOVING TO THE EAST AT 10 MPH.
* PEA SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 30 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
STORM. FREQUENT CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING CAN ALSO BE EXPECTED
WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM.
* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
BOONVILLE...
EAST BEND...
ROCKFORD...
NEBO...
AND BURCH.
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 3626 8081 3634 8076 3627 8045 3624 8045
3623 8043 3622 8043 3621 8045 3618 8044
3614 8044 3612 8046 3612 8049
TIME...MOT...LOC 2014Z 283DEG 7KT 3629 8075
RABSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
456 PM EDT MON MAY 11 2015
VAZ024-112145-
ROCKBRIDGE VA-
456 PM EDT MON MAY 11 2015
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BLACKSBURG HAS ISSUED A
* SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT FOR...
NORTHEASTERN ROCKBRIDGE COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL VIRGINIA...
* UNTIL 545 PM EDT
* AT 455 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS
TRACKING STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS SOUTHERN AUGUSTA
COUNTY...JUST NORTH OF THE ROCKBRIDGE COUNTY LINE...
MOVING TO THE SOUTH AT 20 MPH.
* PENNY SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 30 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS
STORM. EXPECT FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING WITH THIS STORM.
* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
VESUVIUS...
CORNWALL...
BROWNSBURG...
AND FAIRFIELD.
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.
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 3793 7920 3789 7915 3786 7915 3780 7918
3779 7920 3779 7927 3776 7929 3777 7935
3802 7939 3802 7937
TIME...MOT...LOC 2053Z 353DEG 15KT 3797 7929
RABSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
517 PM EDT MON MAY 11 2015
VAZ024-112215-
ROCKBRIDGE VA-
517 PM EDT MON MAY 11 2015
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BLACKSBURG HAS ISSUED A
* SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT FOR...
CENTRAL ROCKBRIDGE COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL VIRGINIA...
* UNTIL 615 PM EDT
* AT 515 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS
TRACKING STRONG THUNDERSTORMS NEAR LEXINGTON AND BUENA VISTA
CITY...MOVING TO THE EAST AT 15 MPH.
* DIME SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 30 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS
STORM. VERY HEAVY RAIN IS FALLING...AND WILL CAUSE WATER TO POND ON
ROADWAYS AND QUICKLY FILL ROADSIDE DITCHES AND SMALL STREAMS.
EXPECT FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING WITH THIS STORM.
* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
LEXINGTON CITY
AND BUENA VISTA CITY.
THIS INCLUDES VMI.
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.
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 3771 7932 3769 7932 3768 7934 3766 7935
3764 7937 3764 7938 3763 7939 3778 7957
3784 7950
TIME...MOT...LOC 2114Z 270DEG 13KT 3773 7943
RABPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
546 PM EDT MON MAY 11 2015
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0541 PM HAIL 5 E BEECH MOUNTAIN 36.21N 81.80W
05/11/2015 E0.25 INCH WATAUGA NC TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
16The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 105 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:51 UTC.
5 hail, 4 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The Rockbridge County 911 Center reported that a tree was down on Bunker Mill Hill Road, and a second tree was blown down on Forge Road near Rolling Meadow Drive.
The public reported via Twitter quarter-sized hail approximately three miles west of Pleasant View.
The public provided a report via Facebook of nickel-sized hail in the Pedlar Mills area or about three miles northeast of Naola.
A storm spotter observed nickel-sized hail approximately five miles southwest of Amherst.
The Amherst County 911 Center reported that a tree was blown down by thunderstorm winds on Kings Road, approximately two miles north of Lynchburg.
The Amherst County 911 Center reported that a tree was blown down by thunderstorm winds on Campbell Street or approximately two miles east-northeast of Lynchburg.
The Campbell County Emergency Management Director, along with trained spotters and the public, reported that several trees were down in the Timberlake area of northern Campbell county, or just south of Lynchburg. One tree was uprooted onto a car near the intersection of Horseman Drive and Sleepy Hollow Road. Another tree was down on Timberlake Drive, and two trees were down near the Waterlick Shopping Center.
A storm spotter observed quarter-sized hail approximately five miles southeast of Lynchburg.
The public observed quarter-sized hail in Concord.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Virginia in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in Virginia, May 2015
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: 576128, 576132, 576133, 576134, 577670, 577671, 577730, 577726, 580451.