A warm front progressing northeast through the region was the focal point for showers and thunderstorms on this Wednesday afternoon. 7.
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 warm front progressing northeast through the region was the focal point for showers and thunderstorms on this Wednesday afternoon. Precipitable water was notably high ranging from 1.5 to 1.7. Instability was not overly impressive but warm temps suggested that diurnal and terrain induced showers and thunder were more than likely.
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 Jun 15, 3:55 PM EST, 0 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Blacksburg VA 455 PM EDT WED JUN 15 2016 .SYNOPSIS... A warm front extends from Ohio into central Virginia. This front will move northeast into northern Virginia overnight. An upper level Low over Wisconsin will move southeast into the southern Great Lakes by Thursday morning. This Low will then move southeast crossing the Mid Atlantic states Thursday night and Friday. High pressure will build across the region for weekend. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/... As of 400 PM EDT Wednesday... A warm front extends from Columbus, Ohio to Danville, Virginia. Clusters of thunderstorms along this front were moving east-southeast. The long lived thunderstorm cluster of storms that moved southeast out of Ohio this morning, crossed West Virginia this afternoon and will now move across southwestern Virginia along the warm front this evening. The main threat is frequent lightning, but can't rule out a damaging wind gust per water-loading from cell mergers and potential for gust front interactions. Other storms which developed over the NC mountains during the afternoon will also move east across the NC piedmont. Again, main potential will be for frequent lightning, but can't rule out isolated strong wind gusts per cell mergers and gust front interactions. All activity is expected to wane after loss of daytime heating with gradual demise of shower/storm coverage between 9PM and midnight. Maintained chance pops mainly western CWA after midnight to account for any late night activity which may move downstream from the Ohio Valley associated with storm clusters farther upstream along the warm front. On Thursday there remains a fair bit of uncertainty as to whether we will see any shower activity during the day with model consensus on higher pops later in the day and more so for Thursday evening. Warm front will be just north of the forecast area Thursday which means we will be in the warm sector, temperatures soaring into the lower to mid 90s across the foothills and piedmont per development of westerly downslope compressional flow on the east side of the Appalachians. The upper low over the southern Great Lakes Thursday morning is forecast to track southeast and into WV by Thursday evening. This is problematic since this feature will arrive during peak heating with likelihood of a significant Mesoscale Convective System (MCS) to evolve over the eastern Ohio valley and move southeast through WV and into VA. Main concern will be damaging winds. In addition, models also suggest strong directional shear to be in place along warm front which will be somewhere along the I-64 corridor in VA...0-3km SR Helicities near 300. So in addition to damaging straight line winds there will also be the risk for tornadoes. Models indicate arrival of the MCS will not occur until late in the afternoon...developing over Eastern Ohio early in the afternoon...then crossing WV and into VA during the 5PM-9PM time frame...exiting the CWA by midnight. After midnight...uncertainty arises as to how long precipitation will linger. Synoptic models continue to advertise strong forcing over the forecast area as the upper low passes overhead. Loss of instability however, means this activity may continue as showers, but the threat of thunder should wane. && .SHORT TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT/... As of 400 AM EDT WEDNESDAY... The vigorous upper level low will be overhead early Friday then move southeast and off the North Carolina Coast Friday night. Lingering showers can be expected Friday...possibly a thunderstorm west of I-77 where enough sun may allow for some weak instability. Once the low clears the forecast area later in the day the trend will be for clearing from north to south with dry air returning for Saturday as high pressure builds in from the north and west. Temperatures will cool notably Friday into Saturday in the wake of the departing weather system...northeasterly winds introducing a less humid airmass for the weekend. && .LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... As of 400 PM EDT Wednesday... Deep layered ridge of high pressure is forecast from the southern Rockies to the Mid-Atlantic with nearly zonal flow along the U.S./Canadian border. A closed low is forecast over the western Atlantic but far enough east to minimize sensible weather threats along the East coast, and certainly not a player for our forecast area. As such, expect a multi-day dry spell, under clear skies and light winds. Next threat for showers will be mid week as short wave tracks along Canadian border into Great Lakes, dragging a front into the Ohio Valley and northern Mid-Atlantic late Tuesday into Wednesday. Near normal temperatures are expected Sunday and Monday then above normal Tuesday ahead of the approaching front. && .AVIATION /20Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... As of 400 PM EDT Wednesday... Scattered showers and thunderstorms will move across the mountains this afternoon. Bluefield will be the early target, then Blacksburg and Roanoke through the rest of the afternoon. Currently watching a more organized line of convection moving into WV at 1 PM. This line has its eyes on Lewisburg around 4 PM but may weaken as light rain this morning has lowered instabilities over the Greenbrier Valley. However, a few hours of full sunshine could increase instabilities and this line may link up with scattered mountain convection to produce some storm storms this evening. We reduce the duration of TSRA to a few hours this evening (5p-8p) with showers fading through the night. Areas seeing rain through this evening will likely have patchy fog through 9AM Thursday. High confidence in cigs through the TAF valid period. High confidence in vsbys through 06Z. High confidence in wind direction ans speed through the TAF valid period. Medium confidence in TSRA potential and timing. Extended discussion... An area of low pressure aloft will track into the region from the north late Thursday into Friday. A line of convection appears likely with this feature, but the exact placement and timing of remains somewhat unresolved. Best indication at this point is across northern/eastern VA Thursday afternoon, then into southern VA/northern NC Thursday evening/Thursday night. Sub-VFR conditions may linger into Friday with stratiform precipiation behind the upper low. By Saturday, conditions should return to VFR with good flying conditions expected to continue into Sunday as high pressure builds south behind the departing low. && .RNK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... VA...None. NC...None. WV...None. && SYNOPSIS...PM NEAR TERM...PM SHORT TERM...PM LONG TERM...PM AVIATION...RCS
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 427 PM EDT WED JUN 15 2016 NCZ001>006-018>020-VAZ007-009>020-022>024-032>035-043>047-058-059- WVZ042>044-507-508-162030- 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- 427 PM EDT WED JUN 15 2016 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...TONIGHT. CLUSTERS OF STRONGER THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE AREA INTO THIS EVENING. A FEW COULD BECOME SEVERE...WITH DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL THE MAIN THREATS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED LATE THURSDAY INTO THURSDAY NIGHT...DRIFTING FROM NORTH TO SOUTH ACROSS THE REGION. DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND HEAVY RAINFALL WILL AGAIN BE THE MAIN THREATS WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED ESPECIALLY LATER THURSDAY.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
337 PM EDT WED JUN 15 2016
VAZ007-WVZ042-152000-
TAZEWELL-MERCER-
337 PM EDT WED JUN 15 2016
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT NORTHEASTERN TAZEWELL AND
WESTERN MERCER COUNTIES...
AT 335 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS NEAR COALDALE...MOVING EAST
AT 10 MPH.
WINDS IN EXCESS OF 30 MPH AND PEA SIZE HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
BLUEFIELD...
MATOAKA...
POCAHONTAS...
BRAMWELL...
AND MONTCALM.
THIS INCLUDES MERCER COUNTY AIRPORT.
TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY CAUSE
LOCALIZED FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED
ROADWAYS.
FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM.
LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE 15 MILES AWAY FROM A THUNDERSTORM. SEEK A SAFE
SHELTER INSIDE A BUILDING OR VEHICLE.
LAT...LON 3726 8150 3725 8148 3727 8145 3727 8142
3731 8140 3732 8137 3742 8131 3741 8129
3742 8128 3746 8131 3747 8128 3750 8126
3751 8121 3757 8119 3727 8113 3722 8126
3723 8151
TIME...MOT...LOC 1935Z 267DEG 9KT 3735 8143
JJMSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
400 PM EDT WED JUN 15 2016
WVZ042-043-507-508-152100-
EASTERN GREENBRIER-SUMMERS-WESTERN GREENBRIER-MERCER-
400 PM EDT WED JUN 15 2016
...A AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT SUMMERS...SOUTHWESTERN
GREENBRIER AND MERCER COUNTIES...
AT 358 PM EDT...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS ALONG A LINE
EXTENDING FROM NEAR POWELLTON THROUGH SHADY SPRING TO NEAR
MULLENS... AND MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH.
WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH AND PEA SIZE HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE
STORMS.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
PRINCETON...
HINTON...
RAINELLE...
ALDERSON...
AND ATHENS.
TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THESE STORMS...AND MAY
CAUSE LOCALIZED FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED
ROADWAYS.
FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM.
LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE 15 MILES AWAY FROM A THUNDERSTORM. SEEK A SAFE
SHELTER INSIDE A BUILDING OR VEHICLE.
LAT...LON 3800 8048 3772 8061 3773 8066 3743 8086
3735 8085 3729 8095 3727 8113 3757 8120
3759 8109 3772 8097 3768 8088 3777 8089
3782 8094 3787 8075 3795 8081 3799 8077
3804 8083 3806 8080 3806 8087 3810 8088
TIME...MOT...LOC 1958Z 303DEG 22KT 3813 8128 3773 8107 3757 8132
JJMSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
423 PM EDT WED JUN 15 2016
NCZ003-020-152115-
YADKIN-SURRY-
423 PM EDT WED JUN 15 2016
...AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT NORTH CENTRAL YADKIN AND
CENTRAL SURRY COUNTIES...
AT 422 PM EDT...AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS WAS OVER FAIRVIEW... MOVING
NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH.
TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY CAUSE
LOCALIZED FLOODING. ALSO...PEA SIZE HAIL IS POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
MOUNT AIRY...
FAIRVIEW...
FLAT ROCK...
DOBSON...
AND PILOT MOUNTAIN.
LAT...LON 3622 8073 3640 8088 3655 8062 3655 8044
3640 8045
TIME...MOT...LOC 2022Z 233DEG 19KT 3635 8073
RSSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
443 PM EDT WED JUN 15 2016
VAZ011-WVZ043-044-152130-
GILES-SUMMERS-MONROE-
443 PM EDT WED JUN 15 2016
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT
NORTHEASTERN GILES...SOUTHERN SUMMERS AND MONROE COUNTIES...
AT 442 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS OVER BUCK...MOVING EAST AT
40 MPH.
WIND GUSTS OF 50 TO 55 MPH AND DIME SIZE HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
HINTON...
PEMBROKE...
PETERSTOWN...
UNION...
AND PIPESTEM.
TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY CAUSE
LOCALIZED FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED
ROADWAYS.
FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM.
LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE 15 MILES AWAY FROM A THUNDERSTORM. SEEK A SAFE
SHELTER INSIDE A BUILDING OR VEHICLE.
THIS STORM MAY INTENSIFY...SO BE CERTAIN TO MONITOR LOCAL RADIO AND
TV STATIONS...AS WELL AS LOCAL CABLE TV OUTLETS...FOR ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
LAT...LON 3768 8044 3756 8046 3732 8061 3739 8084
3741 8087 3743 8086 3753 8101 3767 8089
3770 8082 3772 8065
TIME...MOT...LOC 2042Z 279DEG 34KT 3760 8082
JJMSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 451 PM EDT WED JUN 15 2016 VAZ011-013-014-017-152130- MONTGOMERY-FLOYD-PULASKI-GILES- 451 PM EDT WED JUN 15 2016 ...AN AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT PULASKI...SOUTHEASTERN GILES...NORTHWESTERN FLOYD...CITY OF RADFORD AND WESTERN MONTGOMERY COUNTIES... AT 450 PM EDT...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE OVER DUBLIN...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH. WINDS IN EXCESS OF 30 MPH AND PEA SIZE HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... BLACKSBURG... RADFORD... PULASKI... DUBLIN... AND POPLAR HILL. TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY CAUSE LOCALIZED FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED ROADWAYS. FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM. LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE 15 MILES AWAY FROM A THUNDERSTORM. SEEK A SAFE SHELTER INSIDE A BUILDING OR VEHICLE. LAT...LON 3701 8084 3728 8082 3729 8045 3695 8046 TIME...MOT...LOC 2050Z 276DEG 17KT 3710 8074 JJM
The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 79 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:53 UTC.
1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
Lightning struck a tree causing it to fall down on one of the cabins at the 4-H campground. No injuries were reported.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in West Virginia in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in West Virginia, June 2016
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: 642112.