A hot and humid air mass sparked numerous severe thunderstorms during the afternoon. These storms downed a copious amount of trees and power lines across the North Carolina Piedmont.
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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 hot and humid air mass sparked numerous severe thunderstorms during the afternoon. These storms downed a copious amount of trees and power lines across the North Carolina Piedmont. Surry County suffered the most notable damage. Lightning also struck a power transformer in Yadkin County.
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 Aug 8, 8:57 AM EST, 2 hours 43 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Blacksburg VA 957 AM EDT Wed Aug 8 2018 .SYNOPSIS... High pressure across the region will give way to an approaching weak cold front from the northwest later today and tonight. Showers and thunderstorms will precede the boundary this afternoon and evening before somewhat drier air works in on Thursday. A weak secondary cold front should spill into the region by the end of the week before stalling out into the weekend. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... As of 957 AM EDT Wednesday...Adjusted PoPs and Wx slightly for this afternoon, to address current trends and expectations. Still think scattered stronger to perhaps severe storms are possible today and may need to introduce enhanced wording for gusty winds but confidence isn't high enough yet to introduce that at this point in time. We're capped albeit weakly this morning with about 80-120 J/kg of CIN depending on which parcel one chooses to lift, based on the 12z RNK/GSO soundings and there's also some evidence of shortwave ridging aloft in place. I do expect a moderately large amount of instability today with surface based CAPEs in the 2500-3000 J/kg neighborhood despite poor (less than 6 C/km) lapse rates aloft. There is also no obvious lifting/triggering sources outside of differential heating around the mountains at least until mid- afternoon. Looking well to the west into KY and TN, there is an obvious cloud swirl/convective vortex feature west of Nashville helping to ignite storms in Middle TN, and a convergence zone making its way eastward across eastern KY. While isolated storms appear possible along the mountains around early-mid afternoon, these two aforementioned features should encourage a greater thunderstorm coverage toward numerous in the west around 3-5 pm, moving into the foothills/Piedmont areas later this afternoon/early evening. It's in this latter timeframe - about 3 to 9 PM - when storms may be at their strongest. This is reflected in the past couple cycles of the HRRR and the 06z NAMNest. If it becomes more obvious that storms may reach strong to severe levels, then will try to message a little harder with enhanced wording with gusty winds in the zones this afternoon. Will evaluate trends and await the 12z guidance suite before making any further changes at this point. More to come later... Another very warm to hot day with elevated humidity levels with highs mid 80s to lower/mid 90s with heat indices approaching 100 degrees in Southside and Rockingham/Caswell Counties this afternoon. Previous discussion from 300 AM follows... Upper trough across the Midwest will continue to slide east today pushing an initial pre-frontal trough into the area from the west ahead of trailing weak cold front that looks to arrive overnight. Still uncertainty with the degree of convection ahead of these features given only weak lift and best shear to the north despite a rather unstable environment espcly east later today. Models do show more of a backing scenario taking place aloft as seen ahead of pieces of shortwave energy along the leading edge of the upper system. This suggests less potential for a jump to the eastern lee trough with perhaps a multicellular band or two crossing the mountains this afternoon before a few clusters develop out east but likely late. Also appears best convergence may develop/linger across the western mountains given westerly flow so kept likely pops there, followed by a band of higher pops headed off the Blue Ridge mid/late afternoon per latest HREF model. Since this solution likely overdone given more support to the north/west, maintained chance pops out across the piedmont at this point. Forecast severe parameters also favor the north/northwest sections for possible damaging winds as the best speed shear remains from LYH north at this point. However if trends remain slower will have to watch for perhaps better overlap of instability/shear and a more pronounced broken band heading out of the mountains as the latest NamNest suggests. Otherwise hot and humid ahead of front with highs likely 90-94 east of the Blue Ridge, and 80s west pending how fast clouds/convection get going. Should see a split in showers this evening with whats left of the afternoon coverage heading east by midnight, and some redevelopment with the westerly upslope flow western mountains overnight as the 850 mb jet ramps up to 25-30 kts. However guidance varies on coverage over the west given only weak residual instability and drying aloft, but perhaps enough residual low level moisture to keep low clouds and showers going. Thus kept a period of low likelys far west and high chances east before removing clouds/pops east as downslope drying wins out with the front nearby. Appears will see enough cooling aloft to support lows in the low/mid 60s mountains with a few 50s deeper valleys, while eastern sections only fall into the upper 60s to around 70 despite some clearing. && .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT/... As of 300 AM EDT Wednesday... The upper level pattern will be sluggish into the weekend, with a western ridge and an eastern trof that will amplify and eventually start to cut off over the Great Lakes later this weekend. By Thursday the Appalachians and central mid Atlantic region will be in westerly flow behind the cold front. This will bring a good amount of upslope clouds and some showers to locations west of the Blue Ridge through Thursday morning before the clouds dissipate by the afternoon. While there will not be a great deal of surface based instability around, some cooling aloft and orographic affects will help generate some showers/thunder Thursday afternoon, especially west and south. The situation looks somewhat similar for Friday, though the chances for SHowers/storms will be biased to west of the Blue Ridge as some extra short wave energy works in from the north and west. By Saturday the upper trof will start amplifying and pushing south. This will start to drive a surface wave up through the southeastern US and bring a more widespread chance for showers/storms to the area for Saturday. Convective dynamics are not impressive through the first part of the weekend so the threat for any severe weather will be quite low. Temperatures look to be right around seasonal norms through the period with mid/upper 80s east of the Blue Ridge and upper 70s/lower 80s to the west. && .LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... As of 155 PM EDT Tuesday... Models continued to advertise the same synoptic pattern over the weekend as the past few runs, with an upper low closing off over the Ohio Valley and Great Lakes. The Canadian showed little movement of the upper low but the ECMWF and GFS have the low lifting northeast and becoming an open wave by Tuesday. WPC favors this more progressive solution. This is a mild and wet pattern for the Mid Atlantic region with deep southwest winds keeping moisture over the area, especially Saturday and Sunday. A push of drier air works into the region behind a front that comes through late Monday. Will keep probability of precipitation behind the second front confined to the western upslope area in the mountains. Confidence was average for temperatures and below average for timing of precipitation. && .AVIATION /14Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... As of 705 AM EDT Wednesday... Seeing a few showers and thunderstorms return across southwest sections early this morning although expecting these to remain south and west of the terminals before fading this morning. Fog has been limited via cloud cover overnight with only isolated sub-VFR likely in spots early this morning. Otherwise looking at a return to VFR for most locations this morning with any ongoing low clouds giving way to 4-6K foot cumulus buildups with heating into this afternoon. Cold front or pre-frontal type trough approaches later today with models suggesting perhaps some scattered showers far west early and at least a broken line or clusters heading across the Blue Ridge later this afternoon. Some of the heavier showers and storms will generate brief, localized sub-VFR visibilities/ceilings under the stronger cores. Also variable and gusty winds will be associated with these storms as well. Since appears best chances for a storm to impact airports will be over the west will include a prevailing shower mention and a VCTS as far east as KROA for now and run with just a vicinity out east. Convection should exit eastern sites this evening but may linger across western areas including the KBLF area into the overnight. Westerly flow will also make for MVFR to IFR cigs from KBLF to KLWB as well with some of this cloudiness possibly spreading out to KBCB/KROA later tonight. Otherwise looking at spotty sub-VFR vsbys in fog/showers at KBLF later tonight and perhaps in fog at KLYH late pending how fast west winds tend to decouple. Otherwise expecting mostly VFR after showers clear and until around daybreak Thursday when more in the way of patchy fog develops. Extended... Boundary should spill south by Thursday with the focus for convection heading into the Carolinas Thursday afternoon into Friday as the front stalls across the southern Appalachians. There is a lot of uncertainty in the forecast for the weekend. Models are hinting at a cutoff low forming over the region which suggests a wet pattern for the Mid-Atlantic and greater potential for sub-VFR. Just not sure how much of an impact this will have attm to Cigs/Vsbys this weekend. && .RNK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... VA...None. NC...None. WV...None. && SYNOPSIS...JH NEAR TERM...AL/JH SHORT TERM...MBS LONG TERM...AMS AVIATION...DS/JH
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Blacksburg VA 423 AM EDT Wed Aug 8 2018 NCZ001>006-018>020-VAZ007-009>020-022>024-032>035-043>047-058-059- WVZ042>044-507-508-090830- 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- 423 AM EDT Wed Aug 8 2018 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. Strong to isolated severe thunderstorms containing primarily damaging winds will be possible this afternoon and evening. Locally heavy rainfall may also accompany some of the stronger storms. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday. There is a low probability for widespread hazardous weather. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time.
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service BLACKSBURG VA
1238 PM EDT WED AUG 8 2018
NCZ003-004-VAZ032-081730-
Stokes-Surry-Patrick-
1238 PM EDT WED AUG 8 2018
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT
NORTHEASTERN SURRY...NORTHWESTERN STOKES AND SOUTHWESTERN PATRICK
COUNTIES...
Until 130 PM EDT.
At 1237 PM EDT, a strong thunderstorm was located over Flat Rock,
moving east at 25 mph.
Winds in excess of 30 mph and pea size hail are possible with this
storm.
Locations impacted include...
Mount Airy...
Flat Rock...
Stuart...
Francisco...
and Ararat.
LAT...LON 3649 8070 3656 8064 3656 8061 3659 8062
3662 8059 3665 8024 3638 8026
TIME...MOT...LOC 1637Z 277DEG 20KT 3653 8056
JRThe Roanoke radar (KFCX), 66 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 16:38 UTC.
13 thunderstorm wind, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
Thunderstorm winds blew down twenty trees and power lines in Mount Airy.
Thunderstorm winds blew down one tree on Steele Road and a second tree on Tom Shelton Road.
Thunderstorm winds below down a power line on Barney Venable Road.
Thunderstorm winds blew down one tree near the intersection of Rhodes Road and Westerly Park Road.
Thunderstorm winds blew down one tree on Camp Dan Valley Road and was blocking one lane of that road.
Thunderstorm winds blew down one tree on Dodson Road near the intersection with Gravel Hill Road.
Thunderstorm winds blew down a tree and a power line on Lee Street in Yanceyville.
Thunderstorm winds blew down one large tree limb south of Milton.
Thunderstorm winds blew down one power line along the 2900 block of Route 8, one tree at the intersection of Seven Island Road and Damascus Road, and another tree along the 3200 block of Moir Farm Road.
Lightning struck a power transformer in Boonville.
Thunderstorm winds blew down one tree at the intersection of Moxley Road and North Oak Ridge Church Road.
Thunderstorm winds blew down over twenty trees and two power lines near Shoals. The damage path was about 100 yards wide and between a quarter and a third of a mile long.
Thunderstorm winds blew down one tree that also took down a power line near the intersection of Ayersville Road and Turner Road.
Thunderstorm winds blew down two trees along Route 772 between the intersections of Preston Road and Bethesda Church Road.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in North Carolina in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in North Carolina, August 2018
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: 768165, 768166, 782580, 768194, 768199, 768200, 768216, 768235, 768244, 768162, 768245, 768249, 768250, 768251.