Rainfall over a 3-day period ending 12z (700 AM EST) on May 19th was highly variable but ranged from less than 2 to over 6 inches in places. Both the Dan and Roanoke (Staunton) rivers went into flood.
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.
Rainfall over a 3-day period ending 12z (700 AM EST) on May 19th was highly variable but ranged from less than 2 to over 6 inches in places. Both the Dan and Roanoke (Staunton) rivers went into flood.
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 18, 7:21 PM EST, 39 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Blacksburg VA
821 PM EDT Fri May 18 2018
.SYNOPSIS...
A frontal boundary across the region will remain in place
tonight before lifting north as a warm front on Saturday.
Several waves of low pressure will ride north along the front
acting to enhance showers and storms into tonight. Warm and
humid conditions will continue into the weekend with showers and
thunderstorms becoming more scattered over the weekend.
&&
.NEAR TERM /THROUGH SATURDAY/...
As of 805 PM EDT Friday...
Southern edge of axis of moderate to heavy rain associated with
a mesoscale vortex extended from Roanoke to South Boston
Virginia. This band of showers will move northeast this evening.
Another band of showers with the upper low will slide in from
the southwest overnight. Since so saturated in spots and
potential for evening coverage east, as well as late night
redevelopment as seen along the residual front the last couple
of nights, keeping high pops in place. This includes extending
the flash flood watch across the entire region until early
Saturday morning for now. With dewpoints so moist should only
see lows drop off a few degrees, moreso across the north where
the wedge looks to linger. Otherwise lows mostly low/mid 60s
with a few upper 50s valleys.
Weak subtropical low to the west will finally lift northeast into the
Great Lakes on Saturday allowing the leftover front across the region
to lift back north during the day. This in conjunction with the flow
turning more southwest underneath this upper system should finally bump
the axis of deep tropical moisture feeding inland from the Gulf Stream
a little farther east by Saturday morning per latest Nam. However see
added spokes of energy spilling east under the exiting system to the
north which likely to combine with better instability Saturday
afternoon to result in at least another band of convection far west and
scattered coverage elsewhere. Think for now not enough to keep the
watch going another period but may need to be considered later on.
Otherwise will have lingering high pops Piedmont before a brief lull to
chance pops prior to ramping back up espcly mountains later in the day.
Flow slowly veering south/southwest within the warm sector should
combine with perhaps periods of insolation to boost highs well into the
muggy 70s for highs.
&&
.SHORT TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT/...
As of 145 PM EDT Friday...
The last of the precipitation associated with the slowly moving
upper level trough will be on the decrease Saturday night as the
system ejects eastward within the northern stream jet. Its
associated cold front will shift southeast of the region and stall
over the Carolinas on Sunday. On Sunday, precipitation will have the
least amount of coverage across the area then it has had in many
days. Isolated to scattered showers are expected across the far
southeast thanks to the position of the departing front. Coverage
will be scattered across the far northwest as well thanks to our
next approaching system and daytime heating.
Sunday night through Monday night, another frontal boundary will
approach from the northwest and low level flow returns from the
south. The combination should yield increased coverage of showers
and some storms across the area, especially during the peak heating
of the day.
Temperatures during this portion of the forecast will average five
to ten degrees above normal.
&&
.LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/...
As of 1145 AM EDT Friday...
This portion of the forecast will continue offer conditions that
will a forecast with daily chances of showers and a few storms.
An upper low will slowly make headway east from over CA/NV on
Tuesday to an open wave over NM/CO by Friday. High pressure in the
western Atlantic, east of GA/FL, will weaken and move east during
this period. A series of shortwave troughs will progress southeast
from the James Bay region of Canada to, and across, New England. A
stationary baroclinic zone will extend from roughly NE/SD to
PA/MD/WV/VA.
Our wet weather pattern is expected thanks to a deep, southerly
fetch of moisture advecting into our region. The proximity of the
baroclinic zone, especially for northern parts of our region, along
with the periodic shortwave troughs passing just to our north, and
daytime heating, will be the sources of the lift that we will need
to promote shower and thunderstorm development. The greatest
potential will during the afternoon and early evening each day,
especially on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Temperatures during this section of the forecast will average five
to ten degrees above normal.
&&
.AVIATION /00Z SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
As of 815 PM EDT Friday...
High confidence of widespread IFR to LIFR ceilings through
12Z/8AM. Medium confidence on MVFR visibility overnight.
Visibility will depend on intensity of rain and the amount of
fog. As the upper low over the Mid Mississippi Valley fills and
lift northeast additional periods of showers and thunderstorms
are expected on Saturday. As winds comes around to the southwest
ceilings will improve back to MVFR on Saturday but low
confidence with the timing.
.Extended Aviation Discussion...
Showers should diminish Saturday evening followed by areas of
sub-VFR in fog/low clouds. Moisture will decrease a bit more on
Sunday as the deep tropical moisture shifts east allowing weak
high pressure to make for more diurnally based isolated
showers/storms Sunday afternoon.
Another weak cold front will bring increasing coverage of
showers and thunderstorms again on Monday. Monday night into
Tuesday, a surface low is expected to have reached KY/OH/WV with
the stationary front over PA sinking south as a backdoor cold
front. Scattered MVFR showers and thunderstorms are possible
Monday night into Tuesday with another round Wednesday likely
result in periodic sub-VFR into the middle of next week.
&&
.HYDROLOGY...
As of 230 PM EDT Friday...
A Flash Flood Watch is in effect for the entire area into early
Saturday.
The main concern through tonight will be for localized
flash flooding, as well as flooding on small creeks, streams,
and smaller rivers as a result of bands of tropical rain showers
and thunderstorms that are expected across the area.
With locations along the Blue Ridge having already seen several
inches of rain since last night, added heavy rain will likely
cause more flooding espcly around Roanoke and points north/east
overnight as bands tend to train across the region. These bands
will be very efficient rainfall producers with rates of 2 inches
or more per hour possible. This could result in another 1 to 3
inches of rain in spots. Thus the flash flood watch has been
extended into early Saturday morning as given such wet
antecedent conditions, it wont take much additional rain to
cause at least minor flooding.
Showers and storms are expected to become more scattered in
nature on Saturday as the main axis of deeper tropical moisture
shifts slightly east. However locally heavy downpours could
still occur with heating and along another weak feature pushing
in from the west. Current thinking is that coverage wont be
widespread enough to cause widespread flooding but something to
watch.
Runoff from the heavy rain last night and today will finally
lead to potential river flooding by Saturday espcly along the
Roanoke and Dan Rivers where river flood warnings may be
needed.
&&
.RNK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
VA...Flash Flood Watch until 8 AM EDT Saturday for VAZ007-009>020-
022>024-032>035-043>047-058-059.
NC...Flash Flood Watch until 8 AM EDT Saturday for NCZ001>006-
018>020.
WV...Flash Flood Watch until 8 AM EDT Saturday for WVZ042>044-507-
508.
&&
SYNOPSIS...JH
NEAR TERM...JH
SHORT TERM...DS
LONG TERM...DS
AVIATION...AMS/JH
HYDROLOGY...JHHazardous Weather Outlook...UPDATED National Weather Service Blacksburg VA 245 PM EDT Fri May 18 2018 NCZ001>006-018>020-VAZ007-009>020-022>024-032>035-043>047-058-059- WVZ042>044-507-508-191845- 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- 245 PM EDT Fri May 18 2018 ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH EARLY SATURDAY MORNING... 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. Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the Internet for more information about the following hazards. Flash Flood Watch. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday. Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the Internet for more information about the following hazards. Flash Flood Watch. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
657 PM EDT FRI MAY 18 2018
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0415 PM FLASH FLOOD MT AIRY 36.93N 79.20W
05/18/2018 PITTSYLVANIA VA BROADCAST MEDIA
SEVERAL ROADS FLOODED IN THE MOUNT AIRY AREA INCLUDING
AIMS AVENUS, BLUEMONT ROAD, SNOWHILL DRIVE, OLD TOAST
ROAD, QUAKER ROAD. THERE ARE ALSO TREES DOWN IN THE WHITE
PLAINS AREA, FLATROCK AND PILOT MOUNTAIN.
&&
PHYSELLPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
659 PM EDT FRI MAY 18 2018
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0415 PM FLASH FLOOD MOUNT AIRY 36.50N 80.61W
05/18/2018 SURRY NC BROADCAST MEDIA
SEVERAL ROADS FLOODED IN THE MOUNT AIRY AREA INCLUDING
AIMS AVENUS, BLUEMONT ROAD, SNOWHILL DRIVE, OLD TOAST
ROAD, QUAKER ROAD. THERE ARE ALSO TREES DOWN IN THE WHITE
PLAINS AREA, FLATROCK AND PILOT MOUNTAIN.
&&
PHYSELLPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
714 PM EDT FRI MAY 18 2018
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0641 PM FLASH FLOOD 5 WSW SOUTH BOSTON 36.66N 78.97W
05/18/2018 HALIFAX VA 911 CALL CENTER
FLOWING WATER OVER THE INTERSECTION OF PHILPOT ROAD AND
SANDY BEACH ROAD.
&&
PHYSELLPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
716 PM EDT FRI MAY 18 2018
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0645 PM FLASH FLOOD 3 NNW HALIFAX 36.81N 78.95W
05/18/2018 HALIFAX VA 911 CALL CENTER
WATER FLOWING OVER THE INTERSECTION OF LP BAILEY MEMORIAL
HIGHWAY AND MURPHY GROVE ROAD.
&&
PHYSELLPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
719 PM EDT FRI MAY 18 2018
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0621 PM FLASH FLOOD 1 WNW CRYSTAL HILL 36.85N 78.91W
05/18/2018 HALIFAX VA 911 CALL CENTER
FLOWING WATER AT THE 6000 BLOCK OF HOWARD P ANDERSON
ROAD.
&&
PHYSELLPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
726 PM EDT FRI MAY 18 2018
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0715 PM FLASH FLOOD 1 E SEVEN DEVILS 36.15N 81.79W
05/18/2018 WATAUGA NC PUBLIC
WATER FLOWING OVER A BRIDGE AT THE INTERSECTION OF BERRY
ROAD AND ALDRIDGE ROAD. REPORT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA.
&&
PHYSELLThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
The Roanoke (Staunton) River gauge at Randolph crested on the 20th at 26.44 feet (Moderate FS - 24 ft.). This was the highest stage since January 27, 2010 at this location.
The Dan River at Danville (DVLV2) crested at 20.06 feet (Minor flood stage - 17 ft.) during the evening of the 19th.
The Falling River near Naruna gauge crested on May 19th at 15.97 feet (Minor FS - 15 ft.). This was the highest stage at this gauging stations since July 3, 2003.
The Roanoke (Staunton) River at Brookneal gauge crested at 24.19 feet (Minor FS - 23 ft.) around midday on the 19th.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Virginia in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in Virginia, May 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: 751070, 751064, 751071, 751069.