Isolated thunderstorms developed by mid-afternoon under a very moist and stagnant atmosphere. A few storms produced isolated sub-severe hail and damaging winds that brought down a few trees.
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.
Isolated thunderstorms developed by mid-afternoon under a very moist and stagnant atmosphere. A few storms produced isolated sub-severe hail and damaging winds that brought down a few trees.
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 15, 8:55 AM EST, 3 hours earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Blacksburg VA 955 AM EDT Thu Aug 15 2019 .SYNOPSIS... Stalled frontal boundary was over the Virginia Piedmont. A weak upper level disturbance was moving across the Ohio Valley. Both features will be the focus for scattered showers and thunderstorms today. After today, weak high pressure will settle over the Mid-Atlantic region resulting in slightly drier but hot weather into the upcoming weekend. Can't rule out an isolated shower, but threat looks minimal until next frontal approaches early next week. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... As of 950 AM EDT Thursday... Valley fog over parts of southeast West Virginia and neighboring sections of southwest Virginia has be surviving a bit longer than originally anticipating. At the current rate of dissipation, most, if not all the fog is expected now to be eroded by 1100 AM. No other big changes to the forecast, however the Storm Prediction Center has extended its Marginal Risk of severe weather area south to the VA/NC line, east of roughly Patrick County, VA. It's possible that from the isolated storms that are expected to develop this afternoon, there couple be a couple that have damaging winds and/or large hail. Have made minor tweaks to hourly temperatures and dew points to better reflect the current conditions and expected trends through the afternoon. As of 300 AM EDT Thursday... Convergence along remnant front will be the focus for scattered showers and thunderstorms today. Actual surface front is hard to discern but 850 mb front is a little more pronounced with convergence zone running from Richmond to Lynchburg and pooling of dewpoints within this corridor. Flow aloft is weak, mean wind under 15 kts, so showers have been slow moving. The RNK sounding from last night indicated a subsidence inversion near 650 mb, thus depth of the showers has been shallow with little or no lightning activity. This inversion should weaken today as an upper level disturbance moves from the Ohio Valley into the northern Mid-Atlantic. Removal, or weakening, of the mid-level subsidence should allow for a bit more coverage of showers and thunderstorms today with greater vertical depth to the deep convection. MLCAPES of 1500 to 2000 j/KG are forecast for the afternoon. Combine this with weak mid level troughing and the presence of the low boundary and potential will exist for some of the storms to become strong to marginally severe. This threat looks to be primarily favored from OH/PA into WV/VA and into the eastern Carolinas. Model soundings suggest the mid level subsidence to remain the strongest from western NC into eastern TN/KY and far western VA, so anticipate little or no coverage of showers west of I-77. Any storm activity that develops is expected to weaken after sunset and dissipating by midnight. With no change in airmass, it will remain muggy. Temperatures continue to favor the plus side of normal, but nothing extreme. We do seem to be racking up quite a few days AOA 90 for the VA/NC Piedmont, and this is not expected to change anytime soon. && .SHORT TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT/... As of 300 AM EDT Thursday... High pressure will build east into the Mid Atlantic region Friday into Friday night. Allowed for isolated convection in the extreme east Friday afternoon with lingering moisture and some instability. The NAM,GFS and ECMWF support the mention of a thunderstorm along the eastern edge of our forecast area. High temperatures Friday will range from the mid 70s in the mountains to the lower 90s in the piedmont. The high center will be located overhead Friday night. Under clear to partly cloudy conditions, low temperatures will vary from the mid 50s in the mountains to near 70 degrees in the piedmont. Added some patchy fog late Friday night into Saturday morning. High pressure will remain across our region Saturday. The ECMWF has backed off on diurnal convection developing over central North Carolina spreading northward toward our southern CWA border. However, the GFS generates isolated convection in the east. Elected to keep forecast mainly dry with an isolated chance for a thunderstorm. Heights aloft will be rising due to a shortwave ridge building overhead during Saturday and Saturday night. This ridging occurs in response to an upstream shortwave trough approaching the Great Lakes. High temperatures Saturday will generally be around 80 degrees in the west to the lower 90s in the east. The high center slowly weakens and moves east Saturday night. Low temperatures Saturday night will drop into the upper 50s in the west to the upper 60s in the east. && .LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... As of 300 AM EDT Thursday... The first half of the week looks unsettled with a frontal boundary lingering in the Southeast and shortwave trough exiting the Great Lakes. Models continue to have differences in placement of features and their tracks. There is uncertainty on the evolution and movement of the trough. The GFS maintains a south surge over Kentucky and Tennessee before possibly stalling it over the Southeast. The ECMWF keeps the trough to our north by sliding it east toward the New England while maintaining an upper level ridge over the Southeast. It does try to work a weakness up the middle around the ridge. The details in the forecast will become clearer over time. In any case the general weather should be similar with the synoptic pattern, southwest flow would transport Gulf moisture into our region to generate period of convection. Made some minor adjustments to increase pops for Sunday. Also modified max temperatures Sunday to blend up better with MRX. Beyond Sunday keep ISC weather grids simple, the forecast will continue to advertise a daily threat of convection during the afternoon and evening hours. The higher terrain will have the best chances for convection because of the combination of orographical lift, surface boundaries and ample instability that should penetrate whatever cap may exist aloft. The heat and humidity will continue through the medium range. && .AVIATION /14Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... As of 800 AM EDT Thursday... Fog in the valleys should dissipate by mid morning (14Z/10AM). Layer of stratus just southeast of KDAN associated with 300 foot cig should also disperse before noon. Development of a SCT- BKN cumulus field is expected areawide today with cloud-build ups resulting in scattered showers and thunderstorms this afternoon and evening. Favored area for storm development is a nearly stationary boundary over south-central VA, and in advance of an upper level disturbance from Ohio into PA and the northern Mid- Atlantic. All activity is expected to weaken after sunset with potential for late night fog in the mountain valleys. Confidence in this forecast above average. .Extended Aviation Discussion... Weak high pressure with subsidence aloft is expected to limit potential for deep convection Friday into Saturday. Can't entirely rule out a few afternoon showers, but coverage is expected to be isolated...conditions regionwide favoring VFR. Deeper moisture is expected to make a return Sunday into Monday with increasing coverage and potential for showers/storms early next week. Late night/early morning fog is possible in the mountain valleys each day with impacts to terminals such as KBCB and KLWB. && .RNK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... VA...None. NC...None. WV...None. && SYNOPSIS...PM NEAR TERM...DS/PM SHORT TERM...KK LONG TERM...KK AVIATION...PM
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Blacksburg VA 1000 AM EDT Thu Aug 15 2019 NCZ001>006-018>020-VAZ007-009-010-012-015-016-WVZ042-043-508-161400- Ashe-Alleghany NC-Surry-Stokes-Rockingham-Caswell-Watauga-Wilkes- Yadkin-Tazewell-Smyth-Bland-Wythe-Grayson-Carroll-Mercer-Summers- Western Greenbrier- 1000 AM EDT Thu Aug 15 2019 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for north central North Carolina, northwest North Carolina, southwest Virginia and southeast West Virginia. .DAY ONE...Today and tonight. The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday. The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time. VAZ011-013-014-017>020-022>024-032>035-043>047-058-059-WVZ044-507- 161400- Giles-Pulaski-Montgomery-Floyd-Craig-Alleghany VA-Bath-Roanoke- Botetourt-Rockbridge-Patrick-Franklin-Bedford-Amherst-Henry- Pittsylvania-Campbell-Appomattox-Buckingham-Halifax-Charlotte-Monroe- Eastern Greenbrier- 1000 AM EDT Thu Aug 15 2019 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for central Virginia, south central Virginia, southwest Virginia, west central Virginia and southeast West Virginia. .DAY ONE...Today and tonight. There is a marginal risk for severe storms this afternoon and early evening. A few of the storms may produce isolated wind damage and large hail. These storms will also be slow moving and may result in poor drainage flooding. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday. The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation may be needed.
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service BLACKSBURG VA
1138 AM EDT Thu Aug 15 2019
VAZ047-151630-
Buckingham-
1138 AM EDT Thu Aug 15 2019
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT NORTHERN BUCKINGHAM COUNTY...
Until 1230 PM EDT.
At 1137 AM EDT, a strong thunderstorm was located near Schuyler,
moving east at 15 mph.
Winds in excess of 30 mph are possible with this storm.
Locations impacted include...
Buckingham...
Dillwyn...
New Canton...
Centenary...
and Wingina.
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm, and may cause
localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
LAT...LON 3764 7825 3750 7835 3761 7881 3762 7882
3764 7880 3764 7872 3767 7872 3768 7869
3770 7869 3768 7866 3768 7864 3771 7865
3775 7862 3776 7855 3776 7851 3780 7849
3776 7847 3775 7844 3769 7824
TIME...MOT...LOC 1537Z 279DEG 13KT 3774 7863
VFJSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service BLACKSBURG VA
1232 PM EDT Thu Aug 15 2019
VAZ047-151715-
Buckingham-
1232 PM EDT Thu Aug 15 2019
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT EASTERN BUCKINGHAM COUNTY...
Until 115 PM EDT.
At 1231 PM EDT, a strong thunderstorm was located over Gold Hill,
moving east at 20 mph.
Winds in excess of 40 mph and half inch hail are possible with this
storm.
Locations impacted include...
Buckingham...
Dillwyn...
New Canton...
Toga...
and Centenary.
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm, and may cause
localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
LAT...LON 3764 7825 3740 7842 3751 7875 3776 7853
3776 7850 3780 7849 3776 7847 3773 7840
3773 7836 3772 7834 3771 7830 3769 7826
3769 7824
TIME...MOT...LOC 1631Z 282DEG 17KT 3761 7839
VFJThe Norfolk radar (KAKQ), 132 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 16:54 UTC.
4 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Roofs from two sheds were blown off and multiple trees were blown down by severe thunderstorm winds.
A tree and several branches were blown down by severe thunderstorm winds on Route 130.
One tree was blown down on Bethlehem Road by severe thunderstorm wind gusts.
Two trees were blown down by severe thunderstorm winds on Parkview Drive.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Virginia in 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyWarnings in Virginia, August 2019
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: 849732, 849730, 849733, 849734, 849735.