A few severe thunderstorms developed over southwest Virginia during the afternoon within a warm and humid air mass ahead of an advancing short-wave trough. The storms produced hail up to the size of quarters, damaging winds that blew down several trees, and lightning that set a house on fire and destroyed a transformer.
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 few severe thunderstorms developed over southwest Virginia during the afternoon within a warm and humid air mass ahead of an advancing short-wave trough. The storms produced hail up to the size of quarters, damaging winds that blew down several trees, and lightning that set a house on fire and destroyed a transformer. Locally heavy rainfall of 3 to 4 inches in a few hours was also observed during the late afternoon along and near the Blue Ridge in parts of Franklin, Bedford and Botetourt counties causing some flooding.
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 2, 6:46 AM EST, 14 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Blacksburg VA 746 AM EDT Thu May 2 2019 .SYNOPSIS... High pressure anchored over the southeast U.S. will gradually drift east and offshore through Friday. A weak cold front will move into the Appalachians Friday and Saturday, then finally move east of the area Sunday. High pressure will return to the area early next week. The cold front will bring an increasing chance for showers and thunderstorms Friday into the weekend. Otherwise, warm temperatures will continue for the next few days. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... As of 400 AM EDT Thursday... Another quiet, calm, dry, and rather mild morning across the area, but perhaps the last one of this type until early next week. The strong 590dm upper ridge that has been parked over the southeast U.S. and extending north into the Mid-Atlantic so far this week will shift east-southeast and off shore through Friday. Meanwhile, a broad upper trough will remain in the southwest U.S. with numerous embedded disturbances tracking northeast from the upper low across TX/AR and then northeast into the TN/OH valley. The main change with this pattern through the weekend will be for the front to slide further southeast as the upper ridge retreats eastward. This will allow for lowering heights aloft, lower temperatures aloft, hence destabilization, and also an increase of moisture as southwest surface flow around the Bermuda high continues. Today, we should start to see a notable increase in afternoon convection as the above mentioned changes begin to evolve. Several of the convective allowing short range models indicate some rather robust convection developing along the southern/central Blue Ridge around 18Z, then spreading east- northeast toward the Piedmont before diminishing. There is also some indication of a secondary area of development along the Alleghany front, perhaps a bit later in the afternoon or evening. Additional upstream disturbances may trigger more convection later on into the evening/overnight hours before the activity diminishes. Noting the scattered convection that has continued to pop all night across eastern KY, eastern TN, and down into GA/AL even in these early morning hours, this suggests that convection may become a bit more than just diurnally driven over the next few days. Models show the development inverted V soundings this afternoon with plenty of dry air aloft. This along with a relatively low/lowering freezing level could result in some of the initial cells producing gusty winds, small hail, and brief heavy rainfall. Will mention this in the HWO/eHWO. The good news is that it should be confined to a relatively small area of the CWA and within a small time frame mainly of mid to late afternoon, possibly early evening, but expect activity to dissipate fairly quickly after it moves east of the Blue Ridge. Temperatures may be a degree or two cooler today as temperatures aloft fall a degree or two, cloud cover increases, and then there are showers/thunderstorms in the afternoon. Nonetheless, it will still be quite warm with mostly 80s across the region, 70s in the mountains. Nighttime temperatures will also remain well above normal, failing to fall below 60 degrees in many areas, especially across the Piedmont and lower elevations of the east, with no more than 50s in the mountains. /Confidence in Forecast Parameters/ Temperatures - Moderate to High, Precipitation Probabilities - Moderate, Winds - Moderate to High, Thunderstorm Threat - Moderate. && .SHORT TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/... As of 215 AM EDT Thursday... A warm front lifts northeast through the region on Friday with a weak cold front entering the Ohio Valley. There is also a southeast coastal disturbance tracking on the outer rings of the departing upper level ridge. For the immediate area, it looks like we are in between all three systems with less rain chances than previously thought. Can not call it a completely dry day, but areal coverage of showers and thunderstorms have been reduced to a low chance across the mountains and isolated across the piedmont. Since there will be less precipitation on Friday, temperatures will warm into the upper 70s to lower 80s across the mountains and mid to upper 80s east. The front will move from the Ohio Valley into the region Friday night. This front will produce about of a quarter of an inch of rain across the mountains and less than a tenth of an inch over the piedmont. Overnight lows will range in the upper 50s to lower 60s. A stronger cold front is expected to move from the Midwest Saturday then over the region Saturday night-Sunday morning. Scattered strong to severe storms are possible Saturday afternoon and evening. With PWATS running slightly above average, heavy downpours will accompany prefrontal storms and frontal showers. High temperatures Saturday will be cooler with a range in the 70s west of the Blue Ride to lower to mid 80s east. The front is expected to move east of the area Sunday morning with temperatures returning to normal levels. && .LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... As of 1255 PM EDT Wednesday... Focus this period will be on departing front Sunday into Sunday night and how fast it clears. Deterministic models are in good enough agreement to linger pops around Sunday but clear it out Sunday night. High pressure at the surface pushes southeast over the area Monday while upper flow stays somewhat progressive/zonal. This state changes more to a ridge by Tuesday as a front enters the northern VA/WV/MD area Tuesday and stalls. Models start to differ on how far south this front tracks with the GFS a bit slower and further north than the GFS. Will keep pops below 15 percent Monday into most of Tuesday with a low chance pop entering north of I-64 by Tuesday afternoon, them increasing most to chance pops by Wednesday. Temps will stay above normal this period. Confidence is average for Sunday into Monday then below for Tuesday- Wednesday in terms of threat of rain. && .AVIATION /12Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... As of 740 AM EDT Thursday... VFR conditions will continue to prevail through much of the TAF valid period, although overall conditions will be less favorable and trending downward through the TAF valid period. The upper ridge centered off the southeast U.S. coast which has been inhibiting convection across our region the past few days will retreat to the east-southeast over the next couple of days. This will allow disturbances emanating from a broad area of low pressure in the southwest U.S. to help push a weak cold front closer to the region from the west. This front is expected to be close enough to the region by afternoon for isolated to scattered showers and thunderstorms to develop, initially across the Alleghany Front and along/near the Blue Ridge, then attempt to spread east during the late afternoon/evening. Current thinking is that convective coverage may be greater in the west and across the mountains than earlier anticipated as a result of outflow boundaries arriving in the western areas from convection now moving through Ohio and into central/northern WV. Several of the Hires CAM models seem to be keying on additional development from these leftover boundaries or MCVs. As a result, have now added a TEMPO group for thunder at BLF and LWB and included VCTS at all other TAF sites except for DAN, where it is not clear if convection will make it that far east before diurnal heating subsides. Otherwise, the period will feature BKN-OVC mid/high clouds mostly AOA 080 outside shower/thunderstorm activity and brief MVFR BR at LWB, BCB, LYH, and DAN during the 09Z-13Z time frame Friday morning. Confidence in fog development only a bit higher than it was today as a result of potential moistening of the lower atmosphere and ground. Conditions are not ideal for radiational fog, but the threat is also not absent either. Winds will be mostly SSE-SSW through the period and somewhat less than what was observed Wednesday. Speeds generally in the 4-10kt range with a few log end gusts at times. Mostly light southwest or light and variable winds are expected overnight. /Confidence Levels in Forecast Parameters/ Ceilings - Moderate to High, Visibilities - Moderate to High, Winds - Moderate to High, Thunderstorm Threat - Low to Moderate. EXTENDED AVIATION DISCUSSION... Most areas will maintain VFR conditions Friday into Friday night, although daytime coverage of showers and storms will steadily increase with the approach of a cold front. Sub-VFR conditions will become likely for many locations Saturday afternoon and night as the cold front crosses the area. Winds will shift abruptly late Saturday night into Sunday in the wake of the cold front. Sunday winds will be gusty from the northwest and most locations will return to VFR. The exception of will be some upslope clouds/scattered showers across the southeast West Va mountains. Monday VFR conditions and lighter and variable winds are expected as high pressure builds into the area. && .RNK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... VA...None. NC...None. WV...None. && SYNOPSIS...RAB NEAR TERM...RAB SHORT TERM...RCS LONG TERM...RCS/WP AVIATION...RAB
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Blacksburg VA 449 AM EDT Thu May 2 2019 NCZ004>006-020-VAZ047-058-059-031100- Stokes-Rockingham-Caswell-Yadkin-Buckingham-Halifax-Charlotte- 449 AM EDT Thu May 2 2019 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for north central North Carolina, northwest North Carolina, central Virginia and south central Virginia. .DAY ONE...Today and tonight. There is a low probability for widespread hazardous weather. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday. Scattered thunderstorms are expected Friday with scattered to numerous thunderstorms on Saturday, a few of which could become severe. Large hail, damaging wind gusts, and locally heavy rainfall leading to minor flooding are expected to be the main hazards associated with these thunderstorms, primarily during the afternoon and evening hours. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected today or Friday, but may be needed Saturday. NCZ001>003-018-019-VAZ009-012>017-022>024-032>035-043>046-031100- Ashe-Alleghany NC-Surry-Watauga-Wilkes-Smyth-Wythe-Pulaski- Montgomery-Grayson-Carroll-Floyd-Roanoke-Botetourt-Rockbridge- Patrick-Franklin-Bedford-Amherst-Henry-Pittsylvania-Campbell- Appomattox- 449 AM EDT Thu May 2 2019 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for north central North Carolina, northwest North Carolina, central Virginia, south central Virginia, southwest Virginia and west central Virginia. .DAY ONE...Today and tonight. Scattered thunderstorms are expected to develop early this afternoon along and near the Blue Ridge, then move east into the Piedmont and diminish during the evening. A few of these could become strong and one or two of these could become marginally severe with quarter- sized hail and 60 mph wind gusts being the main hazard. Locally heavy rainfall is also possible with the stronger storms. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday. Scattered thunderstorms are expected Friday with scattered to numerous thunderstorms on Saturday, a few of which could become severe. Large hail, damaging wind gusts, and locally heavy rainfall leading to minor flooding are expected to be the main hazards associated with these thunderstorms, primarily during the afternoon and evening hours. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected today or Friday, but may be needed Saturday. VAZ007-010-011-018>020-WVZ042>044-507-508-031100- Tazewell-Bland-Giles-Craig-Alleghany VA-Bath-Mercer-Summers-Monroe- Eastern Greenbrier-Western Greenbrier- 449 AM EDT Thu May 2 2019 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for southwest Virginia, west central Virginia and southeast West Virginia. .DAY ONE...Today and tonight. There is a low probability for widespread hazardous weather. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday. Scattered thunderstorms are expected Friday with scattered to numerous thunderstorms on Saturday, a few of which could become severe. Large hail, damaging wind gusts, and locally heavy rainfall leading to minor flooding are expected to be the main hazards associated with these thunderstorms, primarily during the afternoon and evening hours. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected today or Friday, but may be needed Saturday. RAB
The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 29 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 11:59 UTC.
3 hail, 2 heavy rain, 2 flash flood, 1 thunderstorm wind, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
Observer at Rocky Mount 3.6W (VA-FR-1) reported 3.17 inches of rain in the 24-hours ending at 700 AM on May 3rd, most of which fell in a few hours on the afternoon of May 2nd.
Thunderstorm winds blew down four trees on to Blankenship Road.
Hail up to the size of nickels fell in Cloverdale.
Lightning struck a house on East Church Street and set it on fire. The lightning strike also splintered a tree next to the house and destoyed a nearby transformer.
Several roads became impassable due to runoff from heavy rainfall, including a portion of Route 40 and along Hopkins Road where a car was stranded in the water. Two people were rescued by local Fire/EMS.
Rainfall of 4.5 inches in about one hour was reported.
Heavy rains produced flooding with water reported flowing over a bridge and some damage to the road occurred at Sheep Creek Road and Jay Bird Lane.
Hail up to the size of quarters fell at the Lee and Moss grocery store along Wright Shop Road.
Hail up to the size of quarters fell along Slate Hill Road near the intersection with Route 15.
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, May 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: 824539, 812031, 812028, 812033, 824511, 824530, 824528, 812030, 812027.