Flash Flooding and Damaging Winds in North Carolina, January 11 to 12, 2020

Name: Flash Flooding and Damaging Winds in North Carolina, January 11 to 12, 2020
Start: 2020-01-11T07:00
End: 2020-01-12T07:00
Location: North Carolina

January 11 to 12, 2020 · NWS RNK · 9 events in 6 counties and zones

An unusually warm and humid airmass in advance of a strong spring-like cold front triggered numerous severe thunderstorms that produced damaging winds and flash flooding.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $201,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 9

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS RNK wrote it up.

An unusually warm and humid airmass in advance of a strong spring-like cold front triggered numerous severe thunderstorms that produced damaging winds and flash flooding.

What forecasters said that day

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 Jan 11, 6:31 AM EST, 29 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 11, 6:31 AM EST, 29 minutes before

<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="utf-8">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
  <title>Service Notice</title>
  <link rel="stylesheet" href="index.css">
</head>
<body>
  <main class="wrap">
    <section class="card" role="status" aria-live="polite">
      <div class="status" id="status">Temporary Notice</div>
      <h1 id="headline">This service is currently unavailable.</h1>
      <p id="message1">
        The site you requested is temporarily down for maintenance or an unexpected outage.
      </p>
      <p id="message2">
        Please try again in a few minutes.
      </p>
      <p class="small" id="detail">
        If you are an administrator, restore upstream service and remove the redirect/fallback rule when normal operations resume.
      </p>
    </section>
  </main>
  <script src="index.js"></script>
</body>
</html>

Hazardous weather outlook, Jan 11, 4:05 AM EST, 2 hours 55 minutes before

Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Blacksburg VA
405 AM EST Sat Jan 11 2020

VAZ007-009>012-WVZ042-043-508-120915-
Tazewell-Smyth-Bland-Giles-Wythe-Mercer-Summers-Western Greenbrier-
405 AM EST Sat Jan 11 2020

...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM EST SUNDAY...

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for southwest Virginia and
southeast West Virginia.

.DAY ONE...Today and tonight.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Wind Advisory.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday.

There is a low probability for widespread hazardous weather.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not expected at this time.

VAZ013-014-018>020-022>024-033>035-WVZ044-507-120915-
Pulaski-Montgomery-Craig-Alleghany VA-Bath-Roanoke-Botetourt-
Rockbridge-Franklin-Bedford-Amherst-Monroe-Eastern Greenbrier-
405 AM EST Sat Jan 11 2020

...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 4 AM EST
SUNDAY...

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.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Wind Advisory.

In addition, stronger wind gusts with a line of showers and embedded
thunderstorms could occur tonight.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday.

There is a low probability for widespread hazardous weather.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation may be needed.

NCZ002-003-019-VAZ016-017-032-120915-
Alleghany NC-Surry-Wilkes-Carroll-Floyd-Patrick-
405 AM EST Sat Jan 11 2020

...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 4 AM EST
SUNDAY...

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for north central North Carolina,
northwest North Carolina and southwest Virginia.

.DAY ONE...Today and tonight.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Wind Advisory.

In addition, stronger wind gusts with a line of showers and embedded
thunderstorms could occur tonight. Also localized flooding may occur.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday.

There is a low probability for widespread hazardous weather.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation may be needed.

NCZ001-018-VAZ015-120915-
Ashe-Watauga-Grayson-
405 AM EST Sat Jan 11 2020

...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM EST SUNDAY...

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for northwest North Carolina and
southwest Virginia.

.DAY ONE...Today and tonight.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Wind Advisory.

In addition, stronger wind gusts with a line of showers and embedded
thunderstorms could occur tonight. Also localized flooding may occur.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday.

There is a low probability for widespread hazardous weather.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation may be needed.

NCZ004>006-020-VAZ043>047-058-059-120915-
Stokes-Rockingham-Caswell-Yadkin-Henry-Pittsylvania-Campbell-
Appomattox-Buckingham-Halifax-Charlotte-
405 AM EST Sat Jan 11 2020

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for north central North Carolina,
northwest North Carolina, central Virginia and south central
Virginia.

.DAY ONE...Today and tonight.

A line of showers and embedded thunderstorms may bring isolated damaging
wind gusts tonight.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday.

There is a low probability for widespread hazardous weather.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation may be needed.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jan 11, 5:46 AM EST, 1 hour 14 minutes before

<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="utf-8">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
  <title>Service Notice</title>
  <link rel="stylesheet" href="index.css">
</head>
<body>
  <main class="wrap">
    <section class="card" role="status" aria-live="polite">
      <div class="status" id="status">Temporary Notice</div>
      <h1 id="headline">This service is currently unavailable.</h1>
      <p id="message1">
        The site you requested is temporarily down for maintenance or an unexpected outage.
      </p>
      <p id="message2">
        Please try again in a few minutes.
      </p>
      <p class="small" id="detail">
        If you are an administrator, restore upstream service and remove the redirect/fallback rule when normal operations resume.
      </p>
    </section>
  </main>
  <script src="index.js"></script>
</body>
</html>

The radar

The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 154 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 12:04 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 thunderstorm wind, 3 flash flood, 2 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Rain, Watauga

When: January 11, 7:00 AM EST to January 12, 7:00 AM EST
Where: Watauga County, 1 mi SE of Boone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 36.210, -81.667

The COOP observer at Boone 1 SE (BOON7) reported 3.10 inches in the 24-hour period ending 700 AM on January 12th. This was a daily record for the date beating the old date record of 3.00 inches just recently set in 2018. Records at this site began in June, 1980. It was also the 3rd highest daily rainfall for any January day, behind January 31st, 2013 at 6.90 inches and January 15th, 1995 at 5.79 inches.

Heavy Rain, Ashe

When: January 11, 7:00 AM EST to January 12, 7:00 AM EST
Where: Ashe County, 2 mi E of Jefferson
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 36.420, -81.444

The COOP observer at Jefferson 2 E (JFFN7) reported 2.42 inches in the 24-hour period ending 700 AM on January 12th. This was a daily record for the date beating the old date record of 1.98 inches set in 1994. Nearly continuous records at this site date back to 1910.

Flash Flood, Ashe

When: January 11, 8:30 PM EST to 11:30 PM EST
Where: Ashe County, 1.2 mi W of Beaver Creek to 0.61 mi NW of Wagoner
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 36.380, -81.502

Flooding was reported from several areas in Ashe County including NC Highway 16 South and other parts of Jefferson, along Three Top Road in Todd and Claybank Road in West Jefferson.

Flash Flood, Watauga

When: January 11, 9:00 PM EST to January 12, 3:00 AM EST
Where: Watauga County, 1.96 mi SSE of Matney to 0.89 mi ESE of Kellersville
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 36.154, -81.805

The NC DoT in Watauga County reported numerous roads damaged by flood waters, mainly in the Watauga River basin. Among the roads that sustained damage were Watauga River Road, Shulls Mill Road, Flannery Fork Road and Payne Branch Road. Damage was mainly due to erosion of shoulders. The Watauga River at Sugar Grove crested at 10.49 feet around 1 AM on January 12th (Minor flood stage is 6 feet). Low water bridges across the Watauga River were flooded.

Thunderstorm Wind, Alleghany

When: January 11, 9:07 PM EST to 9:14 PM EST
Where: Alleghany County, 1.62 mi E of Sparta to 1.62 mi WSW of Barrett
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: 911 Call Center
Coordinates: 36.504, -81.101

About a half dozen trees were blown down by severe thunderstorm winds across the county. A few trees were also noted to have fallen onto power lines. A barn was also damaged and blown into a mobile home.

Thunderstorm Wind, Surry

When: January 11, 9:15 PM EST to 9:50 PM EST
Where: Surry County, 5.09 mi NW of Mountain Park to 1.08 mi NW of Pilot Mtn
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $75,000
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 36.431, -80.916

At least 45 trees were blown down across the county by severe thunderstorm winds. Some of the downed trees caused damage to cars, homes, and power lines.

Flash Flood, Alleghany

When: January 11, 9:20 PM EST to January 12, 12:20 AM EST
Where: Alleghany County, 0.43 mi E of Sparta to 0.54 mi SSW of Sparta
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: 911 Call Center
Coordinates: 36.500, -81.122

The intersection of NC Highway 18 South and Green Acres Drive was totally impassable due to high water.

Thunderstorm Wind, Rockingham

When: January 11, 10:35 PM EST to 10:44 PM EST
Where: Rockingham County, 0.41 mi SW of Stoneville to 0.67 mi S of Boulevard
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: 911 Call Center
Coordinates: 36.466, -79.906

Numerous trees, power poles, and power lines were blown down by severe thunderstorm winds from Stoneville to Eden.

Thunderstorm Wind, Caswell

When: January 11, 11:45 PM EST
Where: Caswell County, Anderson
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $500
Reported by: 911 Call Center
Coordinates: 36.270, -79.350

One tree was blown down by thunderstorm winds at the intersection of Highway 62 and Baynes Road.

What these are

Heavy Rain: Rainfall totals unusual for the place and season that did not produce a flood.
Flash Flood: Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.
Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in North Carolina in 2020 Every state in 2020 This day in weather history Warnings in North Carolina, January 2020

Sources

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 864471, 864477, 864474, 864461, 873274, 873275, 864470, 873276, 873277.