One of the most significant flooding events in years occurred during November 11th and 12th, given both the amounts of rainfall and the footprint where flooding occurred. In the wake of high pressure passing east off the mid-Atlantic coast, a plume of deep tropical moisture was rapidly carried inland to the central Appalachians ahead of a slow-moving cold front.
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.
One of the most significant flooding events in years occurred during November 11th and 12th, given both the amounts of rainfall and the footprint where flooding occurred. In the wake of high pressure passing east off the mid-Atlantic coast, a plume of deep tropical moisture was rapidly carried inland to the central Appalachians ahead of a slow-moving cold front. Though this plume was of tropical origin, it was not directly related to Tropical Storm Eta, which was off the coast of southern Florida. Precipitable Water values were in the extremely high range of 1.9 to 2.2 inches with this airmass, around the 99th percentile for mid-November. In addition, evapo-transpiration was significantly lower than during the previous few months given lower daytime heating and the fact that most vegetation had become dormant for the upcoming winter months. Despite dry conditions for almost two weeks leading up to the event, numerous instances of flooding and flash flooding occurred as 4 to 6 inches of rain fell across portions of the Piedmont on the 11th, followed by an additional 1 to 3 inches on the 12th. Some of the activity was convective in nature, producing locally 2 to 4 inch per hour rainfall rates. The rainfall produces numerous instances of flooding and flash flooding, followed shortly by river 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 Nov 10, 6:38 AM EST, 22 minutes earlier.
<!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 National Weather Service Blacksburg VA 244 AM EST Tue Nov 10 2020 NCZ004>006-020-VAZ007-009>014-018>020-022>024-033>035-043>047-058- 059-WVZ042>044-507-508-111000- Stokes-Rockingham-Caswell-Yadkin-Tazewell-Smyth-Bland-Giles-Wythe- Pulaski-Montgomery-Craig-Alleghany VA-Bath-Roanoke-Botetourt- Rockbridge-Franklin-Bedford-Amherst-Henry-Pittsylvania-Campbell- Appomattox-Buckingham-Halifax-Charlotte-Mercer-Summers-Monroe- Eastern Greenbrier-Western Greenbrier- 244 AM EST Tue Nov 10 2020 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. Hazardous weather is not expected at this time. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday. Multiple rounds of moderate to locally heavy rainfall are expected Wednesday and Thursday, which may result in flooding of small streams and rivers, as well as poor drainage areas. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time. NCZ001>003-018-019-VAZ015>017-032-111000- Ashe-Alleghany NC-Surry-Watauga-Wilkes-Grayson-Carroll-Floyd-Patrick- 244 AM EST Tue Nov 10 2020 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for north central North Carolina, northwest North Carolina and southwest Virginia. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight. Locally heavy rainfall will develop tonight which may produce flooding, especially along the southern Blue Ridge into the mountains of North Carolina. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday. Multiple rounds of moderate to locally heavy rainfall are expected Wednesday and Thursday, which may result in flooding of small streams and rivers, as well as poor drainage areas. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time.
<!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 Roanoke radar (KFCX), 110 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 11:59 UTC.
11 flash flood, 7 heavy rain, 6 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Personal weather station KNCHAMPT11 recorded a 72-hour storm-total rainfall amount, ending 12Z on November 13th, of 6.83 inches. The station observed 4.56 inches within a 12-hour window on the morning of the 12th, between a 10- and 25-year Average Recurrence Interval per NOAA Atlas 14 Point Frequency Estimates.
Personal weather station KNCHAMPT3 recorded a 72-hour storm-total rainfall amount, ending 12Z on November 13th, of 5.98 inches. The station observed 3.80 inches within a 12-hour window on the morning of the 12th, close to a 10-year Average Recurrence Interval per NOAA Atlas 14 Point Frequency Estimates.
Personal weather station KNCWILKE20 recorded a 72-hour storm-total rainfall amount, ending 12Z on November 13th, of 4.13 inches.
The Cooperative Weather Observer at Yadkin 6 E observed a 72-hour storm total of 5.70 inches rainfall, ending 12Z on November 13th. This is the highest 72-hour total for the month of November in the station's history, though only the 19th-highest of all months. The station observed a 24-hour total of 4.08 inches ending on 12Z of the 12th, and a 48-hour total of 5.15 inches ending at 12Z on the 13th, all of which are new highest records for the month of November. These amounts are in the 5- to 10-year ARI range per NOAA Atlas 14 Point Frequency Estimates.
Personal weather station KNCEASTB20 recorded a 72-hour storm-total rainfall amount, ending 12Z on November 13th, of 7.43 inches. The station observed 5.25 inches within an 8-hour window on the morning of the 12th, between a 25- and 50-year Average Recurrence Interval per NOAA Atlas 14 Point Frequency Estimates.
The Cooperative Weather Observer at Eden, NC (EDEN7) observed a 72-hour (ending 12Z on November 13th) precipitation amount of 3.37 inches. This was the 5th-highest 72-hour total for this station during the month of November. The 48-hour total (also ending 12Z on November 13th) of 2.78 inches was the 7th-highest 48-hour total for November. Precipitation records date back to September 1951.
Personal weather station KNCMADIS16 recorded a 72-hour storm-total rainfall amount, ending 12Z on November 13th, of 6.33 inches, though most of the rain fell within 48 hours. The station observed 4.6 inches within a 12-hour window on the morning of the 12th, between a 10- and 25-year Average Recurrence Interval per NOAA Atlas 14 Point Frequency Estimates.
Several roads throughout Rockingham County were flooded and impassible as multiple rounds of heavy rain passed across the county. One round in Reidsville produced 1 to 1.25 inches within a 40 minute period, with rainfall rates at times of 2 to 3 inches per hour. Particularly affected was Scale Street in Reidsville.
Several rounds of heavy rain passed across Rockingham County on the evening of November 11th. One round in passing across the community of Madison produced around 1 inch in less than an hour over saturated soil conditions, with rainfall rates at times of 2 to 3 inches per hour. Multiple streets within the community were flooded and impassible.
Flooding was observed along the North Fork Reddies River and Darnell Creek due to 4 to 5 inches of rainfall on the 11th. An additional inch of rain during the early morning hours of the 12th caused renewed flooding along these waterways, causing Vannoy Road and Sheets Gap Road to be flooded and impassible.
Multiple personal weather stations observed 2 to 3 inches of rain during the early morning hours of November 12th across the upper Ararat River basin. This resulted in a rapid 8- foot rise above flood stage within a 3-hour period at the Ararat River. Extensive flooding of Riverside Park was observed during late morning as a result of this flooding.
Multiple personal weather stations observed 2 to 3 inches of rain during the early morning hours of November 12th, about half of these amounts during a 90-minute period with the main convective band. This resulted in flash flooding of Hogan Creek, including where the creek intersects Hogan Bridge Road, causing the bridge to be flooded and impassible until the flood waters receded.
Two to three inches of rain fell during the early morning hours of November 12th, about half of these amounts during a 90-minute period with the main convective band. This resulted in flash flooding along the Mitchell River, flooding over-passing bridges at several locations. Among other roads, Zephyr Mountain Park Road became flooded and impassible where it crosses over the river.
Multiple personal weather stations observed 3 to 5 inches of rain during the early morning hours of November 12th, about half of these amounts during a 90-minute period with the main convective band. This resulted in flash flooding of Forbush Creek, including along Lace Knoll Road where is crosses over the Creek. Lace Knoll Road was completely flooded and impassible until the flood waters receded.
Multiple personal weather stations observed that 3 to 5 inches of rain fell across eastern Yadkin County during the early morning hours of November 12th, about half of these amounts during a 90-minute period with the main convective band. This resulted in flash flooding of Forbush Creek, including along Hutchens Road where is crosses over the Creek. Hutchens Road was completely flooded and impassible until the flood waters receded.
Multiple personal weather stations observed 3 to 5 inches of rain during the early morning hours of November 12th, about half of these amounts during a 90-minute period with the main convective band. This resulted in flash flooding of Forbush Creek, including near the intersection of Griffin Road and Snider Road. Griffen Road was completely flooded and impassible until the flood waters receded.
Multiple personal weather stations observed 3 to 5 inches of rain during the early morning hours of November 12th, about half of these amounts during a 90-minute period with the main convective band. This resulted in flash flooding of Forbush Creek, including along Union Cross Church Road where is crosses over the Creek. This road was completely flooded and impassible until the flood waters receded. Residents along the creek were stranded inside their homes due to the flooding, and required rescue from the Yadkinville Fire Department.
Two to three inches of rain fell across the upper Ararat River basin during the early morning hours of November 12th. Soils were already saturated leading up to this rainfall, with vegetation having entered dormancy. During a 3-hour time period, from 3:15 am to 6:15 am, the river rose about 8 feet and exceeded flood stage. The river eventually crested at 15.75 feet during early afternoon, which is under a 10-year Average Return Interval per the USGS StreamStats website.
Multiple personal weather stations observed that 3 to 5 inches of rain fell across the upper Logan Creek basin during the early morning hours of November 12th, about half of it during a 90-minute period. This resulted in flash flooding along Logan Creek. The Cornelius Road bridge crossing the creek was completely flooded and impassible until the flood waters receded.
Multiple personal weather stations observed that 3 to 5 inches of rain fell across eastern Yadkin County during the early morning hours of November 12th, about half of it during a 90-minute period for some of these stations. This resulted in flash flooding along Mill Branch. Bloomtown Road crossing the Mill Branch was completely flooded and impassible until the flood waters receded.
Backwater flooding of the Dan River into Seven Island Creek caused Gentry Road to be flooded. A car became stranded in the flood waters, requiring a the occupants to be rescued by emergency personnel.
The Yadkin River at Elkin, NC (ELKN7) was above flood stage (18 feet) on November 12th, and crested at the moderate flood stage of 21.81 feet (25,100 cfs) at 1:00 PM EST, the 8th highest crest on record for this gauge.
The Dan River at Wentworth, NC (WENN7) was above flood stage (19 feet) from November 12th through the 13th, and crested at the moderate flood stage of 27.62 feet (38,500 cfs) at 6:30 AM EST on November 13th, the 5th highest crest on record for this gauge. This was between a 25- and 50-year Average Return Interval per the USGS StreamStats website.
Race Track Road was flooded and impassible during the afternoon of November 12th when backwater flooding from County Line Creek pushed a tributary (name unknown) out of its banks across the roadway surface.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in North Carolina in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in North Carolina, November 2020
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: 928911, 928912, 928913, 928914, 928950, 929781, 929071, 929093, 929144, 929092, 929065, 929085, 929086, 928981, 928982, 928986, 928991, 930462, 928942, 928946, 929091, 929973, 929972, 929090.