A very moist and unstable air mass produced an isolated severe thunderstorm in Henry County.
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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 very moist and unstable air mass produced an isolated severe thunderstorm in Henry County.
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 Jun 21, 10:00 AM EST, 2 hours 22 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Blacksburg VA 1100 AM EDT Sun Jun 21 2020 .SYNOPSIS... Summer pattern takes hold early this week with typical afternoon and evening scattering of storms. A stronger front works in from the northwest midweek with a better coverage of storms. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... As of 1045 AM EDT Sunday... Happy Fathers Day. In general anticipating fair weather for the bulk of the afternoon. A look at both the RNK/GSO morning soundings would imply minimal upper support for organized deep convection. There is a ribbon of mid level moisture (evident in the water vapor imagery and revealed by some morning ACCAS which arcs NNW to SSE through WV and into far western VA. This ribbon of mid level moisture and instability is forecast to drift east across the forecast area this afternoon with convective allowing models indicating potential for cloud build ups leading to scattered showers/thundershowers. Best convergence for convective initiation is forecast over the VA/WV highlands and across the Grayson Highlands and into the NC High Country. As such, have highlighted both of these regions for the highest POPs this afternoon. The mean wind is from the northwest (330deg/15kts) so anything that develops across the higher terrain would tend to drift southeast with time and potentially reaching the foothills of the Blue Ridge for the late afternoon and the piedmont this evening. Another area to watch is a MCV over west central KY. This feature is forecast to move northeast into the OH Valley this afternoon. Convective outflow from this feature may reach our far western CWA late this evening (after 8PM). Attm, not confident on how far east this convective activity will make it once we loose the daytime heating, but will maintain at least a low chance threat overnight for areas west of the Blue Ridge, while the rest of the area sees activity diminish toward midnight. Fog again may be an issue given high humidity values, but likely favoring the river valleys. Going with previous forecast for highs today with 80s across the board, cooler in the higher mountains, warmer in the piedmont. Expect muggy conditions Sunday night with lows in the 60s. Forecast confidence is high for temperatures/winds and sky cover and fair to good for storm coverage today/tonight. && .SHORT TERM /MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/... As of 215 AM EDT Sunday... A broad upper level trough will cross over the northern Plains on Monday. Meanwhile, a shortwave trough should pass over West Virginia as it spins around the broader trough. In addition, copious amounts of heat and moisture will advect into the Mid Atlantic due to increasing southwest flow at the surface and aloft. This combination should spark scattered showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon with the highest chance of convection existing in the northwest North Carolina mountains. It will certainly feel like summer has arrived, especially in the Piedmont where high temperatures could reach 90 degrees and dewpoints may approach 70 degrees. Confidence on convection increases by Tuesday and Wednesday as the broad upper level trough traverses over the Great Lakes. It will drag a cold front across the Ohio River Valley during this time. More widespread coverage of showers and thunderstorms is expected along and west of the Blue Ridge, and this activity will likely spread eastward into the Piedmont. The approaching cold front could become aligned parallel to the prevailing flow aloft, which would cause the frontal boundary to slow down as it reaches the Mid Atlantic. As a result, Tuesday through Wednesday night may bring the potential for localized flooding and isolated severe weather. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... As of 345 PM EDT Saturday... A cold front stalls over the deep south Thursday into Friday. Some drier weather follows the front. By the end of the week, the front returns as a warm front with moisture returning for the weekend. This suggests a transition back to unsettled weather with an opportunity for more showers and thunderstorms to close out the month. && .AVIATION /15Z SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... As of 1100 AM EDT Sunday... Isolated to Scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected this afternoon, initially favoring the higher terrain early this afternoon then drifting southeast into the foothills and piedmont later this afternoon and evening. A more organized area of deep convection will be found over the OH Valley as an MCV moves northeast from west central Kentucky. The outflow from this storm activity may reach our western forecast area tonight which may impact KBLF/KLWB. Due to the Isolated/Scattered nature of the showers/storms may keep mention out of the TAFs, or just use VCTS for the mountain terminals only. Will amend the TAFs if radar indicates otherwise. The airmass generated showers/storms are expected to fade after 00z/Monday although do expect activity associated with the MCV Over the OH valley to persist. In general, through 06z tonight, most areas to remain VFR outside of the scattered deep convection. Formation of river valley fog will bring some of the mountain valley terminals, such as LWB/BCB back down to IFR/LIFR due to visibility restrictions. Forecast confidence = Good. Extended Aviation Discussion... Monday-Tuesday expect mainly afternoon/evening scattered storms. A front approaches midweek with better coverage of showers and thunderstorms. With humidity staying up and clearing at night, fog/low cloud potential is high each late night/early morning, especially where there was rain the previous day. && .RNK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... VA...None. NC...None. WV...None. && SYNOPSIS...WP NEAR TERM...PM/WP SHORT TERM...PW LONG TERM...PM AVIATION...PM
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Blacksburg VA 335 AM EDT Sun Jun 21 2020 NCZ001>006-018>020-VAZ007-009>020-022>024-032>035-043>047-058-059- WVZ042>044-507-508-220745- 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- 335 AM EDT Sun Jun 21 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. The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday. The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time.
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service BLACKSBURG VA
1255 PM EDT Sun Jun 21 2020
VAZ012-013-211730-
Pulaski-Wythe-
1255 PM EDT Sun Jun 21 2020
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT PULASKI AND EASTERN WYTHE
COUNTIES...
At 1250 PM EDT, a cluster of strong thunderstorms were located just
north and west of Pulaski, moving southeast at 15 mph.
Winds in excess of 30 mph and pea size hail are possible with
these storms in addition to very heavy rain.
Locations impacted include...
Pulaski...
Dublin...
Max Meadows...
Allisonia...
Patterson...
Claytor Lake...
and Fort Chiswell.
Torrential rainfall from these storms may cause localized flooding.
Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways.
If you are on or near Claytor Lake, be prepared to get out of the
water and move to a place of safety, such as, inside a vehicle.
Remember, lightning can strike out to 10 miles from the parent
thunderstorm. If you can hear thunder, you are close enough to be
struck by lightning. Move to safe shelter now! Do not be caught on
the water in a thunderstorm.
Persons in Claytor Lake State Park should consider seeking sturdy
shelter until these storms pass.
LAT...LON 3705 8098 3707 8091 3711 8093 3712 8089
3718 8080 3719 8076 3718 8073 3708 8058
3694 8062 3691 8068 3684 8094 3705 8103
TIME...MOT...LOC 1650Z 341DEG 7KT 3713 8095
PMThe Roanoke radar (KFCX), 32 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 17:23 UTC.
2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Around a half dozen trees were blow down by severe thunderstorm winds around Claytor Lake. One tree fell on a a car.
At least three trees were blown down by thunderstorm winds in the Bassett area. Both lines of Bassett Heights Road were blocked by downed trees.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Virginia in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in Virginia, June 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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 902959, 902960.