A weak upper-level impulse moving through the area combined with plenty of heat and humidity to allow for the development of afternoon thunderstorms. A few of these storms produced large hail and damaging winds.
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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 weak upper-level impulse moving through the area combined with plenty of heat and humidity to allow for the development of afternoon thunderstorms. A few of these storms produced large hail and damaging winds.
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 4, 12:13 PM EST, 54 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Blacksburg VA 113 PM EDT Thu Jun 4 2020 .SYNOPSIS... We will stay south of a front into Saturday as it stalls across the mid-Atlantic/Ohio Valley. Another front will finally push through Saturday with less humid air arriving Sunday. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH FRIDAY/... As of 1205 PM EDT Thursday... showers/storms forming along the southern Appalachians up the Blue Ridge toward Roanoke early this afternoon, and will shift across the piedmont thru the afternoon. A secondary area across the WV mountains into far SW Va, especially late as piece of upper shortwave heads from KY into the WV mountains by 8pm. Expect heavy rainers, with storm motion in the 10-15 kt range. Models showing best instability developing over the piedmont this afternoon with MLCAPEs of 1500-2500 J/KG. There is a little bit of dry air in the boundary layer despite dewpoints in the 60s where DCAPES exceed 1000 J/KG, so needless to say, damaging winds are the main threat if storms reach severe limits. Warmer boundary layer temps should limit hail size. Nested NAM and other CAMs suggest storms start as individual pulse but could take on a multi- cellular pattern as they shift off the Blue Ridge this afternoon and head east- northeast across the piedmont. Look for a lull after 8-9pm, before next wave arrives overnight, mainly impacting the central Appalachians, and for now keeping pops overnight in the chance range across the mountains, while the piedmont dries out. The next upstream shortwave then arrives Friday and heads slowly east to the Blue Ridge by late afternoon. Will see another day where coverage of showers/storms increases by midday into the mid afternoon. The instability also increases but still lacking shear and low levels are slightly more moist, so the severe threat is limited, but cannot rule out isolated damaging winds, and localized flooding, as storm motion stays somewhat limited by weaker flow aloft. Temperatures stay muggy tonight with lows in the 60s, and even 70 across the piedmont east of Highway 29. Cloud cover increasing sooner Friday appears to limit heating, but still more typical of early June with mid 70s to around 80 west, to mid 80s east. Forecast confidence is best this afternoon/evening and then average for storm coverage overnight into Friday. Confidence on temps is above average. && .SHORT TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/... As of 100 PM EDT Thursday... A cold front will approach the Mid Atlantic during Friday night and cross overhead on Saturday. The threat for scattered showers and thunderstorms should linger throughout this time with activity diminishing late Friday night and picking up again by Saturday afternoon. A potent upper level trough should follow behind the cold front on Saturday night, while high pressure begins to build from the north. Drier and slightly cooler air will arrive by Sunday morning as the cold front sags further southward. With high pressure gaining control overhead on Sunday, all attention will turn to Cristobal in the Gulf of Mexico. NHC and the global models still have this system on track to reach Louisiana during Sunday night. As it heads northward along the lower Mississippi River Valley by early Monday morning, an upper level ridge will build across the Ohio River Valley and move eastward. This ridge should push the upper level trough toward the Atlantic Ocean and set up rather warm days ahead to start the new work week. && .LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... As of 100 PM EDT Thursday... The remnants of Cristobal will serve as the main weather interest during this period as they cross over Arkansas and Missouri during Monday and Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Mid Atlantic should remain warm and dry with surface high pressure and an upper level ridge in control. Eventually, a cold front should interact with the remnants of Cristobal by Tuesday afternoon. Some of this tropical moisture may sneak eastward and spark a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms across the northwest North Carolina mountains due to orographical lift and instability. The cold front should head eastward across the Ohio River Valley during Tuesday night into Wednesday. Increasing moisture across the Appalachian Mountains should lead to greater chances of showers and thunderstorms by Wednesday and Wednesday night. However, confidence has diminished on pinpointing the timing and impacts of the rainfall due to increasing discrepancies in the global models. The ECMWF has delayed the frontal passage to Wednesday night and Thursday, while the GFS tries to block the forward progress of the cold front due to an occluding low pressure area off the East Coast. Nevertheless, it should remain rather warm throughout this period. && .AVIATION /17Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... As of 106 PM EDT Thursday... VFR conditions will continue through the period. Exceptions will be with storms this afternoon, with most sites potentially see a storm moving across with IFR vsbys to MVFR ceilings. Should see less coverage after 00z/05, though another disturbance may push more showers toward LWB/BLF after 00z, but confidence is low on adding this to the taf. Also low confidence on fog depending on how rain falls in vicinity of the airports and any clearing occurs late tonight. Another round of showers and storms expected Friday but mainly after 18z. Forecast confidence is high on ceilings/vsbys and winds outside storms, and lower overnight with fog/vsbys. Extended Aviation Discussion... Frontal boundary stays north of us into early Saturday before pushing across during the day Sat. Expect good coverage of storms Friday afternoon/early evening, the less overnight into Saturday. VFR expect with storms and any late night fog. High pressure builds in for Sunday into Monday, though we are monitoring the track of Cristobal, but most models keep the rain west of us through Monday. && .RNK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... VA...None. NC...None. WV...None. && SYNOPSIS...KK/WP NEAR TERM...WP SHORT TERM...PW LONG TERM...PW AVIATION...KK/WP
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Blacksburg VA 333 AM EDT Thu Jun 4 2020 NCZ001>003-018-019-VAZ007-009>020-022>024-032>035-WVZ042>044-507-508- 050745- Ashe-Alleghany NC-Surry-Watauga-Wilkes-Tazewell-Smyth-Bland-Giles- Wythe-Pulaski-Montgomery-Grayson-Carroll-Floyd-Craig-Alleghany VA- Bath-Roanoke-Botetourt-Rockbridge-Patrick-Franklin-Bedford-Amherst- Mercer-Summers-Monroe-Eastern Greenbrier-Western Greenbrier- 333 AM EDT Thu Jun 4 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. Scattered thunderstorms are expected today. A few of these may become strong to severe with damaging winds, hail and isolated flooding the main threat. .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. NCZ004>006-020-VAZ043>047-058-059-050745- Stokes-Rockingham-Caswell-Yadkin-Henry-Pittsylvania-Campbell- Appomattox-Buckingham-Halifax-Charlotte- 333 AM EDT Thu Jun 4 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. Scattered thunderstorms are expected Today. A few of these may become strong to severe with damaging winds the main threat. .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.
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Blacksburg VA 1249 PM EDT Thu Jun 4 2020 NCZ001>003-018-019-VAZ015>017-032-033-041800- Ashe-Alleghany NC-Surry-Watauga-Wilkes-Grayson-Carroll-Floyd- Patrick-Franklin- Including the cities of West Jefferson, Sparta, Dobson, Boone, Wilkesboro, Independence, Whitetop, Troutdale, Volney, Galax, Floyd, Stuart, and Rocky Mount 1249 PM EDT Thu Jun 4 2020 ...THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN, GUSTY WINDS AND SMALL HAIL DEVELOPING EARLY THIS AFTERNOON... Thunderstorms are forming along the crest of the Blue Ridge this afternoon, and moving into the foothills. A few of these storms will bring torrential rains, winds gusting over 30 mph and small hail.
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service BLACKSBURG VA
207 PM EDT Thu Jun 4 2020
NCZ002-VAZ015-041845-
Alleghany-Grayson-
207 PM EDT Thu Jun 4 2020
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT NORTHWESTERN ALLEGHANY COUNTY
IN NORTHWESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND SOUTH CENTRAL GRAYSON COUNTIES IN
SOUTHWESTERN VIRGINIA...
At 207 PM EDT, a strong thunderstorm was located over Piney Creek, or
over Mouth Of Wilson, moving northeast at 10 mph.
Winds in excess of 30 mph and pea size hail are possible with this
storm.
Locations impacted include...
Independence...
Mouth Of Wilson...
Bridle Creek...
Piney Creek...
and Scottville.
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm, and may cause
localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
LAT...LON 3670 8125 3658 8108 3649 8132 3650 8133
3652 8133 3654 8135 3657 8135 3658 8140
TIME...MOT...LOC 1807Z 223DEG 10KT 3657 8130
PWThe Roanoke radar (KFCX), 41 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:07 UTC.
6 hail, 6 thunderstorm wind, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
Lightning sparked a barn fire, resulting in hay bales and tractor trailers full of lumber stored within the barn to completely burn.
A roof of a mobile home was blown off by severe thunderstorm wind gusts.
Several trees were blown down by thunderstorm winds within the Poor Mountain Nature Preserve in Roanoke County.
A tree was blown down by severe thunderstorm winds on Arcadia Road.
A tree was blown down by severe thunderstorm winds near the Bank of Botetourt in Natural Bridge Station.
Severe thunderstorm winds blew down a tree onto playground equipment in Raphine, resulting in minor damage.
Multiple trees were blown down by severe thunderstorm winds along Laurel Springs Road.
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: 902950, 902935, 902937, 902945, 902946, 902943, 902947, 902940, 902938, 902948, 902941, 902939, 902942.