A broad closed off upper low drifted across South Carolina and northwest back into southwest Virginia and West Virginia bringing persistent rainfall that eventually led to flooding. There were repeated rounds of heavy rainfall with widespread amounts of 2 to 5 inches.
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 broad closed off upper low drifted across South Carolina and northwest back into southwest Virginia and West Virginia bringing persistent rainfall that eventually led to flooding. There were repeated rounds of heavy rainfall with widespread amounts of 2 to 5 inches. The most notable rainfall was a fairly localized thunderstorm near Alderson, WV that caused severe flash flood damage on the afternoon of June 17th.
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 17, 3:37 PM EST, 38 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Blacksburg VA 437 PM EDT Wed Jun 17 2020 .SYNOPSIS... Low pressure was nearly stationary over the region. This feature will continue to produce showery weather through the remainder of the week. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH THURSDAY/... As of 400 PM EDT Wednesday... More of the same today and Thursday with on and off showers as a result of the slowly retrograding cutoff low overhead. Overnight Friday and early Thursday may see some lightening of the rain coverage, especially towards southwestern VA. Highest PoPs overnight are expected to be along and north of the I-64 corridor and U.S. 460. Thursday will again have widespread showers, and with a bit warmer environment and modest instability, some convection could form up Thursday afternoon and sound a few claps of thunder. Carvins Cove dam has 2 feet of water flowing over the spillway, which is well within the dam's intended capabilities. Stream and creek flooding has been the most common impact from the rains, and has been concentrated around the City of Roanoke, southern Botetourt and western Bedford (3-5 inches in 48 hours). A few evacuations were reported by the EM in Botetourt. A couple mudslides have been seen in photos on social media. All of the above has been covered by areal flood warnings. Today and tonight's temperatures will be heavily moderated by a broad blanket of clouds, keeping highs and lows in the 60s. Nudged up the temps west of the Blue Ridge for today as obs were running almost 5 degrees warmer than the forecast. Thursday will warm up into the upper 60s and even the 70s for those in the Piedmont. Periods of moderate to heavy rainfall have been streaming into the region from Southside into the Roanoke valley with significant rainfall in a relatively narrow corridor from roughly South Boston up through Roanoke. Models suggest this corridor of rain will become less concentrated this evening although not confident that it will weaken as much as models have forecast. Tendency is for deep convection to develop upstream across the eastern Mid-Atlantic where instability along coast will likely continue to feed re-development of deep convection there. This new convection will then get drawn in and around the cut-off low across our forecast area. && .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT/... As of 400 PM EDT Wednesday... Persistent upper low is forecast to meander over the forecast area through the remainder of the week with models slowly trending the center of the system northward with time, and eventually getting kicked out of the region by a northern stream trough along the Canadian border this weekend. Due to the persistent conditions will maintain a mostly cloudy forecast with periodic showers. If there are any peaks of sun, it will likely self destruct into more cover along with the potential for embedded thunderstorms. Models will not be able to handle the specific placement of the precip coverage, thus will use broad paint brush with respect to POPs and QPF. Temperature will likely remain cooler than normal until there can be some sustainable breaks in the overcast. && .LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... As of 415 PM EDT Wednesday... The cutoff low is forecast to gradually weaken and move away from the area Sunday. The question after that is what takes its place. The GFS suggest more troughing for next week as a broad northern stream longwave trough sets up over the eastern CONUS. The ECMWF on the otherhand is more optimistic, featuring greater ridging. Either way we should trend warmer just by removing the influence of the cutoff low. The bigger difference would be the magnitude of warming and daily potential for precip. For now will entertain more of a diurnal cycle for precipitation suggesting that most of the activity with the greatest coverage would be during the afternoon and evening hours, or the peak heating part of the day. Will also entertain temperatures back into the 80s. If the ECMWF is correct then areas east of the Blue Ridge could see temperatures in the 90s. && .AVIATION /20Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... As of 245 PM EDT Wednesday... Ceilings have been tending to run a bit higher than anticipated, but the precipitation and cloud cover will definitely keep conditions MVFR or lower for the next 24 hours. Expect ceilings to drop overnight for all sites, and see conditions waffle from MVFR down to LIFR on occasion. Visbys will largely be driven by any present rainfall. Have removed thunder from the TAFs for this period, as convection has not been the mode of precipitation and seems more likely to occur Thursday afternoon. It is a high confidence forecast for sub-VFR through most of the period, but lower on how low cigs/vsbys go in relation to rainfall, which will be moderate to heavy at times from LWB- ROA-LYH this morning and possibly BCB/DAN. Extended Aviation Discussion... The closed upper low will continue to meander about the central and southern Appalachians through Friday, finally beginning to lift slowly to the north by the weekend. As the low weakens, the threat for prevailing IFR conditions and persistent -RA will begin to decrease. Showers and thunderstorms, with MVFR ceilings and visibilities are expected Saturday and Sunday, mainly each afternoon and evening. && .HYDROLOGY... As of 415 PM EDT Wednesday... Persistent rain over the Roanoke River basin has resulted in significant rises along the Roanoke River and its tributaries. The rain band has essentially targeted this basin in part by the stationary nature of the upper low which was centered over north central North Carolina. Until this Low moves (which is only expected to occur at a snails pace) this sort of pattern will likely continue. Similar to a tropical system there is a feeder band north of the Cutoff Low which is connected to a rich moisture source along the coast. The airmass along the coast of VA/NC is very unstable with CAPE above 2000 K/KG, PWATs above 1.50 and thermodynamics supportive of deep convection. Once this deep convection forms it gets turned westward and around the upper Low...converging on the Blue Ridge, but in a narrow corridor. The embedded convective elements have been transient, but due to the high rain rates (near 3 inches an hour) training of these elements overtime have resulted in mountain rainfall. Amounts of 3 to 5 inches have been recorded within the Roanoke River Basin...and based on the forecast pattern to persist...we will likely be dealing with this through Thursday. As the low gains latitude, this rain band may begin to impact parts of the James River Basin. && .RNK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... VA...Flash Flood Watch until 2 AM EDT Thursday for VAZ022. NC...None. WV...None. && SYNOPSIS...PM NEAR TERM...MBS/VFJ SHORT TERM...PM/PW LONG TERM...PM AVIATION...VFJ/WP HYDROLOGY...PM
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Blacksburg VA 253 PM EDT Wed Jun 17 2020 VAZ010>020-023-024-032>035-043>047-058-059-WVZ044-507-181900- Bland-Giles-Wythe-Pulaski-Montgomery-Grayson-Carroll-Floyd-Craig- Alleghany VA-Bath-Botetourt-Rockbridge-Patrick-Franklin-Bedford- Amherst-Henry-Pittsylvania-Campbell-Appomattox-Buckingham-Halifax- Charlotte-Monroe-Eastern Greenbrier- 253 PM EDT Wed Jun 17 2020 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for central Virginia, south central Virginia, southwest Virginia, west central Virginia and southeast West Virginia. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight. Locally heavy rainfall today may lead to flooding. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday. There is a low probability for widespread hazardous weather. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time. VAZ022-181900- Roanoke- 253 PM EDT Wed Jun 17 2020 ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 AM EDT THURSDAY... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for west central Virginia. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight. Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the Internet for more information about the following hazards. Flash Flood Watch. Locally heavy rainfall today may lead to flooding. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday. There is a low probability for widespread hazardous weather. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time. NCZ001>006-018>020-VAZ007-009-WVZ042-043-508-181900- Ashe-Alleghany NC-Surry-Stokes-Rockingham-Caswell-Watauga-Wilkes- Yadkin-Tazewell-Smyth-Mercer-Summers-Western Greenbrier- 253 PM EDT Wed Jun 17 2020 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for north central North Carolina, northwest North Carolina, southwest Virginia and southeast West Virginia. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight. The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday. The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
147 PM EDT WED JUN 17 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0115 PM DEBRIS FLOW 1 SW CAVE SPRING 37.21N 80.02W
06/17/2020 ROANOKE VA TRAINED SPOTTER
SMALL MUDSLIDE ABOUT ONE QUARTER MILE SOUTH
OF CRYSTAL CREEK DRIVE AND BRAMBLETON
AVENUE.
&&PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
237 PM EDT WED JUN 17 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1222 PM DEBRIS FLOW 1 SSE DALEVILLE 37.41N 79.91W
06/17/2020 BOTETOURT VA LAW ENFORCEMENT
VALLEY ROAD IS IMPASSABLE AT THIS TIME DUE
TO DEBRIS FLOW ACROSS THE ROAD.
&&PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
254 PM EDT WED JUN 17 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0140 PM FLOOD 1 SSW ROANOKE 37.27N 79.96W
06/17/2020 CITY OF ROANOKE VA PUBLIC
13TH STREET IN ROANOKE CLOSED DUE TO FLOWING
WATER ACROSS THE ROADWAY.
&&
VFJPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
318 PM EDT WED JUN 17 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0236 PM FLOOD 4 S MONTVALE 37.33N 79.74W
06/17/2020 BEDFORD VA PUBLIC
ROAD AND CULVERT WASHED OUT AT THE CORNER OF
SUMMIT RIDGE DRIVE AND BRENTWOOD DRIVE.
&&Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service BLACKSBURG VA
447 PM EDT Wed Jun 17 2020
VAZ058-172130-
Halifax-
447 PM EDT Wed Jun 17 2020
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT SOUTHWESTERN HALIFAX COUNTY...
At 446 PM EDT, a strong thunderstorm was located over South Boston,
moving northwest at 10 mph.
Winds in excess of 40 mph are possible with this storm.
Locations impacted include...
South Boston...
Halifax...
Ingram...
Cluster Springs...
and Crystal Hill.
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm, and may cause
localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
LAT...LON 3659 7895 3673 7917 3678 7916 3691 7894
3665 7878
TIME...MOT...LOC 2046Z 142DEG 8KT 3667 7893
BMGSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service BLACKSBURG VA
458 PM EDT Wed Jun 17 2020
VAZ044-172145-
Pittsylvania-
458 PM EDT Wed Jun 17 2020
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT EAST CENTRAL PITTSYLVANIA
COUNTY...
At 458 PM EDT, a strong thunderstorm was located near Keeling, or
near Ingram, moving northwest at 15 mph.
Winds in excess of 40 mph are possible with this storm.
Locations impacted include...
Chatham...
Gretna...
Java...
Chalk Level...
and Keeling.
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm, and may cause
localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
LAT...LON 3681 7952 3699 7931 3682 7915 3669 7918
3667 7921
TIME...MOT...LOC 2058Z 133DEG 11KT 3674 7923
BMGThe Roanoke radar (KFCX), 75 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:17 UTC.
4 flash flood, 2 heavy rain, 1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
The USGS gage on Indian Creek at Red Sulphur Springs (INCW2) rose above minor flood stage of 10 feet in the afternoon of the 17th cresting at 11.18 feet. Several roads were flooded and a report of flooding along a portion of Indian Creek Road was received.
Buggy Branch was well out of its banks and flooding the Pence Springs Flea market off Route 12/3.
The COOP observer at Alderson measured 2.50 inches for the 24-hour period ending 700 AM on the 20th. This was a daily record for the date, beating the previous record of 1.45 inches in 1987. It was also the 6th highest daily rainfall in June with nearly complete data back to 1944. Nearby automated rain gages indicated that most of the rain fell in about a 90-minute period between about 430 and 600 PM local time, although news reports suggested a 45-minute time frame for the rainfall.
The CoCoRaHS station at Alderson 0.8 SSW (WV-MR-2) recorded 2.24 inches for the 24-hour period ending at 700 AM on the 20th, but most of the rain fell in roughly 50 minutes on the afternoon of of the 19th. Significant flash flooding was reported in the area.
Reports mentioned up to 25 homes damaged on the Monroe County side of Alderson. Two homes suffered severe structural damage when basement walls were caved. Dark Hollow Road was flooded out and the bridge possibly damaged. At least one person was reported trapped in their home and requiring rescue. Follow-up reports mentioned several mudslide and some very significant road and culvert damage in parts of the area.
Severe flash flooding closed Route 12 and Route 63 into Alderson. Up to 12 homes received flood damage on the Greenbrier side of Alderson and several road culverts were destroyed. A photo from broadcast media showed Muddy Creek Mountain Road washed out.
Locally heavy rainfall of up to 2 inches in one hour caused some flooding near Pence Springs and in the True area. At least one road was closed and water was reported across portions of Route 20.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in West Virginia in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in West 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: 901472, 901499, 901518, 901532, 901511, 901512, 902388.