A hot and humid air mass combined with an approaching cold front helped to produce scattered severe thunderstorms across southwest Virginia. Thunderstorm winds blew down a considerable number of trees and power lines.
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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 hot and humid air mass combined with an approaching cold front helped to produce scattered severe thunderstorms across southwest Virginia. Thunderstorm winds blew down a considerable number of trees and power lines. The winds also knocked down a carport in Buckingham 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 Jul 17, 9:22 AM EST, 4 hours 13 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Blacksburg VA 1022 AM EDT Wed Jul 17 2024 .SYNOPSIS... A front will cross the region tonight, bringing an increased chance of thunderstorms this afternoon and evening. This front shifts south of the area by Thursday and Friday allowing for cooler temperatures, but the proximity of the front will keep showers and storms in the forecast through the weekend. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... As of 1015 AM EDT Wednesday... Key Messages: 1) Temperatures not quite as hot today. 2) Scattered thunderstorms this afternoon/evening. Have updated the probability of precipitation for the rest of the morning to better reflect current radar trends. No other changes made at this time. Previous Discussion As of 215 AM EDT Wednesday... Partly cloudy skies and areas of patchy fog this morning. Should continue to see partly cloud skies through daybreak. Slow moving front is still situated over the Midwest from Indiana into Illinois and Missouri. Ongoing convection ahead of the front across portions of Kentucky may spread cirrus into the region later this morning. Regardless, should have enough breaks in cloud cover to promote strong surface heating. Highs by the afternoon expected to be in the mid 90s for the Piedmont and mid/upper 80s in the higher elevations. Strong surface heating, combined with increased moisture (i.e. dew points now upper 60s/low 70s) will result in a rather unstable airmass by early afternoon. Should see storms develop by 1pm/2pm and several could be on the strong/severe side capable of producing strong damaging winds. Heavy rainfall also a secondary threat with high ambient moisture in place. Coverage and intensity of storms should begin to dwindle by sunset, but could have some ongoing thunderstorms lingering until midnight. && .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT/... As of 215 AM EDT Wednesday... Key Messages: 1) Confidence is high for a cooling trend to take place. 2) A stalled frontal boundary will keep the chance of showers and thunderstorms each day. By Thursday, a cold front will cross Virginia and enter North Carolina. Scattered showers and thunderstorms should develop in the afternoon, but the risk of severe weather appears lower as the more unstable air heads toward the coast. Nevertheless, some heavy downpours may be possible in the stronger storms. Temperatures will notably drop with only highs in the 70s and 80s throughout this time period due to increased cloud cover and cooler air behind the front. The frontal boundary should stall somewhere across central North Carolina on Friday as it becomes parallel with the flow aloft. The models indicate it will remain stuck through the upcoming weekend, so the daily chance of showers and thunderstorms will continue with the highest odds to the south. && .LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... As of 215 AM EDT Wednesday... Key Messages: 1) Confidence is high for chances of showers and thunderstorms each day due to a stalled frontal boundary. 2) Temperatures will remain near normal. A stalled frontal boundary will remain draped across North Carolina to start the new week. Meanwhile, an upper level trough will deepen across the central Mississippi River Valley as it becomes blocked by one ridge over the Rocky Mountains and another over Bermuda. This stagnant synoptic pattern will keep the Mid Atlantic in a daily chance of showers and thunderstorms. The frontal boundary may buckle northward by Monday and Tuesday when the upper level ridge slides westward towards the coast, which could increase the coverage of storms across the Appalachian Mountains. Temperatures should stay near seasonable values into the middle of the week. && .AVIATION /15Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... As of 630 AM EDT Wednesday... Mostly VFR this morning, except for isolated areas of patchy fog. BCB continues to be the only terminal to be impacted by fog and varying vsby/cigs will continue through 1200z/8am for BCB. Otherwise VFR across much of the region and this should remain the theme through noon. Thunderstorms are expected to develop by early afternoon and storms will be capable of strong winds gusts and very heavy rainfall. Storms could continue into the overnight hours and perhaps valley fog once again late into the valid TAF period. Have added fog for BLF/LWB/BCB as a more widespread chance of rainfall has increased confidence of a little more widespread fog development early Thursday morning. AVIATION OUTLOOK... Front will be slow to exit the region, or be positioned just south of the area into the weekend. This will keep showers and storms in the forecast, especially for areas near and south of the VA/NC border, so at times expect sub-VFR with showers/storms and potential late night fog, otherwise VFR. Confidence in the extended aviation scenario is moderate. && .RNK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... VA...None. NC...None. WV...None. && SYNOPSIS...BMG NEAR TERM...AMS/BMG SHORT TERM...PW LONG TERM...PW AVIATION...BMG
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Blacksburg VA 355 AM EDT Wed Jul 17 2024 NCZ001>006-018>020-VAZ007-009>020-022>024-032>035-043>047-058-059- WVZ042>044-507-508-180800- 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- 355 AM EDT Wed Jul 17 2024 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. A marginal risk of severe thunderstorms exists for this afternoon and evening. Damaging winds are the primary threat. Some heavy downpours are also possible that may cause localized flooding. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday. A stalled frontal boundary will continue the threat of storms each day with the potential for gusty winds and heavy rain that may cause localized flooding. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time. PW
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service BLACKSBURG VA
105 PM EDT Wed Jul 17 2024
WVZ507-508-171730-
Western Greenbrier WV-Eastern Greenbrier WV-
105 PM EDT Wed Jul 17 2024
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT NORTHWESTERN GREENBRIER COUNTY
THROUGH 130 PM EDT...
At 105 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Rainelle, moving east at 35 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph and pea size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Rainelle...
Rupert...
Quinwood...
Renick...
Falling Spring...
Bingham...
and Trout.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm and may lead to
localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
&&
LAT...LON 3823 8037 3811 8036 3810 8035 3798 8033
3790 8078 3795 8081 3799 8077 3799 8079
3802 8080 3804 8083 3806 8080 3806 8082
3805 8084 3806 8087 3807 8087 3810 8082
3808 8071 3827 8044
TIME...MOT...LOC 1705Z 251DEG 31KT 3801 8075
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
AMSThe Roanoke radar (KFCX), 106 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:36 UTC.
15 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Thunderstorm winds blew down one tree near the intersection of Carloover Lane and Sam Sneed Highway.
Thunderstorm winds blew down one tree along Hunters Ridge Road.
Thunderstorm winds blew down two trees and a few large branches in the Sheffield area and also another tree along Wards Ferry Road.
Thunderstorm winds blew down one tree that blocked a driveway along Old Rustburg Road.
Thunderstorm winds blew down one tree and one power line along Stevens Road.
Thunderstorm winds blew down one tree near the intersection of Brookneal Highway and Saint Home Place.
Thunderstorm winds blew down one tree along Route 24.
Thunderstorm winds blew down numerous trees in a swath from Dillwyn northeast to Trents Mill Road. The winds also knocked down a carport southeast of Gold Hill.
Thunderstorm winds blew down multiple trees and power lines along Pigeon Run Road.
Thunderstorm winds blew down one tree along Clinton Road.
Thunderstorm winds broke large limbs from five trees along Legrande Avenue.
Thunderstorm winds blew down one tree along Friendship Church Road.
Thunderstorm winds blew down one tree near the intersection of Philpott Road and Jordan Trail.
Thunderstorm winds blew down two trees along North Terry's Bridge Road.
Thunderstorm winds blew down two trees in Virgilina.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Virginia in 2024Every state in 2024This day in weather historyWarnings in Virginia, July 2024
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: 1183615, 1183616, 1183617, 1183647, 1183639, 1183649, 1183640, 1183642, 1183655, 1183657, 1183653, 1183658, 1183662, 1183666, 1183668.