Virginia, 2026

Drought in Virginia, April 1 to 30, 2026

April 1 to 30, 2026 · NWS RLX · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

The month of April began with widespread moderate drought (D1) conditions already present across Buchanan and Dickenson Counties. Although around an inch of rain fell during the first week of the month, it was not enough to improve conditions.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
2

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS RLX wrote it up.

The month of April began with widespread moderate drought (D1) conditions already present across Buchanan and Dickenson Counties. Although around an inch of rain fell during the first week of the month, it was not enough to improve conditions. This was followed by relatively dry weather, which allowed for a further degradation to a severe drought (D2) by the third week of the month. Showers and storms brought some additional precipitation during the third and fourth weeks of the month, but once again did nothing to improve or resolve the D2 state in Buchanan and Dickenson.

Impacts included hauling water for livestock, supplemental feeding for livestock due to slow pasture growth, and slow crop growth.

What forecasters said that day

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 Charleston, WV wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 31, 10:46 PM EST, 1 hour 14 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • 1) Showers and thunderstorms will be possible at times through Saturday, with best chances for more widespread activity on Wednesday.
  • 2) A strong cold front brings cooler air back to the area for the end of the weekend into next week, with potential for frost or freezing conditions.
Area forecast discussion, Mar 31, 10:46 PM EST, 1 hour 14 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Charleston WV
1146 PM EDT Tue Mar 31 2026

.WHAT HAS CHANGED...
Some models show the cold front over the weekend coming in a bit
faster, more Saturday night than Sunday.

&&

.KEY MESSAGES...
- 1) Showers and thunderstorms will be possible at times through
  Saturday, with best chances for more widespread activity on
  Wednesday.

- 2) A strong cold front brings cooler air back to the area for
  the end of the weekend into next week, with potential for
  frost or freezing conditions.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
KEY MESSAGE 1...

A cold front will push southward into central Ohio and northern
West Virginia Wednesday, before stalling, and then returning
northward as a warm front Wednesday night. This will create the
best chances for showers and thunderstorms for the work week.
Depending on cloud cover and how much heating can occur south of
the front, there is the possibility that a few thunderstorms
could become strong enough to produce damaging winds and/or
large hail.

A south to southwesterly flow will remain behind the
front for Thursday into Saturday. This will allow for more
showers and thunderstorms, mainly during the afternoon and
evening hours.

KEY MESSAGE 2...

Models have diverged a bit on the timing of a strong cold front
that will will push through the region Saturday night or Sunday.
Some models are now showing a faster timing with the front
arriving Saturday night. Regardless, this will increase chances
of showers and thunderstorms while bringing cooler air for the
end of the weekend and into the next work week. This could set
the area up for the potential for frost or freezing conditions.

Models are now further north with a potential clipper system on
Tuesday. This could leave the area in warmer air, or with
precipitation possibly north of the area.

&&

.AVIATION /03Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/...
Gusty southwesterly winds should generally decrease and become
lighter after 02Z, but there will be a period of LLWS developing
tonight, generally between 02Z to 10Z, and have coded this into
the TAF's. Gusty southwesterly winds, with gusts generally in
the teens, are possible again after 14Z Wednesday.

Otherwise, expecting mainly VFR conditions, but after 06Z,
there exists the possibility for showers, and perhaps an
isolated thunderstorm, to move south into the area, possibly
creating brief/localized MVFR conditions.

After 18Z, shower and storm activity is expected to increase in
coverage, with the potential for strong damaging wind gusts in
vicinity of storms, and local MVFR/IFR or worse conditions in
vicinity of storms. Convection should generally start to
decrease in coverage towards the end of the TAF period.

FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND ALTERNATE SCENARIOS THROUGH 06Z THURSDAY...

FORECAST CONFIDENCE: Medium.

ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: Timing and intensity of showers and
thunderstorms and associated restrictions could vary. Extent of
LLWS tonight may also vary.

EXPERIMENTAL TABLE OF FLIGHT CATEGORY OBJECTIVELY SHOWS CONSISTENCY
OF WFO FORECAST TO AVAILABLE MODEL INFORMATION:
H = HIGH:   TAF CONSISTENT WITH ALL MODELS OR ALL BUT ONE MODEL.
M = MEDIUM: TAF HAS VARYING LEVEL OF CONSISTENCY WITH MODELS.
L = LOW:    TAF INCONSISTENT WITH ALL MODELS OR ALL BUT ONE MODEL.

DATE                                                                 WED
UTC 1HRLY       23   00   01   02   03   04   05   06   07   08   09   10
EDT 1HRLY       19   20   21   22   23   00   01   02   03   04   05   06
CRW CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H
HTS CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H
BKW CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H
EKN CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H
PKB CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H
CKB CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H

AFTER 06Z THURSDAY...
Brief IFR in showers and thunderstorms possible Wednesday
evening through Friday, more likely in the afternoon and
evening hours.

&&

.RLX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WV...None.
OH...None.
KY...None.
VA...None.

&&

DISCUSSION...RPY
AVIATION...SL

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 drought. Local standard time, as filed.

Drought, Buchanan

When
April 1, 12:00 AM EST to April 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Buchanan forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
37.267, -82.036 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Dickenson

When
April 1, 12:00 AM EST to April 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Dickenson forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
37.126, -82.350 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Drought
A drought reaching severe (D2) or worse on the US Drought Monitor, or with notable impacts.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Virginia in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in Virginia, April 2026

Sources

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: 1330439, 1330440.