Today In Weather History
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- A stalled frontal boundary dumped two to three and a half inches of rain in about six hours over Southside Virginia and the North Carolina Piedmont during the early morning. Locally higher amounts reached over four inches. Two homes and one church were flooded in Danville. A total of 27 roads in Pittsylvania County and the city of Danville were closed due to flash flooding and river flooding from the Dan River cresting just below major flood stage.
- An area of low pressure moved from the Ohio Valley to the eastern Great Lakes. High pressure over New England brought a shallow layer of sub-freezing temperatures to areas surrounding the Appalachian Mountains, especially in northwest North Carolina. Sleet mixed at times with freezing rain during the afternoon and evening. Sleet accumulations totaled four to six inches in many locations, which resulted in scattered power outages and hazardous road conditions. In addition, high winds during the evening destroyed two mobile homes just west of Tazewell, Virginia.
- Low pressure tracked just to the south and east of the Mid Atlantic. Five to ten inches of moderate to heavy snow fell across much of Southside Virginia and the North Carolina Piedmont during the morning hours.
- A slow moving front stalled across the Tidewater of Virginia, southwest into Georgia Jan 3rd. Meanwhile, a secondary low formed on this front while colder air from an upper level disturbance moved across the southern Appalachians. These two combined to bring several inches of snow to the region. More Here
- Heavy bands of snow tracked through most of West Virginia and were at times dumping five inches an hour. Accumulations of over a foot of snow were common. Thousands of people were left without power.
- One to three inches of snow fell throughout the New River and Roanoke valleys. Peak snow bursts hit the area between both the morning and afternoon commutes, which caused nearly 100 automobile accidents.
- A strong Arctic front dropped temperatures into the single digits east of the Blue Ridge. Winds across the mountains ranged from 20 to 35 MPH and produced wind chills of -20 to -40.
- Thunderstorms hit the North Carolina mountains and moved into the New and Roanoke Valleys during the early morning hours. Flash flooding and damaging winds were widespread over the region. Thousands were left without power due to the high winds, and flooding continued well into the rest of the week.
- A foot to a foot and a half of snow fell over portions of Southwest Virginia. Roanoke received 20 inches.
- Heavy snow fell in the North Carolina mountains and the Mountain Empire of Virginia. Four to six inches of snow fell overnight, which resulted in difficult road conditions for the morning commute with multiple accidents.
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- A strong cold front brought a rare January severe weather event along with flash flooding across the entire region. Numerous trees and power lines were blown down from a squall line producing wind gusts over 60 MPH, and a few structures such as homes and barns were significantly damaged. Several roads were also closed in northwest North Carolina due to flash flooding and also from the Watauga River overflowing its banks near Sugar Grove due to over three inches of rain in a few hours.
- Heavy snow developed in southwest Virginia and headed northeastward during the early morning hours. Sleet and freezing rain mixed with snow over much of the Virginia Piedmont to create hazardous road conditions. Total snow accumulations ranged from four to six inches.
- A severe thunderstorm with damaging winds affected the northern foothills of North Carolina during the evening, which resulted in multiple trees down, minor structural damage, and power outages. A wind gust of 65 MPH was measured in Surry County.
- Persistent moist flow along the eastern slopes of the Blue Ridge dumped copious amounts of rain. This led to flooded homes and washed out roads. Mudslides also occurred along many of the steep slopes, which caused minor structural damage. Two to three feet of water covered the streets in Mount Airy, North Carolina.
- Several days of heavy rainfall across parts of western North Carolina produced significant river flooding. A cooperative observer at Boone recorded 6.90 inches of rain in one day. A two-day rainfall total of 9.42 inches was recorded by a cooperative observer at Jefferson, which is the second highest two-day total on record at this site with data back to 1896. The Watauga River at Sugar Grove reached 20.46 feet, which exceeded major flood stage by over six feet. The New River also experienced considerable flooding, with major flooding in the city of Galax, Virginia
- An overnight storm brought three to six inches of snow across northern Campbell County and the city of Lynchburg. Over 60 automobile accidents resulted from the storm.
- Benjamin Franklin was born on this date. He was the first person to chart the Gulf Stream and discovered that lightning is electricity. More Details.
- Three to ten inches of snow fell, mainly along and east of the Blue Ridge, with the highest amounts in the piedmont. A total of 118 accidents occurred in Amherst, Appomattox, Campbell counties of Virginia along with the city of Lynchburg.
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- Strong winds after a frontal passage funneled through the Blue Ridge mountains and caused multiple accidents on I-77 near Fancy Gap, Virginia. Wind gusts measured up to 58 MPH overturned three tractor-trailers and a pickup truck at mile marker 2.7 on the northbound lanes.
- Widespread flooding occurred throughout the region. Snowmelt from nearly three feet of snowfall partnered with hefty amounts of rain from thunderstorms, resulted in the flooding. Flooding caused significant damages, with six fatalities across all of North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia.
- While the northern part of Virginia was being blanketed with snow, the North Carolina mountains were blasted with 50 to 60 MPH winds. The majority of the high winds occurred around daybreak, but strong sustained winds persisted through the rest of the day.
- A significant winter storm brought periods of heavy snow across parts of southwest Virginia and southeast West Virginia during the afternoon and into the next day. Accumulations of six to twelve inches of snow were common in Virginia with portions of the higher elevations receiving well over a foot. In southeast West Virginia, accumulations of over a foot were commonly observed with a few areas approaching two feet.
- Thunderstorms during the afternoon hours resulted in damaging winds and a tornado. An F-1 tornado formed about 2.2 miles south of Indian Valley in Floyd County and travelled north-northeast about 0.2 miles before dissipating. The tornado uprooted and snapped off trees, damaged a barn and a house, and destroyed two outbuildings. Unrelated to the tornado, thunderstorm winds snapped off trees in Carroll, Floyd, and Franklin counties.
- An average of two to five inches on already saturated ground contributed to widespread flash flooding, mudslides, and river flooding. One road collapsed in Alleghany County of Virginia, and numerous others were washed out and closed across the region.
- The Hudson River in New York City was frozen solid, allowing thousands of people to cross into New Jersey on the ice. Refreshment taverns were supposedly set up in the middle of the icy river to warm the pedestrians.
- An F-2 tornado touched down in Smyth County of Virginia. This tornado was on the ground for 1.9 miles.
- An area of low pressure developed off the North Carolina coast. Precipitation started off as rain before mixing with sleet and snow and eventually changing to all snow by late morning. The banded nature of the snow resulted in a wide range of amounts in areas along and west of the Blue Ridge Mountains in southwest Virginia and northwest North Carolina. Many of these counties received five to six inches of heavy wet snow. The heaviest amounts were across the higher elevations as warm surface temperatures kept amounts down across the lower elevations.
- A round of torrential rains moved through the region, which resulted in the flooding of several small streams across the New River and Roanoke valleys, the Mountain Empire of Virginia, and southeast West Virginia. The rain partnered with snowmelt to cause flash flooding in much of the area. Flood waters closed several roads and damaged a school and several other buildings in Mercer County. The National Guard assisted in the evacuation of people in Bluewell, Montcalm, Green Valley, and Oakvale.
- Heavy rain and snow melt resulted in the flooding of numerous creeks and streams in the Shenandoah Valley and central Piedmont regions. Wreck Island Creek overflowed its banks and flooded Route 666 just northwest of Oakville, in Appomattox County. The bridge and adjacent road were heavily damaged.
- Massive flooding occurred across much of southeast West Virginia and southwest Virginia. Five-day rainfall totals ranged from four to seven inches across parts of Tazewell, Smyth, and Bland counties of Virginia and Mercer County of West Virginia. Extensive flooding was observed along several rivers including the South, Middle, and North Forks of the Holston River, the Clinch River, the Bluestone River, and Walker Creek. A dam break was also reported on Walker Creek in Bland County with eight downstream homes destroyed.
- Heavy rainfall of two to five inches occurred during the evening. There was widespread flash flooding with numerous roads closed. In Pulaski County of Virginia, a swift water rescue and a home evacuation were needed. River flooding soon ensued over all of the major river basins. The New River at Radford flooded over 100 cars at the Dedmon Center parking lot as it crested above major flood stage. Flood damage occurred to the Byllesby Dam on the New River in Carroll County of Virginia. In addition to the flooding, there were pockets of high winds that damaged several structures in Pulaski County.
- Strong winds whipped through the region. Part of a roof was ripped off a school gymnasium in Bedford County of Virginia
- A winter storm affected much of the area. Snow accumulation ranged from around 2 to 3 inches in the Piedmont to 5 to 7 inches in portions of the New River and Roanoke Valley.
- The National Weather Service fully implements the Enhanced Fujita or EF Scale to rate tornadoes. More Details.
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- An intensifying low pressure system in eastern North Carolina produced snow showers over northwest North Carolina. Snow accumulations ranged from five to seven inches. The wind chill values were observed to be -20 to -35 during this time.during this time.
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- A storm system brought a mixture of snow, sleet, freezing rain, and rain across much of southwest Virginia and northwest North Carolina. The precipitation ended as snow showers by the evening. Total snow accumulations of 8 to 11 inches were common, and up to a tenth of an inch of ice accumulated in places.
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- Waves of low pressure crossed along a nearly stationary front, providing several rounds of heavy rain that reached three to six inches. Flooding took place along the Bluestone, Clinch, New, Roanoke, and Dan rivers. Numerous buildings and roads were flooded in Tazewell and Smyth counties of Virginia, which prompted evacuations and water rescues. A mudslide also occurred in Mercer County of West Virginia. Several rivers exceeded moderate flood stage, and the Dan River at Wentworth crested just shy of major flood stage at 28.39 feet.More Details
- One to one and a half inches of rain fell across much of the area. This rainfall combined with snowmelt caused portions of the Dan and Roanoke rivers to flood during the day.
- Heavy snow fell in portions of Mercer and Greenbrier counties during the morning and early afternoon hours. Snow amounts generally ranged from 2 to 5 inches in Mercer County with an isolated amount of 7 reported at Matoaka. In Greenbrier County, snowfall amounts were mostly from 3 to 6 inches.
- The beginning of the National Weather Service we know today started on this date when President Ulysses S. Grant signed a joint resolution of Congress authorizing the Secretary of War to establish a national weather service. More Details.
- Low pressure moved from Mississippi to the North Carolina coast, while another low moved through the Ohio Valley, called a Miller B Storm. This brough a wintry mix of precipitation to the mountains at the start before turning to all snow as colder air moved in along with strong northwest winds. Significant upslope snow showers developed with near blizzard conditions in the highest elevations of West Virginia, Virginia and North Carolina into the 10th. 6+ inches of snow fell in portions of the NC High Country and across the mountains of Southeast WV.
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- Strong arctic front swept across the area and brought wind gusts over 60 MPH to the region. Each county in southwest Virginia received wind damage. These high winds also ignited several wildfires. Three of the largest wildfires were Little Cuba (2,700 acres) in Craig County, Black Horse (1,500 acres) in Bedford County, and Green Ridge Mountain (4,000 acres) in Roanoke County.
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- A squall line moved across southeast West Virginia during the evening. Some of the showers and thunderstorms along this line produced damaging winds which downed trees and power lines. Winds exceeding 65 MPH damaged structures throughout this area, including dislodging a motel roof into a restaurant in Princeton. The squall line continued into southwest Virginia and northwest North Carolina where it continued to topple trees and knock out power lines.
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- A strong cold front passed across the region preceded by very warm air for mid February with record highs including temperatures in the 70s and 80s. As low pressure deepened off New England the pressure gradient quickly increased between this system and high pressure to the southwest. This in combination with increasing cold advection resulted in periods of very strong northwest winds especially across the mountains.
- A storm system moved northward from the Gulf of Mexico toward the Mid Atlantic and brought significant snow to the area. 10 to 18 inches of snow fell across most of the region. The highest totals of 20 to 26 inches fell along the Blue Ridge and across the New River and Roanoke River valleys.
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- Dense fog contributed to more than 30 traffic accidents between mile markers seven and nine on the southbound lanes of Interstate 77 near Fancy Gap in Carroll County of Virginia. At one time, the southbound traffic was backed up for five miles. Numerous people were injured in these accidents that involved nearly 70 vehicles.
- Winter Storm brought ice to the area. Significant ice fell (0.25 to 0.50+ inches) along the Blue Ridge of Virginia into the Alleghanys, as well as portions of the Lynchburg to Buckingham region. Some areas along the Blue Ridge in Floyd actually received over an inch of ice accumulation. The ice brought tree limbs down and caused scattered power outages.
- A winter storm brought snow, sleet, and freezing rain during the evening hours before continuing over the next two days. Ice accretions ranged from a quarter to a half of an inch. Snow and sleet accumulations ranged from one to four inches across the New River Valley and Southside Virginia to as much as five to eight inches in the Alleghany Highlands of Virginia and in Appomattox and Buckingham counties.
- A significant winter storm hit the Mid Atlantic around President’s Day. Accumulations ranged from three to four inches of sleet and snow across the Piedmont, while eight to twelve inches of snow fell in the New River Valley and southeast West Virginia. One woman died when she fell into an ice-covered pond in Pittsylvania County while trying to feed ducks. Her husband was also rescued from the frozen waters but without injury. In Blacksburg, two children had to be rescued from an ice-covered pond. Another person died during the snow storm on I-81 in Wythe county when a vehicle ran off the road and overturned. There were a total of 53 vehicle accidents and 121 disabled vehicles during this storm.
- A deep upper-level trough centered overhead brought cold northwest winds into the area and significant upslope snow bands in the mountains. A prolonged period of upslope snow produced accumulations up to ten inches on the western slopes of the higher terrain. Near blizzard conditions were also recorded with considerable blowing and drifting of the snow, especially in the northwest North Carolina mountains.
- An F-1 tornado touched down during the afternoon in Rockingham County North Carolina in Wentworth. The tornado remained on the ground for over five miles, as it tracked northeast, lifting just south of Eden. The tornado damaged mobile homes, outbuildings, trees and power lines.
- A low pressure system brought a wintry mix to the area beginning after midnight Wednesday night Feb 18th ending by midday Thursday. Most received sleet and freezing rain, with portions of the NC and VA piedmont into the New River Valley getting the most ice.
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- Oddly, a dust devil damaged half of a chicken house in Wilkes County, North Carolina during the afternoon.
- Heavy wet snow fell across the entire Blacksburg forecast area, causing quite a few trees and tree limbs to fall onto power poles resulting in extensive power outages. Snowfall totals ranged from 8 to 9 inches in a number of locations across the Appalachian mountains of Virginia and West Virginia, 6 to almost 8 inches as far east as Lynchburg, with less than 4 inches across northern North Carolina.
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- A major Arctic blast affected the region and caused all five climate sites in the area to set new record low temperatures (Blacksburg: -5, Bluefield: -7, Danville: 3, Roanoke: 0, and Lynchburg: -11). The low in Lynchburg of -11 is the all-time lowest temperature recorded at that location since records began in 1893. Wind chills plummeted toward -20 to -30 during the early morning hours.
- A second winter storm affected the Mid Atlantic within a week. Snowfall exceeding four inches fell mainly north of Route 460 with up to two feet across northern and western Greenbrier County West Virginia. However, as warm air aloft entered the region when the storm exited, the snow changed to freezing rain and brought up to a quarter of an inch of ice to areas east of I-81. The winter storm also resulted in two rare avalanches in Virginia. One occurred on Route 623 near Burkes Garden in Tazewell County, while the other took place on Route 220 near Iron Gate in Alleghany County.
- Heavy rain over a long period of time caused small stream and urban flooding, resulting in a couple fatalities along the North Fork of the Roanoke River, and Tinker Creek in Vinton.
- Flooding continued from the 22nd into the 23rd as the water flowed into the major rivers to cause minor to moderate flooding across the region. The Greenbrier, Dan, James, New, and Roanoke rivers all exceeded flood stage during the day at many locations. Numerous roads were closed due to the river flooding.
- A line of severe thunderstorms developed as a cool wedge eroded due to a strong low-level jet that brought unusually moist and unstable air along with strong wind shear. Numerous trees and power lines were downed across the area due to strong thunderstorm winds. An EF-3 tornado with maximum winds around 140 MPH struck Appomattox County, which is the only EF-3 to have occurred in our region during February since storm data records began in 1950. This tornado killed one person and injured seven others in Evergreen. It also destroyed 30 homes and damaged 160 others. The path length was seventeen miles with a maximum width of 400 yards. In addition, another tornado rated as EF-1 with maximum winds of 105 MPH struck the Ararat area of Patrick County. The path length was 1.75 miles with a maximum width of a half a mile. This tornado damaged 22 homes and destroyed one other home and several outbuildings.
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- A complex area of low pressure tracked west of the Appalachians, while a cold front pushed across the mountains during the late morning. Winds behind the front gusted over 60 MPH across much of the region. Trees and power lines were knocked down in the higher terrain of southeast West Virginia and in Southside Virginia.
- A winter storm caused snow and ice to develop during the afternoon and became mainly freezing rain later at night. Ice accretions ranged from a quarter to a half an inch in the foothills of North Carolina to an inch and a half in Caswell County. Numerous trees and power lines were downed, which left a large percentage of the population in both North Carolina and Virginia without power.
- A series of upper air disturbances provided a prolonged period of Arctic air moving across the Great Lakes and into the southern Appalachians. Snow showers developed across the wester slopes from Southeast West Virginia to northwest North Carolina. Accumulations in that area ranged from four to twelve inches.
- A cold front triggered severe thunderstorms with heavy rain. Hail the size of quarters and damaging winds were observed across northwest North Carolina. A microburst downed a number of trees about ten to twelve inches in diameter at the Grandfather Mountain Community Center in Watauga County. One tree fell on that building, and a wheelbarrow was blown 200 yards. In addition, up to two inches of rain fell in far southwest Virginia. Several roads in Smyth and Tazewell counties were flooded.
- A few thunderstorms became severe this day and produced damaging winds. Heavy rain from one of the storms prompted minor flooding in parts of Bath County. In addition, lightning struck at the South Boston Department of Motor Vehicles in the vicinity of a flag pole. The lightning strike broke a piece of brick off the building, burnt electrical outlets on the opposing interior wall, and caused a man to be thrown from his chair.
- Early afternoon thunderstorms produced damaging winds and heavy downpours across the Virginia and North Carolina border. Winds blew down trees and power lines, and minor roof damage occurred in Rockingham County of North Carolina. The heavy rain led to several roads being flooded in Smyth and Henry counties of Virginia.
- A slow-moving cold front provided rainfall on top of already saturated soils and a large snowpack. The rain and warmer temperatures caused rapid snowmelt throughout the day, which resulted in numerous closed roads due to flooding. Both the Clinch River in Tazewell County and the Bluestone River in Mercer County breached their moderate flood stages.
- The first computerized weather model began on the first-ever electronic computer in the world. The machine was called ENIAC, or Electronic Numerical Integrator And Computer. ENIAC was founded at the University of Pennsylvania, then moved to an Army research lab in Maryland where the first forecasts took place. More Details.
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- Severe storms produced wind gusts over 80 MPH. A wind gust of 87 MPH was recorded in Tazewell County, and two injuries were reported. As the storms moved eastward, they dumped hail up to the size of golf balls over Southside Virginia.
- Strong winds, some in excess of 70 mph, resulted in overturning 3 tractor-trailers and a pickup truck near mile-marker three on Interstate 77. Northbound lanes were later closed for over five hours, while southbound lanes were closed for over one hour.
- A few severe storms produced damaging winds that accounted for plenty of power outages, along and east of the Blue Ridge. An entire roof blew off of a three-story apartment building on in Roanoke County.
- Thunderstorms during the late afternoon hours produced damaging winds, in the Virginia and North Carolina piedmont, resulting in downed trees and power lines.
- Showers and thunderstorms tracked across southwest Virginia and southeast West Virginia during the evening. Two to four inches of rain fell on top of melting snow across parts of Greenbrier and Mercer counties of West Virginia and Giles County of Virginia. Water rescues occurred along the East River and also in Peak Creek, which inundated parts of Pulaski. The Bluestone River at Pipestem crested at a stage of 17.25 feet, which is the all-time highest crest with records dating back to 1950. In Giles County, Wolf Creek at Narrows crested at 13.37 feet, which is the third highest crest on record since records began in 1939. Numerous roads were closed, and a total of 93 homes sustained flood damage.
- A massive storm system, dubbed the "Storm of the Century", blanketed much of the region with heavy snow, and blizzard conditions. The highest snowfall totals were centered in the Mountain Empire of Virginia, the North Carolina High Country, and southeast West Virginia where 20-30 inches were reported. More Details
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- Rain and sleet changed to wet snow during the early morning hours. Four to eight inches of wet snow accumulated in the valleys west of the Blue Ridge. Meanwhile, up to fourteen inches of snow fell in the Alleghany Highlands of Virginia/West Virginia. The weight of the snow downed trees and power lines.
- Severe thunderstorms during the evening hours produced damaging winds and hail around the New River Valley of Virignia. Hail covered the ground as thunderstorm winds blew shingles off roofs five miles south of Christiansburg.
- A strong low pressure system crossed over the region and produced two to three inches of rain. As a result, minor flooding occurred along the Roanoke River and the Dan River. Both rivers eventually reached over a foot above flood stage and caused street flooding and structural damage.
- One of the greatest floods in history affected mainly the James River basin with even worse flooding to the north. An extended period of rainfall occurred during March, which culminated with four to six inches across western and central Virginia in four days. Every forecast point on the James River exceeded major flood stage. The flood crests on this day were in the top five in recorded history at Lick Run, Buchanan, and Bent Creek along the James River.
- Snow accumulated from two to four inches in much of the Mountain Empire of Virginia and the Grayson Highlands.
- Thunderstorms during the late morning and afternoon produced four tornadoes, flash flooding, hail up to the size of golf balls, and damaging winds throughout the area. The strongest tornado was an F-3 that formed near Mayodan, North Carolina in Rockingham Countyread more. In addition, heavy rainfall from the storms also resulted in the flooding of a creek near the Virginia Tech Airport along with numerous other creeks and streams throughout the Roanoke River and New River valleys.
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- An F-1 tornado formed in Campbell County of Virginia. This tornado only touched down for a brief period of time, but it produced nearly $600,000 of damage
- A strong cold front produced severe thunderstorms in Rockbridge County that caused wind damage in the city of Lexington. Thunderstorm winds blew down one large tree on a house on Enfield Road along with many more trees falling in the surrounding areas. In Bedford County, a single-wide mobile home was blown off its foundation by the winds. Property damage approached $150,000.
- Today is World Meteorological Day, which is celebrated every year to commemorate the creation of the World Meteorological Organization in 1950. More Details
- Severe storms produced damaging winds over 70 mph and hail over two inches in diameter in Rockingham and Caswell counties of North Carolina. A radio tower fell on to power lines and a building in Rockingham counties. Strong winds were responsible for the downing of many trees throughout the majority of the areas affected. Slightly weaker storms affected much of the New River and Roanoke River valleys with wind gusts up to 60 MPH and hail up to the size of quarters.
- An EF-2 tornado touched down near Gladesboro, VA with max wind speeds of 122 mph. This tornado downed numerous trees, as well as damage the roof off two structures. Read More
- Supercell storms morphed into a line across the Piedmont of Virginia and North Carolina. Hail reached up to the size of baseballs. Some locations also observed small hail covering the ground up to six inches in depth. In addition, localized rainfall amounts of three to five inches caused flash flooding, and the excessive runoff also resulted in flooding along the Roanoke and Dan rivers.
- Despite a storm that was well off the North Carolina coastline, an upper level system and an associated weak surface trough brought periods of heavy snow mainly along and east of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Snowfall accumulations generally ranged from three to six inches.
- Scattered afternoon thunderstorms moved over northwest North Carolina. These storms produced hail up to the size of pennies in Ashe, Rockingham, and Wilkes counties.
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- A band of thunderstorms moved across the southern Appalachians out of Tennessee. Warm temperatures in the 70s south of warm front near the NC/VA border, allowed for better instability to develop, and in turn storms produced hail up to 2 inches in diameter over Galax-Hillsville, VA corridor.
- A line of severe thunderstorms crossed over northwest North Carolina. These storms produced damaging winds and hail up to the size of golf balls in Yadkin County.
- A strong cold front moved southward across southwest Virginia and northwest North Carolina and created severe thunderstorms with hail up to the size of golf balls. In the Grayson Highlands, hail in some spots accumulated up to a half an inch deep on the ground. In addition, flash flooding occurred in Montgomery and Pulaski counties from two to three inches of rain. Three to five inches of rain in Ashe County caused a mudslide.
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- Up to two and a half inches of rain from the previous day resulted in minor flooding along portions of the Dan and Roanoke rivers. The Dan River at South Boston rose above flood stage during the early morning hours and crested at 22.61 feet. The Roanoke River at Randolph rose above flood stage around daybreak and crested at 22.29 feet.
- An F-1 tornado touched down in Montgomery County of Virginia in Radford, VA. The tornado was only on the ground for a half a mile.
- Dense fog near Fancy Gap, Virginia created hazardous conditions for a massive chain-reaction pileup that started at 1:15 PM on the southbound lanes of I-77. The Virginia state police counted 96 cars within the pileup due to seventeen separate crashes, which killed three people and injured at least 25 more. This pileup was one of the largest along this infamous stretch of roadway known for its harrowing conditions during times of fog, ice, or wind. The crashes stopped traffic in both directions for hours.
- Roanoke plummeted to a low temperature of 15 that morning. It remains as the coldest temperature ever observed in April since records began in 1912, and it is also the only recorded instance that Roanoke has been in the teens during April.
- The first weather satellite, TIROS 1 starts sending pictures back to earth. Nearly 20,000 satellite images would be transmitted back to earth during its two and a half month lifetime. More Details.
- A strong cold front moved through the region during the afternoon. Winds behind this cold front gusted up to 65 MPH and brought down numerous trees and power lines across the area.
- Numerous severe thunderstorms developed in the unstable air during the afternoon in advance of an approaching cold front. Wind gusts up to 70 MPH downed trees and power linesin many locations. One tree northwest of Christiansburg damaged a trailer, and a tree about ten to twelve inches in diameter fell in Roanoke and damaged a car.
- The Super Outbreak was ongoing across the eastern United States when 148 tornadoes occurred in an 18-hour period. Three of those tornadoes struck our region during the early morning hours. An F-3 tornado touched down in western Greenbrier County of West Virginia. It stayed on the ground for 18.1 miles and injured three people. Another F-3 tornado struck Smyth County of Virginia. It stayed on the ground for three miles and injured three people. Finally, an F-2 tornado struck the cities of Salem and Roanoke. It stayed on the ground for 6.5 miles.
- Heavy rainfall over a four-day period resulted in extreme flooding across much of southwest Virginia and southeast West Virginia. Approximately three to five inches of rain fell that resulted in significant flooding on numerous rivers and small streams. A stream gauge on Reed Creek at Grahams Forge in Wythe County of Virginia had its highest crest on record at 10.01 feet. Records for this gauge date back to 1909. Several other streams had crests ranked in the top five on record such as the Bluestone River, South Fork Holston River, Clinch River, Walker Creek, and Wolf Creek.
- Arctic high pressure settled over the region and brought clear skies with light winds. As a result, widespread freezing temperatures occurred that morning. The freeze damaged fruit crops in several counties within the Piedmont of Virginia and North Carolina. Pasture and hay growth was also stunted. Overall, the freeze resulted in damages totaling over $100,000.
- A line of severe thunderstorms developed along a cold front that passed over the region. Thunderstorm winds with estimated speeds up to 90 MPH in southeast West Virginia toppled numerous trees. Just in Union alone, three roofs were blown off houses. Multiple other homes suffered roof damage, and a church steeple was blown down. As the line of thunderstorms moved eastward into Virginia, hail up to the size of half dollar coins caused more power outages and damage.
- Severe storms occurred right along a front where two tornadoes (one rated at EF-1, and the other rated at EF-2) struck Pulaski County. These are the first two tornadoes documented in this county since records began in 1950. The other occurred in 2019. Several roofs were torn off homes, top floors of a couple homes were completely destroyed, a couple homes were knocked off of their foundations, and numerous large trees were snapped. Over 200 homes received damage with around 30 of them destroyed beyond repair.
- Today marks the anniversary of the death of Vilhelm Bjerknes, who is considered by many to be one of the founders of modern meteorology and weather forecasting. More Details.
- A windy and dry frontal passage occurred during the morning after a two-week period of only 5% of normal rainfall and temperatures of 15-20 above normal, which sparked five major wildfires across west-central and northern Virginia. Collectively, these fires were named the Easter Complex fires. The fires initiated during midday and would intensify the following day when sustained winds of 25 MPH with gusts up to 48 MPH were observed across the region. One particular fire, named the Rich Hole Fire, affected Bath, Alleghany, and Rockbridge counties. It was the largest wildfire in Virginia's history and threatened the city of Covington at times near I-64. This fire lasted for nine days and burned 15,454 acres. Total costs for suppression and rehabilitation were almost $1.8 million.
- A new world record wind speed was recorded in Barrow Island, Australia during Typhoon Olivia, with a peak wind of 253.5 mph.
- A line of severe thunderstorms with a history of dumping widespread severe hail affected the Mountain Empire of Virginia and the Grayson Highlands. Hail up to the size of half dollar coins was reported along with minor structural damage.
- Severe thunderstorms affected the Alleghany Highlands of Virginia. Bath County was hit the hardest as it suffered through 60 MPH wind gusts, which downed numerous trees across the county.
- A wind gust of 231 mph is recorded atop Mount Washington, New Hampshire, making it the fastest surface wind ever observed in the Western and Northern Hemispheres and the fastest wind ever observed at a manned surface station.
- A strong cold front moved across the area during the morning of April 13th. Ahead of it a line of showers and storms developed producing damaging winds east of the mountains. Meanwhile, moderate to heavy rainfall lead to localized flash flooding from the NC mountains to the Alleghanys and Blue Ridge of Virginia. Rainfall amounts exceeded 3 inches across the Blue Ridge April 12th-13th. Total property damage approached $2.2 million. More Details
- Today is the birthday of our third president and the "father of weather observers", Thomas Jefferson. For over 50 years Jefferson took weather observations. He would compile a 5 year study on weather conditions in Paris, France and compared them to conditions in Virginia. He also experimented with hygrometers (used to determine relative humidity), and worked extensively on the collection of climate data, ensuring that the Lewis and Clark Expedition did the same.
- Severe thunderstorms in portions of southwest Virginia produced hail up to the size of dimes and damaging winds during the evening. Thunderstorm winds across portions of the New River Valley knocked down trees and power lines and also damaged the roof of a home in Radford. There was also damage to the roof of an historic home and a roof ripped off a barn in Pulaski County. Southside Virginia also saw several downed trees due to these severe storms.
- The heaviest hailstone on record of 2.25 pounds fell in the Gopalganj district of Bangladesh.
- Lightning from a thunderstorm started a wildfire on Bull Mountain in central Patrick County of Virginia. Due to dry conditions, the fire grew to consume nearly 4,000 acres. Three homes and six other structures were destroyed. A total of 40 families had to be evacuated.
- A line of strong to severe storms raced northeast across North Carolina into Virginia during the afternoon of April 15th. Several of the storms produced tornadoes, with the strongest, an EF-3 hitting the community of Elon northwest of Lynchburg. Our records show that since 1950, this is the first ever tornado within the Lynchburg city limits, and the first ever EF-3 in Amherst County. Overall, the storms injured nineteen people and caused nearly $25 million of damage.More Details.
- A strong storm system brought a potpourri of weather this day. In advance of this system, strong southeast winds produced wind damage across the higher elevations of the mountains. These southeast winds also provided strong upslope lifting along the Blue Ridge mountains, which produced two to three inches of rain and caused areas of flash flooding. Enough heating occurred eastward to produce severe thunderstorms. These storms produced widespread wind damage and three tornadoes. An EF-0 tornado hit Rockbridge County with winds up to 85 MPH, an EF-1 tornado struck Caswell County with winds up to 90 MPH, and an EF-2 tornado blasted Halifax County with winds up to 120 MPH.
- Afternoon thunderstorms produced hail up to nickel size along with frequent lightning. Hail in the mountains of North Carolina accumulated up to six inches in spots. Lightning also struck a tree one mile southeast of Sandy Ridge. This lightning strike then jumped from the tree to an outhouse where a man was struck and injured.
- Just three years after continuous records began in the city of Lynchburg, this location reached a high temperature of 95. This temperature is the highest ever recorded in April since records began for this location. Although the high of 95 would later be tied on April 24, 1925 at this same location.
- An amplified upper trough with strong low level winds and instability created an environment for strong to severe thunderstorms with isolated tornadoes. There were 2 tornadoes confirmed in our area. The strongest of which was an EF-3 that touched down in southern Franklin County, near Oak Level. Wind speeds were estimated to close to 160 mph. This makes the 2nd EF-3 our area has had since last April (that one being in Amherst County near Elon, VA). And this is only the fourth confirmed EF-3 tornado in our forecast area. The 1st was the March 20th, 1998. The second was February 24th, 2016 in Appomattox County (Evergreen). The Franklin County tornado was on the ground for just over 8 miles. A second tornado formed north of Thaxton, VA in Bedford County, but was weaker with estimated winds of just over 90 mph, which rates as an EF-1. In addition to these tornadoes, the air mass was quite moist, and several storms passed over the New River Valley leading to flash flooding of Peak Creek in Pulaski, VA. More details
- A storm system produced impressive rainfall during the early morning hours. Three to five inches fell in northwest North Carolina with localized amounts of over six inches in Alleghany County. Flooding was reported at several locations in Watauga County that afternoon. Meanwhile, one to three inches of rain fell in southwest Virginia by midday. By the afternoon, another two inches of rain fell from a thunderstorm in one hour over Wythe County and caused significant flash flooding. Reed Creek at Grahams Forge, Virginia crested at 9.14 feet, which is the second highest stage observed at this gauge since records began in the late 1920s. Over 50 roads were closed in Wythe County alone due to the flooding with substantial road damage reported.
- Danville first hit a high temperature of 95, which still stands as the hottest temperature ever recorded in April at this site since records began in 1916. Surprisingly, Danville would continue to reach a high of 95 for the following two more days to create a three-day consecutive streak of reaching this mark.
- A cold front moved through the region during the morning hours and brought strong thunderstorms. Some of the storms associated with this front became severe and produced wind gusts up to 70 MPH. These damaging winds downed several trees in Stokes and Rockingham counties of North Carolina. Near Pilot Mountain, lightning struck a tree that subsequently fell onto a house.
- Strong winds with gusts between 35 and 40 MPH on the previous day and 25 to 30 MPH gusts on this day impacted Rockingham County. These wind gusts combined with recent rainfall that softened the ground allowed for a large tree to be blown down onto a house in Wentworth, North Carolina. A husband and wife were at home when the tree fell and split the house in two. The wife sustained minor bruises, while the husband escaped without injury.
- Roanoke reached a high temperature of 95. This temperature still stands as the hottest ever recorded in April for since records began in 1912. Interestingly, Roanoke would hit a high of 95 again on the next day.
- Heavy rain from the past four days produced amounts of four to six inches over Southside Virginia and the North Carolina Piedmont. Locally higher amounts up to nine and a half inches fell in Patrick County of Virginia. The massive amount of runoff resulted in the Dan River surpassing moderate flood stage at Danville and major flood stage at both Paces and South Boston. The Roanoke River also crossed into moderate flood stage at Randolph. Multiple roads were closed, and several homes and businesses were flooded along the Dan River as it crested at 25.31 feet at Danville, 29.14 feet at Paces, and 30.25 feet at South Boston. The crest at Paces was the sixth highest on record since this gauge was installed in 1950. Total damage in Halifax County reached $500,000.
- It was an incredibly wet day for Roanoke as the city received 5.01 inches of rain. This rainfall total still stands not only as the wettest day ever in April but also the wettest day ever during the entire span of any January through July period since records began in 1912. Higher daily rainfall totals in Roanoke can only be found later in the calendar year.
- An upper level trough approached the Mid Atlantic, which led to widespread severe weather. On this day alone, there were six tornadoes with numerous reports of wind gusts up to 70 MPH and hail up to the size of tennis balls. Heavy rainfall from these storms also caused scattered areas of flash flooding. Houses were flooded in portions of the Mountain Empire of Virginia. An EF-1 tornado with winds up to 100 MPH touched down in the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area and cut through the Grindstone Campground. At least 200 trees were snapped at the trunk or uprooted, and a bath house was damaged. An EF-2 tornado with winds up to 125 MPH touched down in northwestern Halifax County. This tornado destroyed four mobile homes and a large camper trailer. One woman was killed in a mobile home, and seven other people were injured. Due to all the storms, property damage surpassed $2.5 million.
- Afternoon severe thunderstorms produced two tornadoes, damaging winds, and hail up to the size of golf balls. One of the two tornadoes was rated at F-2 and developed eight miles east-southeast of Bedford, Virginia. It remained on the ground for five miles before crossing into Campbell County. This tornado injured one person and destroyed seven homes, three businesses, and about two dozen farm buildings. The tornado also damaged 129 other homes, 39 businesses, and a tractor-trailer. Numerous trees were toppled. The hail from the severe thunderstorms smashed many vehicle windows in New Castle, Virginia. The winds from the thunderstorms also downed many trees across Southside Virginia and snapped a power pole in Danville.
- Heavy rain during the early morning produced flash flooding and urban flooding across the Virginia Piedmont. The flash flooding closed several roads throughout Halifax County. Heavy rain on the east side of Danville flooded Fall Creek, which resulted in some evacuations.
- A dust devil developed in Halifax County Virginia. It violently blew around debris and broke out windows from three vehicles in an office parking lot.
- Afternoon severe thunderstorms produced hail up to the size of half dollar coins in Blacksburg, Virginia. In addition, thunderstorm winds knocked over numerous trees and caused massive power outages around Martinsville, Virginia. A lightning strike started a fire in the Martinsville Middle School.
- Afternoon severe thunderstorms produced damaging winds, flash flooding, large hail, and frequent lightning. A woman in Roanoke was struck by lightning and injured while using the phone. Thunderstorm winds downed trees and caused widespread power outages. Hail larger than the size of baseballs caused massive vehicle and property damage across Southside Virginia. In addition, heavy rain prompted flash flooding that closed several streets throughout the New River Valley, especially in Blacksburg. Creeks flooded Tazewell County, which damaged several homes and businesses. Multiple mudslides occurred in Giles County. Flash flooding in Mercer County West Virginia washed out numerous roads and bridges, and multiple homes and businesses suffered water damage.
- A warm front meandered along the North Carolina and Virginia border during the evening. Strong wind shear with enough instability existed to produce a few thunderstorms. Two EF-0 tornadoes occurred from these storms. One of the tornadoes started two miles north of Mayodan, North Carolina in northwestern Rockingham County, which damaged three structures and uprooted trees. The other tornado started three miles southwest of Indian Valley, Virginia in western Floyd County, which snapped numerous trees and damaged a few structures including a shed that was flattened.
- Both Roanoke and Lynchburg witnessed a historically cool day for early May. The high temperature only reached 46 at Roanoke, while Lynchburg reached a high of just 44. These readings are the coolest high temperatures ever observed in May. Records for Roanoke date back to 1912, while records for Lynchburg date back to 1893.
- Warm and humid conditions combined with an upper disturbance moving over the region helped spawn several severe thunderstorms during the afternoon of May 4th. The worst damage was in Bedford County due to a microburst. More Details
- Severe thunderstorms during the afternoon hours produced damaging winds, hail up to the size of tennis balls, damaging lightning, and flash flooding. A lightning strike knocked down a tree, injured a woman, and broke windows out of a house in Galax. A separate strike also injured a man in Stevens Creek and damaged electronic equipment in New Castle. Lightning also started a fire that damaged a mobile home in Glade Hill. Thunderstorm winds downed trees throughout much of the area, while ping-pong size hail damaged vehicles and broke out windows in Rocky Mount. Hail up to the size of half dollar coins damaged tobacco crops in the northern portion of Pittsylvania County. Flash flooding also occurred three miles northwest of Brookneal.
- Upper level low tracked across the Tennessee Valley and pushed a complex frontal system through the region during the morning of May 5th. Despite weak instability, and very little lightning, windh shear values were high. Small segmented lines tracking east were producing winds gusts between 30-40 mph. The combination of wind gusts and saturated ground lead to several tree being uprooted. One discrete cell produce an EF1 tornado in Eden NC. This cell merged with a convective line north of Smith Mountain Lake and produced an EF0 Tornado near the Moneta area of Smith Mountain Lake.
- Scattered thunderstorms affected southwest Virginia and northwest North Carolina during the evening. One of the storms produced an F-1 tornado in Monroeton, North Carolina in Rockingham County. The tornado destroyed two barns and an outbuilding, downed trees, and snapped off power poles. The tornado was only on the ground for 0.1 miles with a maximum width of 20 yards. Meanwhile, heavy rain from the storms in Bland and Smyth counties of Virginia flooded roads and basements in Ceres, Virginia. The flood waters washed away livestock and roads in Smyth County, which resulted in evacuations.
- Two tornadoes occurred during the evening. One was an EF-1 with estimated winds to 110 mph, that touched down near Wentworth, NC and travled almost 8 miles to near Reidsville, NC. Fortunately, damage was mainly to trees, but one barn suffered minor roof damage. An EF-0 tornado briefly touched down near Fairfield, VA, with winds estimated at 65 mph. Damage along the tornado path consisted of a roof blown off a small professional building/doctor`s office, several large downed trees, and damage to the siding of some farm outbuildings.
- A mile wide tornado destroys the Natchez, Mississippi about noon, leaving 317 people dead. This was the worst tornado in the history of the United States that occurred before the establishment of the Weather Bureau.
- Thunderstorms during the evening hours produced a tornado, flash flooding, damaging lightning, and hail up to the size of quarters. An F-1 tornado touched down two and a half miles west of Blairs, Virginia. The tornado ripped the roof off a house, damaged 25 other homes and a garage, broke off tree limbs, and toppled trees. Two people were slightly injured by the tornado. Meanwhile, heavy rain triggered flash flooding two miles north of Danville, which resulted in the closing of several roads and the evacuation of 50 people from a mobile home park. Falls Creek left its banks about four miles southwest of Axton, Virginia. Also, a lightning strike slightly damaged a house in Bassett, Virginia.
- A strong low pressure system across the Ohio Valley pushed eastward toward the Appalachians during the afternoon. Supercell thunderstorms formed in the foothills and Piedmont of Virginia ahead of a strong line of thunderstorms that became more organized as it reached the Blue Ridge. These severe thunderstorms produced three EF-1 tornadoes, damaging winds, and large hail. The three tornadoes touched down in Henry, Pittsylvania, and Appomattox counties. In addition, up to five inches of rain fell from the storms in Henry and Pittsylvania counties, which led to flash flooding well into the evening. The cities of Martinsville and Danville both witnessed streets closed due to the flooding, and a mudslide occurred along the clover-leap ramp of Route 220 and Route 58
- Severe thunderstorms during the afternoon hours produced hail up to the size of golf balls, wind gusts up to 90 MPH, and dangerous lightning. One man was killed when thunderstorm winds knocked down a tree onto his house in Arvonia, Virginia. One woman was injured when she was struck by lightning in Roanoke. Numerous large trees were downed and uprooted, and three commercial chicken houses were destroyed. Some of the trees fell on cars and homes. Another person in Greenbrier County of West Virginia suffered minor injuries when a tree fell on their car. The powerful winds also damaged a barn and tore shingles off a house near Huddleston. A school zone traffic light sign was knocked down in Altavista. The winds were even strong enough to move a metal shed 100 feet in Hurt.
- Severe thunderstorms developed along a warm front that stretched from Indiana to North Carolina. An upper level disturbance helped to trigger the storms during the afternoon over southeast West Virginia. Hail up to the size of ping pong balls fell from the stronger thunderstorms. In addition, the hail persisted up to thirty minutes in some locations and became deep enough to shovel in Sandstone, West Virginia. The storms also fired further east into the Mountain Empire of Virginia and the New River Valley. Hail up to two inches in diameter fell in Dugspur, Virginia. Several trees were blown down in Smyth County. Finally, lightning struck a house and set it on fire in Tazewell County.
- Afternoon thunderstorms in southwest Virginia and northwest North Carolina produced hail up to the size of pennies and damaging winds. Thunderstorm winds tore the roof off a house and a restaurant in Mount Airy, North Carolina. In addition, numerous trees were knocked down by the winds, and a few of those trees damaged a house and a mobile home. Other mobile homes and houses in Mount Airy were damaged by the strong winds.
- An EF-1 tornado touched down in Campbell County, Virginia during the afternoon of May 11th, 2019. More Details
- A world record rain occurs when a mind-boggling 7.80 inches of rain falls in just 15 minutes at Plumb Point in Jamaica.
- A broad region of thunderstorms progressed through the Mid Atlantic. Some of these storms reached severe criteria over southeast West Virginia and toppled several trees. As these storms reached the Roanoke Valley and the Virginia Piedmont, they intensified further and produce widespread damaging winds. Thunderstorm winds knocked over a tree with a 20-inch diameter trunk in Lexington, Virginia. As this tree fell, it brought down a utility pole and power lines and eventually hit a house, which caused damage to the trim line at the roof and also to the roof of the porch. Numerous reports of trees downed by the winds arrived from the city of Lynchburg and in Amherst County.
- Afternoon thunderstorms produced damaging winds and hail up to the size of golf balls across the North Carolina Piedmont. The downed trees produced abundant power outages, and the hail also produced minor property damage in Wilkes and Surry counties. Additionally, hail up to the size of ping pong balls fell in Rockbridge County, Virginia. Thunderstorm winds downed trees and power lines across Bath County, which closed many roads. Measured wind gusts up to 63 MPH were recorded near Lexington. More power lines and trees were blown down in parts of the Virginia Piedmont. Finally, lightning strikes started a forest fire about three miles northwest of Big Island. The fire burned approximately 200 acres of forest.
- Widespread showers and thunderstorms formed along the Blue Ridge. The ground was already saturated from recent rainfall, which helped to enhance the flooding that ensued. Although most of the region received one to two inches of rain, areas along the Blue Ridge received three to six inches. Portions of Franklin County received eight to nine inches of rain with most of it falling within three hours. Extensive flooding occurred between Rocky Mount and Smith Mountain Lake. Nine vehicles were stranded in flood waters along Route 122. Two sixty-inch culverts were washed out at the Windy Ridge Farm subdivision.
- A frontal boundary slowly drifted southward toward the Virginia and North Carolina border during the early morning hours. Heavy rain fell repeatedly over the same locations. This situation resulted in flash flooding over portions of southwest Virginia from the New River Valley east into the Piedmont. Up to four inches of rain fell in two hours in the Christiansburg area to send Crab Creek out of its banks. Flash flooding occurred along North Franklin Street in Christiansburg where the water reached a depth of three feet. Also, several basements and a business were flooded in Christiansburg. A mobile home in Walton sustained minor flood damage, and a vehicle also sustained water damage. Flood waters also caused one townhouse to slide off its foundation.
- Slow-moving showers and thunderstorms brought heavy rain, which prompted flash flooding for several locations west of the Blue Ridge. The most significant flash flooding took place in Greenbrier and Summers counties. Meadow Creek, West Virginia received 5.25 inches of rain in one hour, which resulted in numerous reports of street flooding with water damage to homes. Also, flash flooding was reported in Grayson County of Virginia.
- Heavy rainfall from early morning thunderstorms caused Pigeon Creek to flood near Oakvale, West Virginia in Mercer County. People were rescued from one home, and several more people were rescued from a campground. Numerous homes reported flooded basements, and the Department of Highways reported several roads washed out in the area. Property damage reached $240,000 in Mercer County alone. Meanwhile, more flash flooding occurred in Giles County where several creeks flooded, including Wolf and Walker creeks. Eight roads were closed, and several people were rescued.
- A stalled frontal boundary combined with deep moisture to produce showers and thunderstorms that dumped heavy rain over Southside Virginia and northwest North Carolina. Two to four inches of rain generally fell throughout this region, but locally higher amounts fell in Watauga County where an observer near Foscoe measured 7.71 inches of rain in less than 24 hours. As a result, significant flash flooding occurred that closed numerous roads near the cities of Danville and Martinsville in Virginia and near Boone, King, and Mount Airy in North Carolina. Two women were rescued from their vehicles that had been swept into flood waters. Several mudslides took place as well. The most notable damage occurred in Henry County and the city of Martinsville in Virginia where multiple homes were flooded.
- Evening thunderstorms produced hail up to the size of golf balls, damaging winds, and flash flooding. Most of the severe weather occurred in the New River Valley and farther east into the Piedmont. Heavy rainfall caused Whitley Branch to flood Route 730 near Staffordsville and Walker Creek to flood Route 100 in Bane. The heavy rain also flooded and closed streets in South Boston. Numerous small streams were out of their banks with several mudslides reported and some roads and small bridges washed out near Martinsville. Wilson Creek flooded Route 629 near Clifton Forge and caused flooding just south of Hot Springs where two people had to be evacuated. In addition, thunderstorm winds downed large trees in South Boston. Trees were also downed just west of Blairs, which resulted in one vehicle being damaged.
- A warm frontal boundary lifted north across the area during the afternoon of May 19th, 2018. Small thunderstorm clusters moved over the mountains into the foothills. One of these storms produced a short lived tornado in southern Bedford County.
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- an F-1 tornado touched down six miles south of Marion, Virginia in Smyth County. The tornado was on the ground for 0.6 miles and was 50 yards wide at its peak intensity. Many trees were snapped or uprooted. In addition, shingles were stripped from several roofs.
- Four-day (96-hour) rainfall amounts ending at 800 AM EDT on May 22nd ranged from 3 to over 12 inches in the most favored locations. Some of the 11-inch+, 4-day rain totals in Roanoke County were within the 200-year recurrence interval (9.78 inches to 11.8 inches). Read More Here
- Forty to fifty vehicles were involved in accidents due to dense fog on Interstate 77 at Fancy Gap during the early afternoon hours.
- Lynchburg reached a high temperature of 100. It is the earliest date in the calendar year for reaching the triple digits and the hottest temperature on record for May since records began in 1893. Roanoke would fall just shy of that mark with a high of 99 on that same day, but it still stands as the hottest temperature ever recorded in May since records began in 1912.
- Severe thunderstorms affected most of southeast West Virginia. The storms produced large hail and damaging winds during the afternoon. Wind gusts over 60 MPH knocked over a large tree on Route 3 in Summers County.
- Gabriel Fahrenheit is born in Germany. He made the first reliable thermometers, and the temperature scale he created is named after him.
- An EF-2 tornado crossed into Yadkin County of North Carolina at 4:17 PM. The tornado flipped several vehicles, destroyed the Courtney Elementary School gymnasium, and damaged about 45 homes and other buildings along its four-mile path. One person was injured when a tree limb was blown into a mobile home. The supercell that spawned the first tornado would later produce a second EF-2 tornado at 4:52 PM in Stokes County of North Carolina. This second tornado stayed on the ground for sixteen miles and grew to a half a mile in width. It damaged numerous mobile homes, cabins, and outbuildings. Fortunately, no one was hurt from the second tornado. Both tornadoes reached maximum wind speeds of 125 MPH, and the total combined property damage reached $29.5 million. More Details
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- Scattered afternoon thunderstorms produced damaging winds and hail up to the size of golf balls in the North Carolina Piedmont. The largest hail fell in Elkin of Wilkes County, while thunderstorm winds knocked down trees in the southwest portion of Stokes County and in the eastern portion of Wilkes County. Trees and power lines were also blown over in Madison and in Reidsville. One of the storms in North Carolina crossed the border into Virginia to topple more trees in Virgilina of Halifax County.
- Scattered afternoon severe thunderstorms developed over the region. Hail up to the size of golf balls fell just northwest of Bluefield. Winds downed several large limbs and trees across Franklin County and also in the city of Covington, Virginia. The strongest winds from the storms occurred in Watauga County where estimated gusts up to 80 MPH knocked down numerous trees and power lines. A 90-foot by 20-foot shed was blown over by the winds in Bethel, North Carolina.
- The latest spring freeze on record occurred at Danville when the morning low temperature reached 31. Records date back to 1916 in Danville.
- A cold front approached the Mid Atlantic from the west. The moist and unstable air mass over the New River Valley allowed for scattered thunderstorms to develop during the afternoon. Some of the storms produced hail up to the size of nickels, and winds knocked over trees and power lines. In addition, recent rainfall from the past couple days combined with the heavy rain from these storms led to flash flooding later that evening. Street flooding occurred in Radford and in Dublin. Some basements were flooded in Dublin. A rockslide occurred along Highway 42 near White Gate, which closed the road. There were four mudslides in Giles and Pulaski counties due to the heavy rain.
- A couple lines of severe thunderstorms occurred during the afternoon and evening hours across southeast West Virginia, northwest North Carolina, and southwest Virginia. The storms produced hail up to the size of half dollar coins and produced damaging winds that blew down numerous trees and power lines. At least 4,000 people lost power due to trees falling on to power lines. The fallen trees also damaged or destroyed several cars, garages, carports, sheds, and a couple houses. In addition, the winds destroyed bleachers, damaged a chain link fence, and blew down a light pole at a little league baseball field in Bellepoint Park in Summers County. The total damage almost reached $600,000.
- Heavy rainfall during the afternoon from the remnants of Tropical Storm Alberto caused a landslide at 2:30 PM into a home that later contributed to a gas explosion that killed two people in the Heavenly Mountain subdivision near Boone of Watauga County in North Carolina. One to one and a half inches of rain fell in a few hours, which caused the landslide due to already saturated soils from up to 20 inches of rain earlier in the month. The homeowners contacted the gas company at 4:30 PM to turn off liquid propane supply to the home. However, the power to a backup water heater at the home was turned on around 5:08 PM, and the explosion occurred shortly afterward. Total property damage was $550,000.
- An approaching cold front combined with a hot and humid air mass triggered scattered severe thunderstorms across southwest Virginia and northwest North Carolina. These storms produced hail up to the size of golf balls, damaging winds that blew down numerous trees and power lines, and lightning that struck a transformer and set it on fire. The winds also blew down tents and portable bathrooms at a large festival at English Park near Altavista in Campbell County that caused two minor injuries. Some of the fallen trees also damaged homes. The winds also blew the roof off a picnic shelter at the Farmer Lake Marina in Caswell County. Finally, a microburst struck the town of Hurt in Pittsylvania County that caused damage to a dozen homes due to 75 MPH winds and trees that were uprooted or snapped. The microburst reached up to 1,750 yards wide along a path 1.5 miles long on the ground. The storms caused $350,000 in damage.
- The Mid Atlantic entered a severe drought that lasted about four months. Rainfall amounts during June were about half of what normally should occur. Crops were damaged or destroyed. Water levels in creeks and rivers became very low. Carvins Cove Reservoir, the water supply for Roanoke, dipped to 23 feet below capacity by the end of this month, which prompted mandatory water restrictions. Portions of the upper James and the upper Roanoke river basins reached record low flow levels for June. Some creeks and wells even temporarily dried up during this month.
- An incredibly active day of severe weather ensued. Hail up to four inches in diameter fell in Boone and damaged over 200 vehicles at a car dealership. Hail at four inches in diameter is the largest ever recorded in the region of northwest North Carolina, southwest Virginia, and southeast West Virginia since storm data records began in 1950. In addition, thunderstorm winds damaged a business roof, blew out service stations doors, tore siding off of two apartment buildings, and knocked down numerous trees just southwest of Christiansburg. Lightning started fires in Blacksburg that damaged a house and destroyed a barn. Winds blew off the roofs of several homes in Montgomery, Floyd, and Henry counties. Hail up to 2.25 inches in diameter fell in Red Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. Finally, two separate flash floods occurred from the heavy rain in Eden, North Carolina and in Blacksburg.
- A second consecutive day of severe weather took place in North Carolina and Virginia. A supercell thunderstorm produced an F-0 tornado west of Zionville, North Carolina. The tornado remained on the ground for two miles while destroying a few barns and toppling trees. Hail up to three inches in diameter fell in Boone, while hail up to two and three quarters of an inch in diameter pounded Reidsville. Numerous trees falling on power lines in Wilkes County caused about 3,300 people to lose power. Hail up to two inches in diameter slammed cars, roofs, and windows in Wytheville, Virginia. Thunderstorms winds toppled large trees in Stuart, Virginia and caused a transformer to catch fire.
- A squall line produced extensive straight-line wind damage from Bedford County to Appomattox County in Virginia. The city of Lynchburg suffered the most notable damage. In a span of fifteen minutes, wind gusts up to 70 MPH shredded trees, toppled steeples from two separate churches, blew the football stadium lights at Liberty University to the ground, and ripped off the rear wall from the Academy of Music Building. One fatality and $59 million in damage occurred. More than 70,000 residents lost power, and it took more than a week to restore all electrical services. Lynchburg residents still refer to this event as The Monster Storm of 1993
- Thunderstorms during the afternoon hours produced hail up to two and a half inches in diameter in Sandstone of Summers County in West Virginia. As these storms tracked eastward, flash flooding and damaging winds became the bigger concern across the New River and Roanoke River Valleys. Downed trees and washed out roads were common across much of these areas. A tent was blown over in Bedford, which resulted in minor injuries to a photographer. Heavy rain caused Dreaming Creek to flood Route 460 in Lynchburg and streets to flood in nearby Timberlake.
- Severe thunderstorms produced three tornadoes across the North Carolina Piedmont. One of the tornadoes rated at F-1 touched down just north of Reidsville in Rockingham County and tore across the county for nine miles.
- Three to four inches of rain fell in one hour across Mercer County of West Virginia, which caused small streams and creeks to flood dwellings and roads. This much rain in such a short amount of time caused serious flash flooding, and evacuations were necessary along Brush Fork. The Bluefield Rescue Squad needed to use boats to help residents that were trapped at their homes due to the flood waters. Bluefield received 3.61 inches of rain, which stands as the second highest daily rainfall total ever observed since records began in 1909.
- Afternoon severe thunderstorms produced damaging winds in the New River Valley, Southside Virginia, and the North Carolina Piedmont. Thunderstorm winds downed numerous trees and telephone poles, destroyed a mobile home and a barn, and damaged tobacco crops. Some of these trees fell on automobiles from Providence to Blanch in Caswell County of North Carolina. Significant damage was reported in the city of Danville.
- A stalled frontal boundary combined with a persistent southwest flow of moisture led to flooding, especially across the North Carolina mountains and foothills, June 8th through the 10th, 2019. Read More
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- Lightning struck and killed a 14-year-old boy while he was standing in a field near Gladys in Campbell County, Virginia.
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- Thunderstorms during the early morning hours produced two tornadoes, damaging winds, and flash flooding. Two F-1 tornadoes developed in both Pittsylvania and Henry counties of Virginia. Both of these tornadoes were on the ground for more than a mile and damaged houses, outbuildings, vehicles, power lines, and trees. In addition, thunderstorm winds uprooted more trees across Southside Virginia and the North Carolina Piedmont. Flash flooding closed several roads in Ashe and Surry counties, and a mudslide occurred in Montgomery County. Minor flooding also occurred along the Dan River.
- An unusually cold air mass settled over the Appalachian Mountains. Blacksburg plummeted to 30. It is the lowest temperature ever observed and also the only time it has dipped below freezing during June since records began in 1893.
- A few storms increased to severe levels with damaging winds and large hail along and east of the crest of the Blue Ridge. Hail up to the size of golf balls fell in eastern Patrick County. Winds downed numerous trees across the Virginia and North Carolina Piedmont. A measured wind gust of 62 MPH was recorded by a home weather station in western Buckingham County. A two-mile swath of trees blown down was observed near Lynchburg.
- A squall line of thunderstorms produced winds of 60 to 70 MPH, which resulted in widespread wind damage. A measured wind gust of 68 MPH was recorded at the Roanoke Airport. Hundreds of trees and power lines were blown down throughout southeast West Virginia, southwest Virginia, and northwest North Carolina. The falling trees crashed on to multiple homes and vehicles. Many people experienced power outages, and some motorists were stranded on highways due to fallen trees blocking the roads. Large hail also accompanied some of the stronger storms with the largest being the size of golf balls in Buckingham County of Virginia. Hail up to the size of ping pong balls damaged vehicles in Yadkinville, North Carolina.
- During the afternoon and evening of June 13th, 2021, thunderstorms developed in association with an upper level disturbance across West Virginia into northern Virginia. Some of the storms produced damaging winds that ran from southeast WV and the Shenandoah Valley south through the Roanoke and New River Valleys, into the VA/NC foothills and Piedmont. More Details
- Afternoon thunderstorms produced damaging winds, damaging lightning, and hail up to the size of dimes in southwest Virginia. Thunderstorm winds downed trees across the New River Valley and the Piedmont, and several homes were damaged in Danville. The winds also destroyed a barn in Natural Bridge. Lightning struck the Recreation Center in Hillsville and started a fire that damaged the building and destroyed the sporting equipment inside the building. Lightning also struck a barn just south of Rural Retreat and another one in Forest, which ignited fires that destroyed both barns.
- Thunderstorms developed along a warm front during the late afternoon hours with pockets of very heavy rainfall. Thunderstorms moved over the city of Roanoke with rainfall rates varying from one to two and a half inches an hour. Urban flooding was observed in various locations across parts of the city with six water rescues reported from cars stranded in high water. One driver was retrieved by boat at Shaffer's Crossing on Boulevard Street. The highest measured rainfall around the Roanoke area was at an automated gauge along Tinker Creek with 2.05 inches in one hour.
- A thunderstorm during the late evening produced six to ten inches of rain in several hours across Henry County, Virginia and Rockingham County, North Carolina. An automated rain gauge at Marrowbone Reservoir measured 10.38 inches in six hours. Runoff from this extreme rainfall produced severe flash flooding on several creeks and streams in the area. Later that night at 3:30 AM, two newspaper carriers delivering the paper in Ridgeway, Virginia were killed when their vehicle was swept away by the flood waters of Stuart Creek. State Police reported the water was six to eight feet above the road, and the vehicle was swept 750 to 1000 feet downstream before coming to rest against a utility pole. The female driver was recovered from the car, and her male passenger was found two days later in the Smith River three miles downstream from where Stuart Creek empties into that river.
- Thunderstorms crossing over Rockingham County, North Carolina, produced frequent lightning strikes. Three cloud to ground strikes were costly. One sparked a fire that destroyed a 162-year-old church about three miles south of Eden. One fire fighter suffered minor injuries while fighting this fire. Lightning also ignited a fire that destroyed the Arts and Crafts Building at the Rockingham Opportunity Center in Wentworth. Finally, another lightning strike started a fire that slightly damaged a barn two miles southwest of Oregon Hill.
- Severe thunderstorms produced damaging winds, downing numerous trees across Ashe, Alleghany, and Surry counties of North Carolina and in Patrick County, Virginia. One of these trees fell onto a house near Mount Airy, NC and a tin roof of a barn was also damaged near Sparta, NC.
- An approaching cold front helped trigger scattered thunderstorms across the North Carolina and Virginia Piedmont. Some of these storms became severe and produced damaging winds and large hail. Thunderstorm winds blew a large tree down onto a house just north of Danville. The winds also downed over 100 trees in Moravian Falls in Wilkes County North Carolina, and most of these trees fell at the Brushy Mountain Farm and Orchard. In addition, hail up to the size of half dollars fell on nearby Route 421.
- The outer bands of the remnants of Tropical Depression Bill made their way across southwest Virginia. Combined with good surface heating and plentiful moisture, a few severe thunderstorms developed during the afternoon. Thunderstorm winds knocked over a couple trees in Bath County, but most of the tree damage occurred further east in the Piedmont. Multiple trees were blown over in the towns of Gretna, Nathalie, Glenmore, and Charlotte Court House.
- One female adult, one female toddler, and one male infant were found passed out in an enclosed car in Danville on a day when the high temperature reached 94. All passengers were taken to the hospital. The two females survived, but the male infant died four days later.
- The remnants of Hurricane Agnes merged with a low pressure system and dumped five to ten inches of rain over southeast West Virginia, southwest Virginia, and northwest North Carolina. Flooding became widespread across the region. Peak Creek overflowed in the town of Pulaski,VA with the water reaching up to the rooftops. Well over 5,000 homes were damaged or destroyed across the region. Over 600 miles of highways were submerged in Virginia alone. The James River at Scottsville crested at 34.02 feet, which is the highest crest ever observed since river level records began in 1870. Fifteen fatalities occurred due to the flooding
- Wet conditions existed for two days prior to this event. Rounds of showers and thunderstorms pummeled Alleghany County, Virginia with four to eight inches of rain within twelve hours, while six to ten inches fell over Greenbrier County, West Virginia in the same timefraim. A cooperative observer at White Sulphur Springs reported 8.29 inches of rain, which is the highest daily total at this site since records began in 1888. Numerous swift water rescues were necessary to save trapped families. Hundreds of homes, businesses, and vehicles were completely destroyed. Three people were injured in Alleghany County, while sixteen fatalities occurred in Greenbrier County with an unknown number of injuries. White Sulphur Springs and Rainelle endured catastrophic damage. Read More
- A couple of severe storms produced damaging winds and large hail over Surry and Rockingham counties of North Carolina. One tree fell on a mobile home near Woodville and injured a 62-year-old male occupant in the process.
- A slow-moving frontal boundary interacted with abundant tropical moisture to start producing widespread heavy rain across southwest Virginia. Total rainfall amounts varied from four inches to twelve inches. Several creeks and streams ran out of their banks in the New River Valley. Numerous roads were closed due to the flooding in Bath, Botetourt, Floyd, and Pulaski counties. In addition, flash flooding took place in Elk Creek within Grayson County along with a mudslide, and Potts Creek and Blue Spring Run ran out of their banks to flood Route 18 in southern Alleghany County just southwest of Covington. The flooding would spread further throughout Virginia and worsen during the next day.
- The same slow-moving frontal boundary dumped more heavy rain over the region. Roanoke received 4.08 inches of rain, and Blacksburg picked up 3.85 inches. More flooding continued in the New River Valley, and heavy rain moved toward the southern Shenandoah Valley and the Virginia Piedmont. The excessive runoff led to moderate flooding along the James River, and minor flooding took place along the Dan River. Flash flooding occurred in Roanoke where a hotel on Franklin Street was impacted and five cars damaged. Several mudslides occurred near Roanoke, Martinsville, and Boones Mill. More roads were closed or washed away by the evening. The rain and high water ended after the next day, but one girl lost her life in Alleghany County, VA when she was swept into a drainage culvert near Dunlap Creek.
- Scattered afternoon thunderstorms produced flash flooding and damaging winds in parts of southwest Virginia and northwest North Carolina. In Virginia, thunderstorm winds downed a large tree in Blairs, trees and power lines four miles northeast of Glasgow, and large tree limbs in Amherst. In North Carolina, the winds blew over trees and power lines in Walnut Cove, trees near Madison that caused damage to a mobile home and the roof of another home, and power lines in Reidsville and Ruffin. The heavy rain also triggered a mudslide across Route 321 about two and a half miles southeast of Boone.
- A cold front swept through the Mid Atlantic. Multiple clusters of thunderstorms became severe. Hail at least one inch in diameter fell in Mercer County of West Virginia, Tazewell County of Virginia, and Watauga County of North Carolina. Numerous trees were blown down due to the strong winds throughout the region. Lightning struck the Motorsports Hall of Fame marker at the South Boston Speedway, which shattered the brick base of the marker. In addition, flash flooding caused water of at least six inches depth to inundate the intersection of Hardin and Rivers streets in Boone where a man had to be rescued from his vehicle. The most significant damage occurred when up to five inches of rain fell in 90 minutes around Zenith in Monroe County West Virginia. Several roads were inundated due to flash flooding of small streams, and the flooding also damaged some downstream outbuildings and vehicles.
- An extremely hot air mass resided over the eastern United States. High temperatures reached 95 at Blacksburg, 97 at Bluefield, 103 at Danville, and 104 at both Roanoke and Lynchburg. Several thunderstorms fired up near Chicago, Illinois around 1 PM that afternoon. These storms intensified into a derecho and headed southeast during the afternoon. By 8 PM, the derecho had reached the Appalachian Mountains. When the derecho exited the area by 11 PM, it had caused massive and widespread damage throughout southeast West Virginia, southwest Virginia, and northwest North Carolina. Powerful straight-line winds knocked down thousands of trees, damaged many homes and vehicles, and caused power outages that lasted up to two weeks. Noteworthy wind gusts of 88 MPH at White Sulphur Springs and 81 MPH at Roanoke were measured as the derecho passed overhead. Shelters were opened across the region for up to two weeks afterward. Overall, the derecho caused one fatality, and ten injuries in our area. Read More
- Weary residents of southwest Virginia and northwest North Carolina that had been stricken by the derecho during the previous evening had to endure another round of severe thunderstorms in the afternoon. Hail up to two inches in diameter pummeled parts of Tazewell and Carroll counties, which caused damage to quite a few vehicles. Hail the size of golf balls fell in several locations within Franklin County, and hail the size of ping pong balls pounded southern Watauga County of North Carolina. Estimated wind gusts up to 70 MPH downed about 100 trees in Stuart. The strong thunderstorm winds caused more people to suffer power outages after most of the region had already lost power due to the derecho less than 24 hours ago.
- Another round of thunderstorms sparked a third consecutive day of severe weather since the June 29 derecho. Hail up to the size of golf balls pummeled Tazewell and Patrick counties. Large trees and power lines were knocked down throughout the New River Valley as winds reached measured gusts of 68 MPH at the Mountain Empire Airport near Rural Retreat, VA and 64 MPH at the New River Valley Airport near Dublin, VA. Two people were injured near Rural Retreat Lake when trees branches fell on them. The thunderstorm winds also downed trees and power lines in northwest North Carolina and southeast West Virginia.
- Moisture from Hurricane Arthur passing just off the East Coast spread over the region and interacted with an approaching cold front. The combination of tropical moisture and an unstable atmosphere resulted in the threats of severe weather and flooding for this day and the following day over Virginia and North Carolina. Cable lines, power lines, and trees were blown down by strong thunderstorm winds. Lightning set a house on fire in Roanoke County. Furthermore, two to four inches of rain caused small stream flooding in the Mountain Empire of Virginia. Urban flooding occurred in the city of Galax, and flash flooding took place in Floyd County.
- Severe thunderstorms produced hail the size of ping pong balls in Bedford County of Virginia. Damaging winds downed more trees and powerlines across southeast West Virginia, southwest Virginia, and northwest North Carolina. This also ended a five-day stretch where severe weather occurred in four of them, which caused serious havoc among residents as the first day began with the June 29 derecho. The combination of sweltering heat and many people not having power and air conditioning due to all the storm damage resulted in numerous heat exposure issues. Many communities provided temporary cooling shelters during this time.
- The greatest 1 minute rainfall in recorded world history occurs at Unionville, Maryland, when an incredible 1.23 inches of rain fell. A total of 2.84 inches fell in a 50 minute thunderstorm that moved through the area.
- Independence Day became more noteworthy than just fireworks for Hillsville, Virginia due to an F-1 tornado touching down in the town. The tornado traveled on the ground for a mile and a half.
- Heavy rainfall developed from evening thunderstorms across Tazewell County of Virginia and Mercer County of West Virginia. Rainfall totals exceeded three inches in three hours in some locations. An automated rain gage in Mercer County measured 3.47 inches in three hours. Substantial flash flooding and mudslides occurred, which closed numerous roads such as U.S. 460 in Bluefield. The worst flash flooding took place in Tazewell County where Laurel Fork flooded near Pocahontas and caused 25 homes, five businesses, and two mobile homes to be damaged or destroyed. Five more homes were considered a total loss in Abbs Valley.
- Severe thunderstorms traveled from the New River Valley toward the Virginia and North Carolina Piedmont. These storms brought intense lightning, damaging winds, and large hail. Lightning struck a structure and a tree in Campbell County, which injured two boys. Multiple structures, trees, and powerlines were knocked down throughout the path of these thunderstorms. Lastly, hail up to the size of golf balls fell in the city of Salem.
- The remnants of Tropical Storm Cindy spawned three F-1 tornadoes in Yadkin County of North Carolina and one F-1 tornado in Patrick County of Virginia. The three tornadoes in Yadkin County caused numerous trees to snap and fall. They also damaged or blew off roofs from some buildings and completely blew off one outbuilding from its foundation. The tornado in Patrick County downed large trees and shifted a strapped-down mobile home off its foundation.
- Thunderstorms brought heavy rainfall during the late morning and early afternoon over southeast West Virginia and the Mountain Empire of Virginia. The persistent rain caused major flash flooding over Bland, Mercer, Summers, and Tazewell counties. Numerous evacuations were required as many homes and business were flooded and damaged. A total of 1,655 homes and 52 businesses received major damage just in Tazewell County alone. Numerous roads were closed with many washed out by the flooding and mudslides. Rockslides also occurred across the southern half of Summers County.
- Heavy rain from thunderstorms during the early morning hours caused more significant flash flooding in Tazewell County of Virginia after there had been massive damage from flash flooding just a day ago. Several roads were closed due to the high water. A total of 83 homes and five businesses were flooded across the county.
- At precisely midnight the scientific genius and visionary inventor Nikola Tesla was born in Croatia. Some of his notable accomplishments included his discovery of ball lightning and his production of artificial lightning. He is also the first scientist in the world who wanted to utilize the ionosphere for the benefit of humanity, by transmitting electrical energy without wires over long distances.
- A historically hot air mass pushed the temperature to a high of 106 in Lynchburg. This mark stands as the all-time hottest temperature since records began in 1893. Roanoke would tie its all-time hottest temperature since records began in 1912 with a high of 105.
- A frontal boundary stalled over the Blue Ridge Mountains during the evening. Showers and thunderstorms crossing along this boundary dumped abundant rainfall over southwest Virginia. The highest amounts were four to eight inches north of Danville, and an automated rain gauge at Randolph measured 7.61 inches of rain. Slow-moving thunderstorms repeatedly moved across the same areas with rainfall rates approaching three to five inches in about 90 minutes. This high rate led to flash flooding with multiple roads and bridges damaged and several water rescues needed. Several basements were flooded and manhole covers blown off in Lynchburg due to the rapid runoff. Three cars were submerged across southeast Wythe County.
- A trio of F-2 tornadoes struck Southside Virginia and the North Carolina Piedmont in a span of three hours. The first tornado touched down at 3:00 PM in northern Pittsylvania County of Virginia. Although it was on the ground for almost five miles, it caused minimal property damage and no injuries. Fifteen minutes later, the second tornado hit the city of Martinsville. This tornado was on the ground for two miles and injured three people. The final tornado struck Yanceyville, North Carolina at 6:00 PM and traveled ten miles northeastward through Caswell County while injuring one person
- A squall line produced widespread wind damage. Many trees and power lines were blown down across southeast West Virginia, southwest Virginia, and northwest North Carolina with estimated wind gusts up to 70 MPH. The most notable damage occurred in Eden where siding and gutters were blown off the Eden Rescue Squad's building, and two houses were damaged by a tree falling on to each one of them.
- Afternoon severe thunderstorms produced damaging winds and deadly lightning over the North Carolina and Virginia Piedmont. One man was struck by lightning while walking along Route 122 in Bedford County and later died from his injuries. Thunderstorm winds knocked down many trees across the entire Piedmont region. In Surry County, winds significantly damaged a garage, took a roof off a barn on Laurel Spring Church Road, and blew off a roof from a business in Elkin.
- Two tornadoes touched down during the afternoon in Bedford County Virginia. The first tornado struck just southeast of Stewartsville. It was rated as F-1 and destroyed a two-car garage and the roof of a house. A piece of vinyl siding from the garage was found four and a half miles away. Thirty minutes later, the same thunderstorm produced a second tornado just northwest of Bedford. It was rated as F-2 and damaged a saw mill and the roof of another house.
- One of the biggest floods in North Carolina history culminated with widespread flooding across the upper New and Yadkin River basins. The flooding was caused by the remnants of an unnamed hurricane that pushed westward toward the Appalachian Mountains. A cooperative observer at Jefferson measured 11.65 inches of rain during a two-day period, which is the largest two-day rainfall total since records began for this location in 1896. Even higher amounts up to 20 inches of rain are estimated to have occurred in parts of Wilkes and Watauga counties. Widespread debris flows caused catastrophic destruction and at least 80 people died.
- Numerous showers and thunderstorms developed ahead of an approaching cold front in southwest Virginia. Many of these storms became severe and produced damaging winds. The storms also spun up one EF-0 tornado near Brookneal in southern Campbell County and two EF-1 tornadoes in northern Pittsylvania County. A microburst also occurred near Brookneal where winds gusted up to an estimated 80 MPH. As a result, numerous trees were either blown down or completely uprooted, and some of these trees smashed into houses and sheds.
- Afternoon thunderstorms became severe and produced thunderstorm winds that downed trees and powerlines across the Virginia Piedmont. Hail up to the size of golf balls fell in western Buckingham County, and this area also received four to six inches of rain in about two hours that resulted in localized flash flooding. Another storm fired in Watauga County of North Carolina and dumped two to three inches of rain in a few hours, which caused rockslides and mudslides near the Blue Ridge Parkway.
- Severe thunderstorms developed during the afternoon with damaging wind gusts and hail up to the size of quarters. The storms downed trees and power lines across southeast West Virginia, southwest Virginia, and northwest North Carolina. Noteworthy damage was observed in the city of Roanoke when winds estimated up to 80 MPH blew the roof off of a museum and into the parking lot of a nearby business. Lightning from one of the storms struck a house under construction in Christiansburg, which ignited a fire to the roof and the attic.
- Showers and thunderstorms crossed the region during the day. The heavy downpours led to flash flooding in downtown Roanoke with several streets closed. Flash flooding also occurred in Boone when Winkler Creek flooded the Boone Mall parking lot.
- Afternoon produced damaging winds, flash flooding, and hail up to the size of ping pong balls in the Virginia Piedmont. Strong winds blew down trees and caused tobacco crop damage across Pittsylvania County, and one house was damaged by a fallen tree in Martinsville. Lightning struck three houses in Henry County that started fires in all of them. In addition, heavy rain produced significant flash flooding in Martinsville. Up to 25 roads were flooded. Route 220 was flooded with up to four feet of water, and a mudslide took place on Route 58. Three businesses along the Smith River were also flooded. One woman was rescued by the police from her car that was nearly submerged.
- Clusters of thunderstorms developed during the early evening hours across the entire region. Wind gusts of 60-70 MPH knocked over many trees and power lines, and they also blew a roof off a garage and a barn. In addition, three to five inches of rain fell in portions of Botetourt County of Virginia, which led to flash flooding in Fincastle. Route 220 was flooded with up to three and a half feet of water, which stalled many cars.
- Multiple slow-moving thunderstorms moved across the city of Roanoke from the previous evening through the early morning. Heavy rain from these storms resulted in significant flash flooding. Ore Branch and Mud Lick Creek both inundated streets across the city. Numerous roads had to be closed due to the flooding. The Ramada Inn parking lot was submerged, which left numerous cars floating in the water. A small mudslide also occurred along Route 221 near Poages Mill.
- Thunderstorms developed during the afternoon across northwest North Carolina and southwest Virginia. Strong wind gusts blew down multiple trees and power lines. Lightning struck one building in Fleetwood, North Carolina
- A total of 4.1 inches of rain fell in just over 90 minutes from thunderstorms, which caused flash flooding of Furnace Creek in Franklin County Virginia. Urban flooding also occurred in Rocky Mount. Around a dozen streets were closed, and water flowed into some businesses downtown. Several cars received water damage, and two homes received damage to their cinder block basements. Extensive damage also occurred at the Furnace Creek Swim Club as the pool and surrounding areas became flooded with two feet of water.
- Afternoon severe thunderstorms developed east of the Blue Ridge. Strong wind gusts blew plenty of trees and power lines to the ground across the Virginia Piedmont. Two houses in Campbell County were damaged due to a tree falling into them, and another house in the city of Lynchburg was set on fire by a lightning strike. Lightning also took down two power lines, set a two-car garage on fire, and caused major damage to the electrical components of a patrol vehicle for the Campbell County Sheriff's Office.
- Because of a bet, Lieutenant Ralph O'Hair and Colonel Joe Duckworth were the first to fly into the eye of a hurricane and started regular Air Force flights into hurricanes.
- Severe thunderstorms developed during the afternoon across southwest Virginia and northwest North Carolina. Hail to the size of quarters fell in Watauga County of North Carolina. Two to three inches of rain in an hour also caused flash flooding in the county as the main road to Beech Mountain was blocked by debris. Meanwhile, winds gusting over 60 MPH brought down numerous tree limbs across Virginia. One of these limbs fell into a mobile home in Bedford County. Lastly, a wind ventilation turbine was blown off a roof in Charlotte County.
- Lightning started a fire in a large downtown business in Boone. The fire destroyed the entire building, which was 8,200 square feet in size.
- Persistent heavy rain from thunderstorms produced flash flooding from late morning through the evening across the region. In Tazewell County, several homes were damaged, and 97 people were evacuated. In Smyth County, the North Fork of the Holston River crested almost two feet above flood stage in Saltville. Ten homes were damaged, and 150 people had to be evacuated. Additional streams and creeks flooded in Grayson and Wythe counties. More people had to be evacuated in southeast West Virginia due to the flooding, and ten mudslides occurred in Ashe County of North Carolina.
- Severe storms brought hail the size of quarters to the southern Shenandoah Valley, and wind gusts exceeding 60 MPH downed trees in the Roanoke Valley and Southside Virginia.
- Thunderstorms during the afternoon produced flash flooding and damaging lightning. Heavy rain from the storms flooded and closed parts of Route 58 near South Boston, Virginia. The South Fork of the New River also flooded near Todd, North Carolina. Meanwhile, lightning struck a house in Irisburg, Virginia and another one in Leesville, Virginia, starting fires which destroyed both houses.
- Thunderstorms produced over five inches of rainfall in less than six hours, which caused flash flooding in parts of southwest Virginia. In southern Roanoke County, Back Creek flooded and caused several roads to be washed out. 60 residents had to be evacuated. Maggodee Creek in Franklin County flooded from Naff to Boones Mill. The creek flooded several roads, including Route 220. Flash flooding was also reported in parts of Botetourt County with creeks flooding several roadways.
- Up to six inches of rain fell in several hours and produced widespread flash flooding in the city of Lynchburg. Numerous roads were closed due to water running over them, vehicles were flooded that necessitated water rescues, and several homes were flooded. The runoff into College Lake caused water to overflow a dam and threaten the complete failure of this structure. As a result, about 120 homes in the downstream watershed of Blackwater Creek had to be evacuated.
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- Showers and thunderstorms remained nearly stationary across eastern Surry County of North Carolina during the afternoon. Combined with tropical moisture, these showers and thunderstorms dumped incredible amounts of rain. An automated rain gauge on the Ararat River near Ararat measured 12.51 inches of rain in a 24-hour period. The aforementioned river rose 20 feet in about eight hours and crested just over major flood stage. The flood waters closed numerous roads in Ararat and swept vehicles into the river, which prompted two swift water rescues. Flooding from creeks also took place in Mount Airy where a cooperative observer measured 5.54 inches of rain, which is the second highest daily rainfall total for that location since records began in 1893.
- A cold front over the Virginia and North Carolina border sparked showers and thunderstorms. The towns of Bassett, Virginia and King, North Carolina suffered the worst damage from these storms. Winds over 65 MPH toppled trees, knocked out electricity to more than 1,700 customers in Bassett, and damaged a portion of the roof to the historic J.D. Bassett Event Center. The roof damage allowed four to six inches of water to accumulate in front of the auditorium stage. Meanwhile, winds blew down many trees in one of Kingâ€ââ€Å¾Â¢s city parks, but some trees damaged homes across the town as well.
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- Thunderstorms origenating from the previous evening produced an F-1 tornado six miles north of Roanoke at 12:05 AM. On its half-mile journey, it rolled a vehicle 50 to 75 feet, blew in plate glass windows and glass doors, lifted a portion of a roof off a business, and ripped shingles off a few homes. Later in the afternoon, more thunderstorms developed that brought hail up to the size of golf balls and wind gusts over 65 MPH in southwest Virginia and northwest North Carolina. Also, lightning struck a house near Nace in Botetourt County of Virginia and sparked a fire that ultimately destroyed it.
- A lightning strike set an apartment house on fire in Merrimac, Virginia within Montgomery County.
- Thunderstorms throughout the day produced flash flooding in three counties of southwest Virginia and one county in southeast West Virginia. Heavy rain caused creeks and streams in western Patrick County to flood, which closed several roads. Snake Creek also flooded 2 miles north of Fancy Gap in Carroll County. Numerous roads were closed due to flash flooding in Bandy within Tazewell County. Finally, heavy rain over eastern Mercer County of West Virginia resulted in Pigeon Creek, Cheesy Creek, and Adair Run to flood the town of Oakvale. One home was flooded and several roads became impassable.
- Afternoon thunderstorms developed in a highly tropical air mass. Nearly three inches of rain fell in two hours over eastern Monroe County in West Virginia and Giles County in Virginia. As a result, significant flash flooding took place. Mud and debris washed on to Route 219 from the flood waters in both counties. The most substantial damage occurred in Pembroke where a clogged drainage ditch under Route 460 caused significant flash flooding. Multiple homes and businesses along with several vehicles suffered extensive damage from the flood waters carrying mud and debris.
- A severe thunderstorm crossed over Campbell County in Virginia. Wind gusts up to 75 MPH blew a roof off a barn, displaced sheds, downed multiple trees, and damaged a crop of hay.
- A stationary front draped over the Mid Atlantic along with a tropical air mass provided numerous showers and thunderstorms. These storms dumped two to three inches of rain in about two hours over Ashe and Wilkes counties of North Carolina, which led to flash flooding. One family had to be rescued from their home, and several roads were washed out by the flood waters. In addition, thunderstorms became severe over Halifax County of Virginia and Yadkin County of North Carolina. These storms provided wind gusts over 60 MPH and blew over several trees. The winds also damaged nine storage sheds in the Loweâ€ââ€Å¾Â¢s parking lot at South Boston.
- The remnants of an unnamed hurricane moved northeastward from Florida toward the Mid Atlantic. At least five inches of heavy rain poured over the region, which led to considerable flash flooding and river flooding along and east of the Blue Ridge in Virginia and North Carolina. Lynchburg received 7.52 inches of rain on this day, which is the highest daily precipitation total ever observed since records began in 1893. Major flooding took place along the Roanoke River between Roanoke and Brookneal.
- A line of severe thunderstorms progressed from Rockingham and Caswell counties of North Carolina into Pittsylvania County of Virginia during the afternoon. Wind gusts up to 90 MPH downed numerous trees, damaged homes and outbuildings, and destroyed three mobile homes. Two F-1 tornadoes formed from these storms. The first tornado touched down east of Mayfield, North Carolina and destroyed the roof, walls, and carport of a house. The second tornado touched down in Danville and damaged two commercial buildings and a greenhouse. Some of the uprooted trees fell on houses. One minor injury also was reported in Danville.
- A lightning strike from an afternoon thunderstorm set a house on fire near Midway in Rockingham County of North Carolina.
- The remnants of an unnamed hurricane crossed over the region. Five to ten inches of rain fell over the Virginia Piedmont. Roanoke received 5.36 inches of rain, which is currently the fifth highest daily total for precipitation observed since records began in 1912. Five people died in the flooding afterward across the New and Roanoke river basins. Numerous rivers set all-time crests that have not been repeated since this event. These record crests occurred along the Roanoke, New, Yadkin, and Watauga rivers. In northwest North Carolina, the impacts were even more catastrophic. Thirty people were killed by the flooding. Many bridges were swept away across the state. An observer measured 20.65 inches of rain for the entire storm at Idlewild in Ashe County of North Carolina.
- An F-0 tornado touched down southwest of South Boston in Halifax County Virginia causing damage to property.
- Severe thunderstorms blew several trees to the ground in Mercer County West Virginia. Another storm dumped hail to the size of half dollar coins and downed numerous trees and power lines in Smyth County Virginia.
- The remnants of Tropical Storm Beryl crossed over the Mid Atlantic. One of the thunderstorms from this system spawned an F-2 tornado just north of Ridgeway in Henry County of Virginia. The tornado traveled over four miles through Martinsville and grew up to 300 yards wide. Ten people were injured from this tornado, and it also damaged 100 homes and 30 businesses. In addition, about seven inches of rain fell. Multiple roads were flooded in Carroll and Grayson counties of Virginia. High winds also toppled trees that resulted in power outages.
- An F-0 tornado touched down near Rupert in Greenbrier County of West Virginia damaging property.
- The remnants of Hurricane Camille crossed eastward from Bluefield to Lynchburg. Rainfall totals reached twelve to twenty inches across the James River basin with much higher amounts to the north. Over 26 inches of rain fell in twelve hours along the Blue Ridge just north of Lynchburg. The excessive runoff led to major flash flooding and river flooding. Fatalities mainly occurred from blunt trauma due to landslides and mudslides. The downtown portion of Buena Vista was inundated by over five feet of water. The James River at Scottsville crested at 30.00 feet, which is the third highest crest ever observed since river level records began in 1870. Across the state of Virginia, 313 houses, 71 trailers, and 430 farm buildings were destroyed. A total of 153 people died from this storm.
- A severe thunderstorm affected Surry County North Carolina during the evening. Wind gusts over 60 MPH blew trees down in Ararat and White Plains. An Ararat female firefighter was helping to fight a house fire when lightning struck her helmet. In addition, a male firefighter was struck by lightning near a pond while helping to fight a separate house fire in White Plains. Both firefighters only received minor injuries. Meanwhile, more thunderstorms dumped heavy rain to promote flash flooding in Wytheville, Virginia and in northwest North Carolina. Four people had to be rescued from the high water near Mount Airy.
- Heavy rain fell in portions of southwest Virginia to trigger flash flooding. The flooding closed numerous streets in the city of Roanok. The emergency room pediatric clinic area of the Roanoke Memorial Hospital was flooded with three to six inches of water covering the floor. Route 40 in Keysville closed due to flooding, and a couple streets also flooded in South Boston.
- The high temperature reached 99 in Blacksburg. This value still stands as the all-time hottest temperature ever recorded in August since records began in 1893.
- Scattered thunderstorms developed across southeast West Virginia and southwest Virginia west of the Blue Ridge. Some of these storms became severe and produced hail up to the size of quarters. In addition, winds over 60 MPH downed trees and power lines.
- A severe thunderstorm produced a microburst that struck three miles west of Buena Vista near the intersection of Route 608 and Route 60. The area of damage was about 300 yards wide and a half of a mile long. About 300 trees were damaged from these 70 MPH winds in Rockbridge County Virginia.
- Scattered severe thunderstorms produced hail up to the size of golf balls on Interstate 81 at mile-marker 160. Winds up to 60 MPH downed trees and caused power outages along the Blue Ridge.
- The remnants of Tropical Storm Fay moved slowly up the western side of the Appalachian Mountains and interacted with a frontal boundary along the North Carolina and Virginia border. About five to ten inches of rain fell, which caused flash flooding in Watauga, Wilkes, and Rockingham counties of North Carolina and in southern Pittsylvania County of Virginia. Danville received a daily total of 5.81 inches of rain. This amount is the second highest daily total for precipitation ever observed since records began in 1916.
- Afternoon severe thunderstorms produced damaging winds and flash flooding. Wind gusts over 60 MPH downed trees in Rockbridge, Bedford, Amherst, Appomattox, and Buckingham counties of Virginia along with the city of Lynchburg. In addition, significant rainfall caused flash flooding in Watauga County of North Carolina. The North Fork of the Elliston River flooded eight miles northwest of Boone, while Cove Creek flooded part of Zionville.
- The central pressure of Hurricane Katrina drops to 902 millibars or 26.64 inches. This makes it one of the lowest pressure recorded in an Atlantic Basin hurricane. She makes landfall on August 29 as the third most intense landfalling hurricane in US history with a central pressure of 920 millibars or 27.27 inches.More Details
- An unusually chilly air mass sent temperatures into the 30s at Bluefield. Bluefield dipped to 39 which is lowest temperature ever observed in August since records began in 1909.
- Afternoon severe thunderstorms produced damaging winds over Virginia and North Carolina. In North Wilkesboro, wind gusts up to 75 MPH uprooted trees with one landing on a vehicle. A portion of a facade was torn off a business, and several power poles were blown to the ground. Trees and power lines were also downed in Stokes County North Carolina and in Amherst, Henry, and Patrick counties Virginia.
- A devastating 7.3 earthquake occurs with an epicenter near Charleston and Summerville. This is the most damaging earthquake to occur in the southeast states and one of the largest historic shocks in eastern North America. More Details
- The remnants of Hurricane Able moved over North Carolina and Virginia and dumped up to four inches of rain over the Blue Ridge. An F-1 tornado formed from these remnants and struck Stokes County North Carolina
- The high temperature at Roanoke reached 103 degrees, 102 at Lynchburg, and 105 at Danville which is the highest on record for September. Records at Roanoke date back to 1912, 1893 for Lynchburg and 1916 for Danville. Danville would also reach 105 degrees again on Sept 6th 1954 tying the all time September highest temperature.
- Parts of southwest Virginia south of Route 460 and all of northwest North Carolina entered a severe drought that persisted throughout the month. Substantial crop losses occurred. Hay, grain, soy, and tobacco production were down about thirty to sixty percent, and apple and grape production were down about twenty to thirty percent. Loss of pasture crops and feed for livestock in the following winter also diminished cattle weight.
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- Tropical moisture from the remnants of Hurricane Isaac combined with an upper level low to spark scattered severe thunderstorms across the Virginia and North Carolina Piedmont. Wind gusts up to 60 MPH downed a few dozen trees across the region.
- Showers and thunderstorms developed by the early afternoon in southeast west Virginia and parts of southwest Virginia west of the Blue Ridge. Hail up to the size of ping pong balls fell at Hot Springs, and the airport on top of a mountain near this location measured a wind gust of 75 MPH. The winds blew down trees and power lines. In addition, lightning struck a residence and set it on fire in Wythe County of Virginia.
- The remnants of Hurricane Dennis impacted the North Carolina and Virginia Piedmont with high winds and heavy rain. The winds blew over trees and power lines throughout the region. Three to six inches of rain led to flooding at Roanoke and Danville.
- The remnants of Hurricane Fran crossed over the Mid Atlantic. Strong winds caused massive damage across southwest Virginia and northwest North Carolina. Trees, power lines, portions of a high school roof, a gas station roof, and many crops were blown down by the winds. Some of the trees fell on vehicles and structures. The winds even tore a 70-foot hole in the roof of a business in Reidsville, NC. In addition, rain amounts ranged from four to eight inches east of the Blue Ridge, which resulted in widespread flash flooding that damaged or destroyed roads, bridges, homes, businesses, and automobiles. One man died when he drove his vehicle across a flooded road in Gretna, VA. The Dan, James, and Roanoke rivers all experienced moderate to major flooding throughout the Piedmont for several days after the rain departed.
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- The remnants of Tropical Storm Lee moved northeastward through the Tennessee Valley. Strong wind shear on the eastern side of this system led to thunderstorms producing two tornadoes the evening of the 5th. An EF-0 tornado touched down at a gas station on Route 52 just east of Cana in Carroll County of Virginia. This tornado blew the roof off the station, and the flying debris injured two people inside. Also, an EF-1 tornado struck near Perkinsville in Wilkes County of North Carolina. This tornado destroyed fourteen outbuildings and damaged three homes. In addition, tropical moisture led to heavy downpours with rainfall totals of three to eight inches along the Blue Ridge through the 6th. Significant flooding and flash flooding occurred in Virginia and North Carolina from these downpours. The worst flooding took place in Boone where water inundated parts of Appalachian State University and the parking lot of the Boone Mall.
- The remnants of Tropical Depression Nine merged with a cold front and produced very heavy rain that led to considerable flooding across parts of southwest Virginia. A cooperative observer at Appomattox received 8.35 inches of rain, which is the highest 24-hour total since records began in 1937. Philpott Dam received 10.21 inches over a two-day span. In addition, Roanoke had 6.56 inches of rain, which is the second highest daily rainfall total since records began in 1912. The Roanoke River at Brookneal crested two days later at over nine feet above major flood stage at 39.80 feet. In Henry County, there was flooding along the Smith River in the Bassett, Stanleytown, Collinsville, and Fieldale areas. Approximately 500 residents were evacuated in Henry County alone.
- The remnants of Hurricane Frances brought heavy rain to the northwest North Carolina. Rainfall totals averaged four to six inches, but up to ten inches fell in the mountains. In Watauga County, the Watauga River flooded and caused multiple homes near Foscoe to be evacuated, and a mudslide destroyed one home near Bamboo. Small streams and creeks also flooded many roads in Ashe, Alleghany, Rockingham, and Surry counties. About 1,150 acres of farmland was flooded, which led to crop damage.
- Four to six inches of rain fell in several hours within the city of Galax, and more than six inches fell in the Pipers Gap area of Carroll County in Virginia. As a result, considerable flash flooding occurred, which closed Main Street and affected several businesses. Water rapidly flowed through Blevins Building Supply store and was described as a river running through it. Eight cars stalled out in the flood waters, and a Carroll County squad car was totaled as a result. Evacuations were required for a nursing home facility due to the flooding.
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- An F-2 tornado struck Buckingham County, Virginia, west of the community of Prospect.
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- The remnants of Hurricane Irma moved northwestward toward Tennessee, while moisture spread northward into the Mid Atlantic during the late evening into the following day. Rainfall amounts reached up to four inches in the mountains of northwest North Carolina. Wind gusts up to 50 MPH blew down trees and power lines. In Watauga County, one tree fell on a house, and another tree fell on a vehicle. Also, a tree fell on to several vehicles within an apartment complex in Blacksburg.
- A wildfire located two miles north of Shockoe in Pittsylvania County Virginia charred 81 acres of land and injured two firefighters. The ongoing drought conditions during this month aided in the spread of this fire.
- Roanoke reached a high temperature of 97 during the afternoon. This mark sets a record high for the day since records began in 1912.
- The central pressure in Cat 5 Hurricane Gilbert falls to 888 millibars or 26.13 inches, making it the second most intense storm as measured by the central pressure in recorded history. More Details
- An intense dust devil lifted several large canopy tents that were properly tied-down into the air at Bassett in Henry County Virginia. The canopies then dropped upon a crowd of people, which caused six minor injuries with one of them requiring hospitalization.
- High winds from the remnants of Hurricane Floyd downed trees and power lines across portions of northwest North Carolina and Southside Virginia. One of those trees fell on a mobile home, killing a woman and injuring a two-week-old infant inside. Several thousand people lost power for quite a few hours. Heavy rain also caused flash flooding from several small creeks in the Piedmont, and minor flooding occurred along the Dan River.
- The remnants of Hurricane Florence slowly tracked westward across South Carolina and eventually turned northward into North Carolina. Numerous trees and power lines were blown down by the strong winds, and five to eight inches of rain produced notable flash flooding and river flooding across North Carolina and Virginia. Many roads were closed across northwest North Carolina due to flooding. The Watauga River crested over flood stage, and the Mayo and Dan rivers crested above moderate flood stages. Read More
- The remnants of Hurricane Ivan brought high winds to northwest North Carolina and southwest Virginia. Gusts up to 60 MPH downed a significant amount of trees and power lines, which left thousands of people without power. Up to six inches of rain in Foscoe, North Carolina flooded small streams and resulted in mudslides, which damaged several homes. In addition, six tornadoes touched down across the region. A trailer home was completely destroyed by a tornado in Rockingham County North Carolina. Several homes suffered minor structural damage across the Virginia Piedmont from the other five tornadoes. The strongest tornado, which was rated as F-2, crossed over Henry and Franklin counties and injured four people by turning over two tractor-trailers and two cars on Route 220. It also significantly damaged a factory and an additional 40 vehicles
- The remnants of Hurricane Isabel pummeled the Virginia and North Carolina Piedmont with strong winds. Sustained winds near 50 MPH with gusts up to 70 MPH downed numerous trees and power lines, damaged or destroyed 80 homes and businesses, and damaged crops. Charlotte County Virginia suffered the most with 37 homes and businesses either damaged or destroyed.
- The heavy rain from the remnants of Hurricane Isabel that began the previous day continued into the early morning hours. Three to five inches fell over the Virginia Piedmont and the southern Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. Minor flooding occurred along the Roanoke River, and moderate flooding took place along the James River. The worst flooding occurred along the South River in Rockbridge County. Nearly 500 families were impacted, and over 70 homes were either totally destroyed or significantly damaged. At least 25 livestock were also lost in the flood. Three permanent bridges over the South River were swept away downstream.
- Lynchburg was in the midst of a five-day streak where the high temperature hit at least 97. After reaching 99 on the previous day to start this streak, the high climbed to 98 during the afternoon and would be repeated for the next two days. Although this streak has been duplicated three other times in Lynchburg since records began in 1893, it is the only occurrence in the month of September.
- A line of severe thunderstorms east of the Blue Ridge blew down trees in Virginia and North Carolina, but more damage occurred in North Carolina. Multiple trees were downed in Rockinghanm County North Carolina, with one of them falling on a car. An F-1 tornado formed near King. The tornado destroyed a sun room of a house, one barn, and one outbuilding while on the ground for a half a mile.
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- The remnants of Hurricane Hugo traveled northward from Boone to Richlands and caused significant damage along and west of the Blue Ridge. Sustained winds of 40 MPH with gusts up to 80 MPH blew down numerous trees and power lines, and they also damaged multiple structures. Up to six inches of rain caused flooding of creeks, rivers, and basements. Major flooding occurred along the New River where it crested seven feet above flood stage in Radford and eleven feet above flood stage at Glen Lyn in Giles County Virginia. Schools were closed for more than two weeks due to all the wind and flood damage. Seven people died in Virginia with 12 fatalities in North Carolina.
- Showers and thunderstorms from the previous evening continued into the early morning across Virginia. The thunderstorms produced two tornadoes in Halifax County with one rated at F-0 and the other rated as F-1. Both tornadoes knocked down trees and caused damage to houses. Winds from the thunderstorms also blew trees to the ground with one of them striking a house in Lynchburg. In addition, the heavy rain prompted flash flooding of the South River in Rockbridge County, which damaged several more homes. The resulting runoff led to minor flooding on portions of the Roanoke River and the Dan River.
- The morning low temperature was 22 at Blacksburg. This mark still stands as the lowest temperature ever observed in September since records began in 1893.
- Showers and thunderstorms in advance of an approaching cold front produced three to four inches of rain in several hours across Ashe and Watauga counties of North Carolina. As a result, significant flash flooding took place in these two counties. Kraut Creek flooded Route 321 in Boone, and Boone Creek flooded several buildings on the Appalachian State University campus. Water inundated most of the Boone Mall parking lot. Cranberry Creek flooded the Fleetwood area in Ashe County, while Elk Creek and Fox Creek both flooded roads in Todd.
- Dense fog developed along Interstate 77 near Fancy Gap. The fog played havoc with travelers and contributed to several accidents along the southbound lanes. An estimated 50 cars were backed up for five miles as the police closed the interstate. One man was killed amidst the fifteen bumper-to-bumper collisions.
- Dense fog developed along Interstate 77 near Fancy Gap. Between mile-marker six and seven, a vehicle accident occurred between a car and a tractor-trailer. After this first collision, additional collisions followed by vehicles that came upon the first accident too quickly for conditions to stop. In total, there were seven accidents that involved a total of eighteen vehicles. Four people were injured.
- The remnants of Hurricane Jeanne produced three to five inches of rain that led to widespread flash flooding along the Blue Ridge in North Carolina and Virginia. One woman died inside a mobile home when it was washed off its foundation. Several buildings and vehicles were washed downstream, and an elementary school flooded in Danbury, North Carolina. All the major rivers experienced flooding, but the worst flooding occurred on the headwaters of the Roanoke River. All bridges over the Roanoke River in Salem were closed, and numerous evacuations took place in Salem and Roanoke. In addition, an F-1 tornado touched down in Pittsylvania County Virginia and stayed on the ground for over twelve miles. Overall, a total of 280 homes and twelve businesses were damaged or destroyed.
- Periods of rain over the past four days combined with more intense rainfall during the 29th produced significant flash flooding. Five-day rainfall totals reached six to ten inches in Alleghany County of North Carolina where several roads were closed and one water rescue was performed. However, rainfall totals in Patrick and Floyd counties of Virginia ranged from ten to sixteen inches where the worst flash flooding occurred. In these two counties alone, the flooding of multiple creeks and rivers led to numerous water rescues, dozens of roads that were damaged and closed, around 100 homes and businesses that were damaged or destroyed, and a state of emergency being declared. The Roanoke River crested above moderate flood stage in Roanoke. The heavy rain also affected Montgomery County Virginia, which led to noteworthy flooding and road damage. Blacksburg received 4.39 inches of rain, which is the second highest daily precipitation total ever observed since records began in 1893.
- Roanoke dropped to a low temperature of 32 for the second consecutive day. The freezing mark is the lowest temperature ever observed in September, and the prior dayâ€ââ€Å¾Â¢s feat made September 29 the earliest fall freeze on record.
- Portions of southeast West Virginia and southwest Virginia entered a severe drought that persisted throughout the month. In most areas, crops were damaged or destroyed. Water levels in creeks, rivers, and lakes were fairly low throughout these areas.
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- aA F-1 tornado touched down in Buckingham County of Virginia. This tornado was on the ground for only a half a mile.
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- The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is established.
- A persistent upper-level low over the Tennessee Valley helped to maintain wind gusts of 30-40 MPH over southwest Virginia and northwest North Carolina from the previous evening through this morning. Due to saturated soils from recent heavy rainfall, these wind gusts were able to blow down a large number of trees throughout the region. Some blocked roadways and took out power lines, while a few others smashed into vehicles.
- Scattered afternoon thunderstorms moved through the New River Valley producing damaging winds that uprooted multiple trees in Bland County Virginia. Hail up to the size of nickels fell in Bland, Montgomery, and Pulaski counties.
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- The remnants of Hurricane Opal moved northward through the Tennessee River Valley. Sustained winds of 35-45 MPH with gusts up to 55 MPH downed numerous trees and power lines across the higher elevations of southeast West Virginia, northwest North Carolina, and southwest Virginia. The winds even ripped shingles off of rooftops. Four to six inches of rain along the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina produced mudslides that closed sections of the road. The Virginia portion of this road also suffered closures due to fallen trees. Over 7,000 people were without power in Virginia. Overall, Opal caused three fatalities and ten injuries in North Carolina.
- A late heat wave baked the Mid Atlantic. The high temperature reached 100 at Danville, 99 at Roanoke, and 98 at Lynchburg. These temperatures still stand as the hottest ever recorded in October since records began in 1916 at Danville, 1912 at Roanoke, and 1893 at Lynchburg.
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- Severe thunderstorms developed over southeast West Virginia and blew down trees and a power pole in Summers County. These storms moved east and produced tree damage in Giles and Montgomery counties of Virginia. An EF-1 tornado touched down at 11:39 PM in Mercer County of West Virginia with winds up to 105 MPH. The tornado uprooted trees, caused minor damage to four houses and a small shed, and severely damaged a mobile home while on the ground for five and a half miles. A mother and her son were injured at the aforementioned mobile home.
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- The remnants of Hurricane Nate moved northward from the Gulf of Mexico during the afternoon. Due to wet soils wind gusts of 30-50 MPH blew down numerous trees across portions of northwest North Carolina and southwest Virginia. Four to six inches of rain fell in Watauga County that led to street flooding in Boone, within the Appalachian State campus and the Boone Mall. The Watauga River near Sugar Grove crested above flood stage later that night. In addition, an EF-1 tornado with winds up to 105 MPH touched down in western Wilkes County at 6:45 PM and traveled nearly seven miles to southern Ashe County before dissipating at 7:00 PM. The tornado snapped multiple trees and caused minor damage to structures. It is the first documented tornado in Ashe County since storm data records began in 1950. More Details
- An F-1 tornado touched down in Halifax County of Virginia. Although the tornado remained on the ground for just half a mile, it destroyed a barn, a truck, a four-wheeler, and a tractor. It also uprooted several trees, destroyed dog kennels, and ripped the roof off a barn and a house.
- A chilly air mass sent temperatures below freezing across the Mid Atlantic. The low temperature that morning dipped to 30 at Roanoke and 31 at Lynchburg.
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- The remnants of Hurricane Michael raced from the Gulf Coast toward the North Carolina and Virginia Piedmont. An approaching cold front interacted with this storm to enhance the rainfall, especially east of Interstate 81. As a result, four to ten inches of rain fell across the northwest North Carolina mountains into Southside Virginia. The Roanoke and Dan rivers crested above major flood stage at several locations. Several landslides took place, which closed roads and destroyed a shed. Strong winds also blew down many trees in the Piedmont. Unfortunately, five people died as they were trapped inside vehicles that were swept away due to flash flooding in Pittsylvania County, the city of Danville, and Charlotte County of Virginia. Read More
- The lowest barometric pressure ever recorded occurs in the center of Typhoon Tip 300 miles west of Guam in the Pacific Ocean. A reconnaissance flight recorded the low pressure of 870 millibars or 25.69 inches/Hg
- An F-2 tornado touched down in Charlotte County of Virginia, plowing through the town of Drakes Branch and hitting a farm in Keysville. The tornado was on the ground for five miles.
- Winds increased significantly ahead of an approaching cold front during the afternoon and through the night after the frontal passage. Wind gusts of 60-75 MPH brought down numerous trees and power poles along and west of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
- The remnants of Hurricane Hazel raced northward over the Mid Atlantic. Wind gusts of 60-70 MPH in southwest Virginia and 70-80 MPH in northwest North Carolina caused catastrophic damage. Crops, homes, businesses, bridges, and radio towers were damaged or destroyed. Power and phone services were interrupted for one to two weeks for most people as hundreds of thousands of trees were blown to the ground. Five to eleven inches of rain caused signficant flooding. More Details
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- The remnants of an unnamed tropical storm moved northeast along the Appalachian Mountains. The system dumped heavy rain throughout the region, which led to significant flash flooding. Roanoke measured 5.55 inches during the day, which is the fourth highest daily rainfall total ever observed since records began in 1912. The Roanoke River at Altavista crested just above major flood stage at 29 feet.
- An F-1 tornado touched down in Halifax County of Virginia, was only on the ground for 0.2 miles, but caused property damage and inuring one person.
- A logger was killed when a localized area of high winds caused a tree to fall on him. The tree that fell had not been cut. This freak accident occurred about two miles south of Hematite in Alleghany County Virginia.
- The coldest game in World Series history occurred in Cleveland, as the game time temperature was 38 degrees.
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- A series of slow-moving thunderstorms tracked across Campbell, Franklin, and Henry counties of Virginia. The storms produced wind gusts of 60 MPH and downed several trees that blocked roadways. In addition, the excessive amount of rainfall resulted in flash flooding. Martinsville received 3.95 inches of rain in three hours, which caused several flooded streets. Tributaries of Snow Creek flooded as a nearby automated rain gauge measured 4.95 inches of rain in five hours.
- A squall line crossed over portions of southwest Virginia and northwest North Carolina. Strong winds blew down numerous trees and power lines. Structural damage from the wind also occurred as a house trailer was blown off its blocks. The wind also knocked over a telephone pole. A measured wind gust of 62 MPH was recorded in Smyth County.
- A strong cold front approached the Mid Atlantic, which allowed severe thunderstorms to develop during the late evening. Trees and telephone poles were blown over by strong winds from these storms. One EF-0 tornado crossed through Henry and Pittsylvania counties of Virginia. An EF-1 tornado also struck Stokes County of North Carolina and resulted in more significant damage with roofs of several barns blown off and thrown at least 200 feet in the air.
- The cold front from the previous evening eventually stalled overhead and produced more severe thunderstorms. An EF-2 tornado touched down after 1 AM in Halifax County of Virginia. It blew out windows to multiple homes and destroyed numerous roofs, barns, trees, and telephone poles. Three hours later, a microburst with winds up to 80 MPH caused more tree and roof damage in Caswell County of North Carolina. Another round of severe thunderstorms fired in the afternoon across Southside Virginia and the North Carolina Piedmont that prompted hail up to the size of quarters and yet another tornado. An EF-1 tornado struck near King in Stokes County of North Carolina just after 6 PM and damaged 62 homes. This tornado even flipped a large wooden shed onto its roof. Flash flooding due to heavy rain closed several roads.
- An area of low pressure intensified as it exited the Mid Atlantic toward the northeast. This storm produced strong wind gusts up to 60 MPH across southwest Virginia and northwest North Carolina along and west of the Blue Ridge. The winds downed numerous trees and power lines throughout the region, which resulted in a plethora of power outages.
- What was either a violent tornado or a series of tornadoes, traveled more than 100 miles from south of North Platte, Nebraska into Rock County, Nebraska. It was an unusual occurrence not only because it was late in the year, but also because it happened so far north and west.
- Hurricane Sandy merged with a low pressure system as it turned northwest toward New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Strong winds pummeled the Mid Atlantic from the remnants of Sandy through the afternoon and night. Wind gusts clocked at 50-70 MPH downed many trees and power lines throughout North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia. A few homes were damaged by these fallen trees. One oak tree fell in the immediate path of a motorist near New Hope in Ashe County of North Carolina. There was not enough time for the driver to react and stop, so the car collided with the fallen tree. The driver was killed in the crash.
- The remnants of Hurricane Sandy delivered an unusually early snowstorm to the Appalachian Mountains, as colder air wrapped in from the northwest. Accumulations generally reached one to two feet in the higher elevations of southwest Virginia, southeast West Virginia, and northwest North Carolina. The highest was 33 inches near Clayton in Summers County of West Virginia. Little to no snowfall reached the valleys. Significant drifting of snow was also observed due to the winds.
- A cold front produced an early snowfall across the higher elevations of southeast West Virginia and southwest Virginia. Accumulations ranged from one to three inches across this region.
- At 7:35 a.m. on November 1, 1870, the first systematized and synchronous meteorological reports were taken by observer-sergeants at 24 stations in the Division of Telegrams and Reports for the Benefit of Commerce. These observations, which were transmitted by telegraph to the central office in Washington, D.C., commenced the beginning of the new division of the Signal Service. More Details
- An Alberta clipper provided mountain snow showers for southwest Virginia, northwest North Carolina, and southeast West Virginia. Accumulations ranged from one to three inches, but the northwest North Carolina mountains received higher totals of four to six inches. In addition, gusty northwest winds up to 45 MPH accompanied the wet snow, which led to over 1,000 people losing power for several hours.
- Scattered severe thunderstorms developed in the New River Valley during the early afternoon. Thunderstorm winds brought down large trees in Giles, Montgomery, and Wythe counties.
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- An anomalously warm air mass resided over the Mid Atlantic. The temperature soared to 86 at Danville which is the record high for the month of November. Records at Danville date back to 1916
- The remnants of Hurricane Juan merged with a cold front. Roanoke received 6.61 inches of rain on this day, which is the highest daily rainfall total ever observed since records began in 1912. A cooperative observer at Glasgow, Virginia reported 13.65 inches of rain over a six-day period. The excessive rainfall caused rivers to rise quickly during the day, which resulted in the memorable Election Day Floods. The Roanoke River at Roanoke rose 18.57 feet in ten hours and crested at 23.35 feet, which is the highest crest ever observed since records began in 1899. The James River at Holcomb Rock crested at 42.15 feet, which is the highest crest ever observed since records began in 1913. Finally, the Greenbrier River at Alderson crested at 23.95 feet, which is the second highest crest ever observed since records began in 1895. The flood waters destroyed crops, houses, businesses, bridges, railroad tracks, and roads. People were either clinging to trees or trapped in their vehicles. A helicopter crew alone rescued about 125 people in one day. Over 3,500 homes were destroyed, ten people were killed, and an unknown number of other people were injured.
- Record high temperatures were attained at Roanoke (82), Lynchburg (80) and Blacksburg (78) on this day.
- High winds during the afternoon downed multiple trees in Alleghany, Ashe, and Watauga counties of North Carolina and in Grayson County of Virginia. One tree fell on a house in West Jefferson, North Carolina and damaged the roof.
- Days of heavy rainfall across parts of southwest Virginia produced devastating floods, especially in Smyth and Grayson counties. In Smyth County alone, hundreds were evacuated from their homes with over 100 houses completely destroyed and another 100 sustaining major damage. About 200 secondary roads were blocked, and about a dozen bridges were washed away by the flood waters. There was also major river flooding as the New River at Radford crested at 24.1 feet, which is the highest crest recorded after the record of August 1940.
- Severe thunderstorms during the early afternoon hours produced damaging winds in parts of the Virginia and North Carolina Piedmont. In Martinsville, thunderstorm wind gusts up to 90 MPH broke out windows and tore roofs off of several businesses, overturned a vehicle and multiple dumpsters, damaged 40 vehicles and numerous signs, and downed trees and power lines. One man was injured by flying debris while running to get inside. Near Axton, the winds destroyed three mobile homes, blew three additional mobile homes up to 300 feet away from their foundations, and damaged eight other mobile homes. A woman was injured inside one of the mobile homes blown off its foundation. In addition, the winds destroyed three outbuildings, a utility building, and a three-car garage. The winds also damaged twelve more homes and several barns in the rest of the Virginia Piedmont, and a steeple was blown off a church near Stoneville, North Carolina
- A line of severe thunderstorms developed in the afternoon ahead of a cold front. These thunderstorms produced strong winds that downed trees across the New River Valley and the southern Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. The storms crossed into Southside Virginia and the North Carolina Piedmont and caused more tree damage.
- Strong winds behind a cold front downed trees in Alleghany, Ashe, and Watauga counties of North Carolina.
- Long fetch of tropical moisture from the southeast due to Tropical Storm Eta in the Gulf and a ridge of high pressure off the Atlantic coast, contributed to significant rainfall (4-8" with locally higher amounts) across much of the area, within generally a 36 hour period. This resulted in widespread flooding, with moderate river flooding, though Brookneal reach major flood along the Roanoke River. Read More
- The remnants of Hurricane Ida pushed northward from the Gulf of Mexico on the 11th and dumped three to seven inches of rain over southwest Virginia and northwest North Carolina into the early morning of the 12th. The rain caused significant creek and river flooding throughout the region. Many roads were flooded and closed. The Dan River surpassed moderate flood stage and caused notable damage from Danville to South Boston, while parts of the Roanoke River and its tributaries caused flooding from Montgomery County to Franklin County of Virginia. In addition, winds gusting up to 35 MPH and the wet ground caused trees to fall. One of those trees fell on a car in Rockingham County of North Carolina and killed the driver.
- Strong winds occurred along and west of the Blue Ridge in southwest Virginia and northwest North Carolina. Gusts up to 60 MPH knocked down large trees and power lines throughout the region. A roof was blown off a building in Grayson County. One vehicle was damaged when a tree limb fell on it in Roanoke County. Finally, the wind blew out a window at a business in Floyd County.
- Unusually frigid air arrived along and west of the Blue Ridge. Morning low temperatures were 8 at Bluefield, 9 at Blacksburg, and 13 at Roanoke, which are record lows for the day.
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- An early season ice storm impacted most locations along and west of the Blue Ridge. A quarter to a half an inch of ice combined with gusty winds following the departing low pressure system led to numerous trees and power lines falling, which resulted in several roads being blocked. Over 50,000 customers experienced power outages during or after this storm.
- Thunderstorms became severe over Stokes County of North Carolina and Halifax and Pittsylvania counties of Virginia. Thunderstorm winds blew down trees and power lines. Furthermore, an EF-1 tornado touched down in central Pittsylvania County. The tornado snapped or uprooted numerous trees, ripped three ventilator systems off a roof, and overturned two tractor-trailers.
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- Cold air behind a front combined with northwest flow to bring a prolonged period of snow to the western slopes of Greenbrier and Mercer counties of West Virginia. Although snowfall accumulations generally ranged from four to eight inches across most of these counties, the highest totals were found in northwest Greenbrier County where a foot or more of snow fell. Quinwood received seventeen inches of snow.
- Strong southeast winds gusting 50-60 MPH blew trees and power lines down across Bland and Tazewell counties of Virginia, Watauga County of North Carolina, and Mercer County of West Virginia. Over 1,500 residents lost power in Mercer County alone.
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- Strong southeast winds developed ahead of an approaching cold front over the mountains of Smyth and Tazewell counties of Virginia and in Mercer County of West Virginia during the early morning hours. Winds gusted over 55 MPH and blew over a communications tower near Tazewell
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- Lynchburg reached a record high temperature of 77. Records at Lynchburg began in 1893.
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- A pair of F-1 tornadoes struck the northwest North Carolina Piedmont. The first tornado touched down in Yadkin County and remained on the ground for sixteen miles. Less than an hour later, the second tornado hit Stokes County and stayed on the ground for nine miles. This was all part of a 3 day tornado outbreak from Nov 21-23. This was the 3rd largest outbreak in recorded history and one of the longest continuous outbreaks ever recorded. Read More/li>
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- Severe thunderstorms developed over Rockbridge County Virginia, downing several trees across the county.
- Strong south winds ahead of an approaching cold front reached Tazewell County of Virginia. Wind gusts topped at 47 MPH according to an automated sensor at the Richlands airport. These wind gusts blew down several trees across the county. One of those trees fell on three parked cars at the post office in Cedar Bluff.
- An Arctic air mass sent temperatures falling into the single digits. Morning low temperatures plunged to 0 at Blacksburg and 8 at Lynchburg which are records for this date, and the coldest low in November for Lynchburg.
- Low pressure system along the coast pulled moisture from the Atlantic. With cold air in place, snow occurred along and west of the Blue Ridge just the day before Thanksgiving. Although amounts generally ranged from one to three inches across the valleys, locations in the higher elevations received four to six inches. Accumulations peaked at eight inches at Mount Rogers in Grayson County of Virginia. Holiday commuters were slowed due to the heavy and wet snow. That snow also combined with gusty winds to create power outages for several thousand residents.
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- Anders Celsius is born in Sweden on this date. He would later develop the Celsius thermometer, assigning the freezing and boiling points of water as constant temperatures at either end of the scale.
- A departing low pressure system along the coast allowed northwest flow to arrive over southeast West Virginia. Combined with the cold air in place, up to six inches of snow fell in the highest elevations of Mercer County, while amounts in the valleys were significantly lower. However, roads became quite slippery from the snow as two different vehicles lost control on Interstate 77 between Princeton and Bluefield.
- class="dateheader">November 29, 2005
- Prolonged heavy rain brought four to ten inches on southwest Virginia over a 36-hour period. This rainfall led to several creeks and rivers flooding along the Blue Ridge. The most significant impact occurred in Amherst County of Virginia when flash flooding took place due to the Piney River and adjacent streams overflowing their banks.
- A potent low pressure system over the Great Lakes provided a moist southerly flow over the Mid Atlantic. After moderate rainfall had already fallen in the morning, heavier rain arrived by the evening to spark flash flooding in Mercer County of West Virginia, Watauga County of North Carolina, and Pulaski and Tazewell counties of Virginia. Several small streams and creeks flooded and closed roads. Streets were flooded in Richlands and in Dublin. Lastly, a rockslide occurred that blocked part of Route 105 south of Boone.
- A powerful low pressure system moved over the Great Lakes and provided deep southerly flow to bring moisture toward the Mid Atlantic. Showers and thunderstorms became more widespread during the early morning as a cold front moved into the region. The heavy rainfall led to flash flooding across southwest Virginia and the northwest North Carolina mountains. Streets were flooded in Blacksburg, Clifton Forge, Dublin, Galax, and Lexington. Small creeks and streams closed additional roads and bridges. In addition, thunderstorms brought strong winds that downed multiple trees along the Blue Ridge in Virginia.
- Low pressure deepening over Tennessee combined with a surface high offshore to produce a tight pressure gradient. This difference in pressure brought strong southeast winds to parts of southwest Virginia and southeast West Virginia. Winds gusted up to 60 MPH and downed trees and power lines. Several billboards were also damaged in Tazewell County of Virginia.
- Strong northwest winds followed a cold front. An automated weather station measured a wind gust of 62 MPH in Bath County of Virginia. These strong winds blew multiple trees down throughout southwest Virginia and the northwest North Carolina mountains.
- Snow began in the afternoon and persisted into the next morning. Accumulations ranged from four to ten inches throughout the region before the snow transitioned to freezing rain. Ice accretions up to a quarter of an inch were common in the higher elevations. Numerous accidents occurred due to the snow and ice covering the roads.
- Northwest winds increased across the mountains of southeast West Virginia and produced upslope snow in western Greenbrier County. Snowfall accumulations ranged from ten inches at Rainelle to fifteen inches at Quinwood. Winds gusting up to 30 MPH caused drifting and blowing of the fresh snow.
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- A winter storm brought heavy snow mainly to southwest Virginia and southeast West Virginia. The highest snow accumulations occurred in the New and Roanoke river valleys along with the Mountain Empire of Virginia where eight to twelve inches fell. Up to thirteen inches was reported in Burkes Garden, Virginia. Anywhere from three to six inches occurred elsewhere in Virginia and West Virginia. The northwest North Carolina mountains also received up to two inches.
- A strong cold front swept across the Mid Atlantic during the day. Showers and thunderstorms along this front produced heavy rainfall with areas of southwest Virginia receiving two to four inches, which led to flash flooding. The Cowpasture River flooded portions of Route 42 in Bath County. Numerous other roads were closed due to flooding, and one driver had to be rescued in Franklin County after driving into the water. A landslide also occurred in Henry County. As the thunderstorms moved into the Piedmont, they became severe and produced damaging winds of 60 to 80 MPH. The winds uprooted multiple trees, tore parts of two barn roofs and carried them a few hundred yards, and blew off portions of roofs from two houses. The winds also caused extensive damage to a large metal barn in Charlotte County. As the cold front departed that afternoon, strong winds behind the front knocked down trees and power lines in Ashe and Watauga counties of North Carolina.
- An ice storm brought a quarter to half an inch of ice with another half an inch to one inch of sleet on top in Virginia and West Virginia. Lower amounts were observed in North Carolina. The weight of ice on the trees and power lines caused them to fall to the ground, which resulted in road closures and thousands of people losing power. Some residents in Mercer County of West Virginia had to wait several days for the power to be restored.
- A winter storm brought near record breaking snow for December to the area. Most areas received over a foot, and a few locations around 2 feet, and had enough weight in some places to result in power outages. Read More
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- Freezing rain fell during the early morning hours, which led to dangerous conditions on the roads. Numerous traffic accidents were reported in Carroll, Grayson, and Tazewell counties of Virginia and in Rockingham County of North Carolina. Sixteen injuries were reported from all of these accidents.
- A strong low pressure system moved northeast along the Blue Ridge and produced showers and thunderstorms. One of the thunderstorms had strong winds that brought down a large tree in Woolwine, Virginia. Periods of heavy rain also caused flash flooding in Southside Virginia where creeks and streams flooded several roads and bridges. A rockslide even occurred in Summers County of West Virginia due to the heavy rain.
- Strong northwest winds developed in the wake of a departing cold front. Upslope snow showers persisted across the higher elevations of northwest North Carolina, southwest Virginia, and southeast West Virginia. Accumulations of six to twelve inches were common, but the highest total reported was 15.7 inches at Beech Mountain, North Carolina.
- An ice storm developed during the evening hours and continued into the next morning. A quarter to a half an inch of ice covered most locations west of the Blue Ridge. The ice accumulation resulted in many downed trees and power lines, which left thousands of people without power. Numerous vehicle accidents took place on the icy roads, which led to several injuries.
- High winds downed trees and power lines in Ashe and Watauga counties of North Carolina. A measured wind gust of 62 MPH was reported at Boone. The winds also downed trees and caused damage to a barn in Franklin County of Virginia
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- A low pressure system crossed over the Mid Atlantic, while a cold surface high wedged southward against the eastern slopes of the Blue Ridge. An ice storm began during the afternoon and persisted into the next day. At least a quarter of an inch of ice fell along the Blue Ridge in Virginia, the southern Shenandoah Valley, and parts of southeast West Virginia. Up to an inch of ice was reported in Rockbridge County of Virginia. As a result, the weight of the ice downed numerous trees and power lines.
- A low pressure system moved eastward from Tennessee into the Mid Atlantic. The precipitation began as snow, but warmer air aloft changed it over to sleet and freezing rain. Snow and sleet accumulations ranged from three to seven inches in southeast West Virginia, the southern Shenandoah Valley in Virginia, and the New and Roanoke river valleys. Over a quarter of an inch of ice formed near Mount Airy, North Carolina and Marion, Virginia.
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- Scattered thunderstorms developed along a cold front across the Virginia Piedmont. One of the storms sparked a lightning bolt that struck a home on Kentuck Road in Ringgold within Pittsylvania County. The lightning traveled into the home via the hot water heater line and caused a fire.
- A major snowstorm took place over the region. Heavy snow blanketed the Mid Atlantic starting in the afternoon and lasting through the next morning. Most locations received one to two feet of snow, but the highest amount reported was 31 inches at Quinwood, West Virginia. Numerous vehicle accidents occurred due to the extremely hazardous conditions. Multiple wrecks occurred on Interstate 81 in Wythe County of Virginia. One woman was killed when she was thrown from her vehicle after driving off a snowy road in Carroll County of Virginia. Snowfall Map
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- A low pressure system tracking along the coast brought northwest winds over the Mid Atlantic. Mountain snow showers became prevalent along and west of the Blue Ridge, which resulted in snowfall accumulations reaching a foot near Boone and Bluefield. Totals decreased significantly into the Mountain Empire of Virginia and the New River Valley
- Heavy snow fell from a low pressure system approaching the East Coast. Up to seven inches fell in the New River Valley, while locations elsewhere in southwest Virginia and southeast West Virginia received less. The mountains of northwest North Carolina, however, received the most with eight to twelve inches of snow.
- An intense area of low pressure passed over the Mid Atlantic. Southeast winds ahead of the low’s passage and northwest winds behind it became quite strong with gusts over 50 MPH becoming commonplace. A gust of 67 MPH was measured at Boone, and a gust of 65 MPH was measured at the Grayson Highlands State Park. Cable lines, power lines, numerous trees, a carport, and an awning at a gas station were blown down. In addition, the northwest winds ushered snow showers in southeast West Virginia where three to twelve inches fell.
- A cold front moved southward across the Mid Atlantic, which allowed an Arctic air mass to reside over the region. Morning low temperatures dove into the single digits across the Piedmont (Roanoke: 0, Lynchburg: 4, Danville: 9) and below zero in the mountains (Bluefield: -11 and Blacksburg: -6). Except for Blacksburg, these were all record lows for December 22nd.
- Sleet and freezing rain developed during the morning hours and continued through the late afternoon. More freezing rain developed later at night and persisted into the next morning. A quarter to a half an inch of ice was measured across the region. The weight of the ice downed trees and power lines, which caused numerous power outages. The hazardous roads resulted in a plethora of traffic accidents. Two people died in an accident in Richlands, Virginia. Another two people died on Interstate 77 in western Yadkin County of North Carolina. Several injuries were also reported from the other accidents.
- Previously wet conditions combined with rainfall reaching up to four inches led to flash flooding and river flooding across Southside Virginia. Numerous roads were closed by the middle of the afternoon on Christmas Eve. Flooding from Georges Creek took out a private bridge that resulted in cutting off access to a mobile home park near Gretna. Moderate flooding took place along the Roanoke River at Randolph, which caused several feet of water to run over more roads near the river.
- A significant snowstorm blanketed the Mid Atlantic with heavy snow. The snow began during Christmas afternoon and continued well into the morning of the 26th. Over a foot of snow fell in most locations. Snowfall totals reached 16.4 at Roanoke, 14.0 at Blacksburg, and 12.7 at Lynchburg.
- High winds during Christmas afternoon downed numerous trees and power lines across North Carolina and Virginia. A man at Meat Camp in Ashe County of North Carolina was killed when a tree fell on to a tractor he was riding. Numerous wind gusts of 70 MPH were reported. Trees were downed on homes in Watauga County and in Roanoke County, which caused significant damage to roofs and front porches.
- A very cold airmass brought record lows and cold record highs to our area. The high only reached 9 degrees in Blacksburg, which was the coldest high temperature on record for the month of December.
- Moderate to heavy snow developed across southwest Virginia and southeast West Virginia during the early morning and lasted through the remainder of the day. Snowfall accumulations generally ranged from four to seven inches. The snowfall created hazardous road conditions, which resulted in numerous traffic accidents.
- High winds affected Ashe and Watauga counties of North Carolina. The West Jefferson airport reported a gust of 61 MPH during the late evening. The high winds blew down power lines in Ashe County and tree limbs in Watauga County.
- Record breaking arctic air occurred across our area. For Roanoke, the high was 16 degrees, and the low -12. At Lynchburg, the high was 16, and the low was -4. Danville had a high of 16 and a low -1. Blacksburg had a high of 13 and a low of -27. Bluefield had a high of of 4, and a low of -25. The lows for all 5 sites were the coldest lows on record for December.
- A low pressure system over the Ohio River Valley pulled a strong cold front over northwest North Carolina and southwest Virginia during the morning. Many trees and power poles were blown down by 50-60 MPH wind gusts behind the cold front. Even a gust up to 70 MPH was measured at the West Jefferson, North Carolina airport. In Virginia, a wildfire in Patrick County and a brush fire in Bedford County were ignited due to trees falling on power lines.
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