Nearly 200,000 people in Virginia were under a flash flood warning on Friday as heavy rain moved through the region after flooding the Northeast the day before.
Why It Matters
Communities in southwestern Bedford County, northern Franklin County, eastern Roanoke County and the city of Roanoke, Virginia, faced elevated risks from flash flooding as the National Weather Service (NWS) issued a Flash Flood Warning late Friday morning.
With higher-than-average rainfall rates forecast for the region and a history of damaging floods in the broader mid-Atlantic and Northeast this season, the warning underscored the threat to public safety, transportation infrastructure and property in a region that has recently seen intense weather patterns.
What To Know
The NWS office in Blacksburg, Virginia, issued the flash flood warning at 11:57 a.m. local time. The warning was slated to remain in effect until 6 p.m.
The affected area includes populated cities and towns such as Roanoke, Salem, Vinton and Boones Mill, as well as Stewartsville, Moneta and the northwest shore of Smith Mountain Lake. Streams and drainages vulnerable to surges include Back Creek, Blackwater River, Carter Mill Creek, Carvin Creek and Bunker Hill Creek. Officials said that flash flooding was ongoing or imminent in the designated zones.
A rainfall accumulation map from windy.com shows where more rain is expected over the next 24 hours. A rainfall accumulation map from windy.com shows where more rain is expected over the next 24 hours. windy.com
Weather Radar
According to the official bulletin, Doppler radar indicated that thunderstorms were producing heavy rain, with between 1 and 2 inches having already fallen in some areas and an additional 2 inches possible in the warning period. Rainfall rates were expected to reach up to 3 inches in a single hour, creating conditions for rapid flooding.
Animated weather footage from windy.com showed storms currently located over Virginia and parts of North Carolina.
Rainfall Amounts
Over the next 24 hours, western Virginia was anticipating more rain, as were parts of North Carolina and South Carolina. Forecasted amounts varied between .3 inches and 1 inch.
NWS meteorologist Christopher Grover, who works at the Blacksburg office, told Newsweek it’s not uncommon for the area to see rainstorms like this during the summer months. However, what is uncommon, he said, it there’s an unusually high amount of moisture in the atmosphere, which is contributing to the intense rainfall rates.
Thunderstorms
In addition to the heavy rain, thunderstorms also were noted in the area and could pose other weather hazards, such as high winds and lightning.
The warning highlighted likely impacts, including rising water in small creeks and streams, as well as flooding on urban streets, highways, underpasses and other low-lying or poor drainage locations. Infrastructure such as bridges, homes and roads in the area were at risk of rapid inundation.
The warning emphasized caution to prevent lives being lost while attempting to drive through flooded areas, a recurrent risk in flash flood events. Residents were encouraged to report observations of flooding—including mudslides or submerged roads—via the NWS Blacksburg Facebook page, X or telephone when safe to do so.
What People Are Saying
NWS Blacksburg, in a flash flood warning: “Turn around, don’t drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles.”
NWS Blacksburg, in a severe thunderstorm warning issued just south of the flash flood warning: “Prepare immediately for damaging winds. For your safety, move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building. Stay away from windows.”
What Happens Next
Water levels may rise quickly in streams, rivers and low-lying urban areas. The NWS said that residents should continue to monitor for official alerts and avoid travel on water-covered roads.
Grover said drier air will move into the region this weekend.
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