Flash Flood — Appomattox, Virginia

2024-09-30 · near Spout Spg, Appomattox, Virginia

Event narrative

A thunderstorm produced around 1.5 inches of rain falling at rates of around three inches per hour. This rain fell across ground that was very moist from rainfall occurring during Tropical Storm Helene a few days earlier. Runoff from the rainfall caused multiple roads located northwest of the town of Appomattox to become flooded and impassible with several inches of flowing water across them. This included Phelps Branch Road where it intersects Phelps Branch, as well as North Creek Road at North Creek. No damage to the roads were reported, which were open to traffic after the water receded.

Wider weather episode

Multiple rounds of showers and thunderstorms associated with the remnant moisture of Tropical Storm Helene passed across the region, producing localized heavy rainfall across soils that were already moist from previous rainfall. Rainfall rates in several of the storms that developed ranged from between three and five inches per hour and, in a few cases, were higher. Creeks that were already high from recent rainfall did not need much additional runoff to be forced out of their banks and flood nearby roads.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (37.3648, -78.9148)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1219139. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.