Flash Flood — Buckingham, Virginia

2024-09-30 · near Arvonia, Buckingham, Virginia

Event narrative

Runoff from between 1.5 and 2 inches of rain falling over moist soil caused the intersection of North James Madison Highway and Thomas Road to be flooded and impassible for a brief period of time. Further north, Randolph Creek Road was reported covered with flowing water, with one car trapped in the flood waters. The occupant was able to escape the vehicle on their own. Another vehicle became trapped in floodwaters along Clay Bank Road, with the occupant needing to be rescued by boat. The intersection of Ridge Road and Penlan Road was observed flooded. Near the community of Dillwyn, several inches of water was observed flowing across Rosney Road, as well as High Rocks Road where rainfall rates of up to four inches per hour were observed. Cattail Creek rose out of its banks, and was observed flowing across Plank Road near the intersection with Back Mountain Road. Allens Lake Road was washed out and destroyed when a tributary of Tower Branch overflowed its banks across the roadway. A swift water rescue was required for a vehicle that became stranded where Hunts Creek flooded across Slate Hill Road.

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 → (37.6774, -78.3864)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1219140. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.