Flash Flood — Henry, Virginia

2010-09-30 · near Bassett, Henry, Virginia

Event narrative

There were several reports of flooding in the Bassett area with on unnamed creek flowing over a road. Several other reports of countywide flooding were received. Damage values are estimated.

Wider weather episode

On the 25th of September, a powerful area of low pressure was located over the southeastern U.S. Several weak centers of low pressure formed over the Gulf Coast area from the 26th to 28th and pushed northeast along a stationary boundary bringing very high moisture from the Gulf and Atlantic Ocean. This deep moisture was pulled northward into the piedmont of the Carolinas and Virginia. A strong southeast flow developed in the low levels of the atmosphere and initiated a significant upslope component formed as well, with the highest amounts of rain falling along and east of the Blue Ridge. Storm total rainfall was greatest along the crest of the Blue Ridge and east into the foothills. This region received three to five inches. A second around of rain began in earnest during the evening hours of the 29th as remains from Tropical Storm Nicole moved across North Carolina and eastern Virginia. Rainfall rates increased during the overnight hours with the heaviest amounts falling from the Blue Ridge eastward. There was a much sharper western cutoff to this precipitation pattern, with very little falling west of the Blue Ridge and heavy rains to the east. The heaviest rains were concentrated from Rockingham County, NC through Henry County, VA and into southern Franklin County, VA. Rainfall rates of 1.0 to 1.5 inches per hour occurred in the same region that received the heaviest amounts rain on the 26th through the 28th. This prompted flash flooding within this region. Precipitation continued through much of the 30th as the remains of Nicole shifted northward. Three day rainfall totals exceeded ten inches over parts of Henry County with widespread three to five inch totals noted east of the crest of the Blue Ridge.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (36.7700, -79.9800)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 261923. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.