Flood — Wythe, Virginia

2015-04-19 to 2015-04-20 · near Simmerman, Wythe, Virginia

Event narrative

A vehicle with one occupant was washed into Cripple Creek and found later further downstream. The creek was in flood during the overnight and morning hours of April 19-20. The exact time of the incident is unknown but was estimated byto be around 9 AM.

Wider weather episode

A prolonged heavy rainfall event with slow-moving boundary produced significant small stream and subsequent river flooding in the mountains of southwest VA beginning overnight Sunday, April 19th. Rainfall amounts totaled 1 to 3 inches through 7:00AM EDT Monday, April 20th with isolated amounts up to 4 inches (4.00 measured at Galax, VA Water Plant COOP). Severe weather broke out later in the day on Monday. Heavy rain (2-2 inches) fell in one hour in Wythe County, VA Monday evening causing flash flooding and road washouts. One of the more impressive stream responses occurred on Reed Creek in Wythe County where the gage at Grahams Forge (GRHV2) crested at 9.14 feet (discharge of 11600 cfs) on the afternoon of the 20th (Flood Stage = 7 feet). This was the 2nd highest stage since continuous records began there in the late 1920s and in terms of flood frequency equates to roughly a 33-year event (Annual Exceedance Probability, AEP of 0.03) per the latest USGS Flood Frequency Report. The highest stage recorded at this gage occurred in April 1977 at 10.01 feet during a period of major flooding in southwest Virginia. Local emergency management official said the flooding was 'historic' in that area. Over 50 roads were reported to have been closed in Wythe County by flood waters during the event with substantial road damage.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (36.8225, -81.1231)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 570721. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.