Overview
Four-day (96-hour) rainfall amounts ending at 800 AM EDT on May 22nd ranged from 3 to over 12” in the most favored locations. Some of the 11-inch+, 4-day rain totals in Roanoke County were within the 200-year recurrence interval (9.78” to 11.8”). The flooding that ensued was almost all in the form of river flooding that took several days to develop. Nearly every major river basin saw some flooding, but the most notable occurred in the New River basin where crests ranged from the 4th to 8th highest on record at the Virginia gaging stations along the river. Stages on the upper New were higher than in October 2018 when the remains of Hurricane Michael transited the region. At Galax, it was the highest stage in 25 years, since January 1995 when the river hit 15.23 feet. At Ivanhoe, it was the highest stage in over 40 years, since November, 1977 when the gage reached 28.08 feet. The incredible rainfall, runoff and numerous debris flows produced widespread damage to roads in the region with VDOT reporting over $5 million in damages. Of note as well during this period was that Philpott Dam on the Smith River which was completed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1952 reached the highest pool elevation in its period of record, reaching 985.31 feet on May 22nd. This was the first time the emergency spillway elevation of 985 feet had been reached. The previous high lake level was 983.06 feet in June 1972 during Hurricane Agnes. |
![]() Total Rainfall from This Event |
Flooding
Many river basins saw flooding, with moderate to major flooding along the New and Roanoke River basins.
Hydrographs/Radar
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
Galax, VA along the New River | Radford, VA along the New River | Roanoke, VA along the Roanoke River | Radar Loop from May 19-21st |
Photos
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
|
New River near Radford, VA May 21st (credit : Keighton) | Fries, Va Flooding May 21st (credit: Danny Cox) |
Roanoke River in Roanoke, VA (credit: Taj Simmons WSLS) |
South Boston, VA flooding along U.S,58/501 intersection May 23rd (credit: William Stafford WSET) |
Storm Reports
THE FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF UNOFFICIAL PRECIPITATION TOTALS OF 1 INCH OR MORE FOR THE RAIN EVENT FROM THIS PAST WEEK. THESE REPORTS ARE FROM A COMBINATION OF SOURCES INCLUDING COOP OBSERVERS...SPOTTERS...IFLOWS GAGES...AND AUTOMATED EQUIPMENT AND HAVE NOT BEEN QUALITY CONTROLLED. Location Amount Provider ...North Carolina... ...Alleghany County... Glade Creek VFD 9.96 in DCP Sparta 3.5 SSW 8.73 in COCORAHS 1.9 SW Barrett 8.59 in HADS Sparta 2.8 NE 7.37 in COCORAHS Sparta 3.6 NW 6.40 in COCORAHS Ennice 5.02 in CWOP ...Ashe County... Fleetwood 8.78 in COCORAHS Transou 8.62 in COOP 2 NE Deep Gap 7.73 in COCORAHS West Jefferson 1.4 SE 7.16 in COCORAHS Jefferson 2 E 6.87 in COOP Lansing 6.83 in HADS Jefferson 6.43 in AWOS 2 SW Ashland 5.46 in COCORAHS 1 W Nella 5.41 in COCORAHS Nc Fire Raws No. 5 3.98 in RAWS ...Caswell County... Caswell Game Lands 5.30 in RAWS 1.1 NE Topnot 4.85 in COOP Mebane 11.2 N 4.74 in COCORAHS Yanceyville 2.4 SW 3.93 in COCORAHS ...Rockingham County... Eden 6.03 in COOP 2.7 NW Reidsville 5.62 in COOP Eden 2.3 ENE 5.41 in COCORAHS Reidsville 4.30 in AWOS ...Stokes County... Lawsonville 6.48 in Public Danbury 6.45 in COOP 0.9 E Pine Hall 6.20 in HADS King 4.2 N 4.61 in COCORAHS King 4.57 in COOP 3 W Capella 4.13 in AWS ...Surry County... Raven Knob 6.61 in RAWS Elkin 5.05 in COOP Pilot Mountain 4.25 in COCORAHS Mount Airy Surry 4.06 in AWOS Pilot Mountain 3.84 in RAWS Mt. Airy 4.3 W 3.20 in COCORAHS ...Watauga County... 1 E Seven Devils 10.51 in COCORAHS Boone 4.5 SE 10.29 in COCORAHS Seven Devils 9.72 in COCORAHS 1 SE Rutherwood 8.93 in COCORAHS Boone 1 SE 8.51 in COOP Boone 0.3 WSW 7.41 in COCORAHS Blowing Rock 2.2 NE 7.11 in COCORAHS Blowing Rock 6.52 in CWOP 1 N Foscoe 5.92 in COCORAHS Boone Watauga Ct 5.66 in AWOS Boone 5.29 in COCORAHS Boone Precip 2s 5.08 in USGS Valle Crucis 5.03 in COCORAHS Boone 4.38 in CWOP 0.7 NE Rominger 4.10 in HADS Brushy Fork 4.08 in CWOP Reese 3.46 in COCORAHS Beech Mountain 2.78 in CWOP ...Wilkes County... 2 SSE Wilbar 7.87 in RAWS North Wilkesboro 5.5 SE 7.08 in COCORAHS Millers Creek 1.9 NNW 6.03 in COCORAHS Elkville 5.88 in HADS W Kerr Scott Resv 5.30 in COOP 0.6 SW North Wilkesboro 5.13 in COOP Moravian Falls 3.43 in CWOP ...Yadkin County... 3.1 E Shacktown 4.07 in COOP Yadkinville 0.2 E 3.89 in COCORAHS ...Virginia... ...Alleghany County... Covington 4.1 E 4.01 in COCORAHS 5.0 SE Covington City 3.04 in IFLOWS Covington 2.18 in COOP 1.2 S Callaghan 1.64 in IFLOWS ...Amherst County... 3 NW Amherst 3.70 in Public Amherst 1.7 SW 3.47 in COCORAHS Madison Heights 4.1 NW 2.95 in COCORAHS ...Appomattox County... Appomattox 2.82 in COOP ...Bath County... 1 ESE Hot Springs 6.13 in IFLOWS Hot Springs 3.17 in COOP Lime Kiln 2.95 in RAWS Goshen 3.3 WNW 2.07 in COCORAHS Millboro 0.3 NW 1.66 in COCORAHS Ingalls Field Airport 1.65 in AWOS ...Bedford County... Vinton 8.6 ENE 6.64 in COCORAHS Moneta 3.6 SW 6.27 in COCORAHS Goodview 3.2 SSE 6.27 in COCORAHS 3.6 SW Huddleston 6.22 in COOP Bedford 5.67 in COOP Goodview 1.7 NNE 5.24 in COCORAHS Bedford 3.2 W 5.23 in COCORAHS Moneta 4.8 S 4.96 in COCORAHS Big Island 2.5 WNW 4.67 in COCORAHS Big Island 4.67 in COOP Moneta 3.38 in CWOP ...Bland County... Bland 3.67 in HADS Bastian/Clear Fork 3.08 in HADS ...Botetourt County... Cloverdale 7.75 in IFLOWS North Fork Catawba Creek 7.40 in IFLOWS 6 E New Castle 7.29 in Trained Spotter Fincastle 1.9 NNW 6.83 in COCORAHS 0.7 E Troutville 6.75 in IFLOWS 1 SW Blue Ridge 4.08 in Public ...Buckingham County... Buckingham 2.65 in COOP Buckingham 9.9 NW 2.32 in COCORAHS New Canton 2.6 SE 1.91 in COCORAHS ...Campbell County... Brookneal 3.86 in COOP Lynchburg 6.7 ESE 2.95 in COCORAHS Lynchburg 2.94 in ASOS Concord 4 SSW 2.75 in COOP ...Carroll County... Galax Water Plant 6.94 in COOP Hillsville 3.7 W 6.50 in COCORAHS Galax 6.1 N 6.31 in COCORAHS 0.6 W Laurel Fork 5.33 in HADS Hillsville Galax 5.11 in AWOS Woodlawn 3.93 in CWOP Hillsville 3.83 in CWOP ...Charlotte County... Charlotte Court House 2.42 in COCORAHS Keysville 2.27 in COOP Saxe 4.3 SE 2.25 in COCORAHS ...City of Buena Vista County... Buena Vista City 2.35 in COOP ...City of Danville County... Danville Airport 4.54 in ASOS ...City of Lynchburg County... Lynchburg 2.5 WSW 3.41 in COCORAHS Lynchburg 3.4 NNW 2.19 in COCORAHS ...City of Martinsville County... 1.5 N Martinsville City 6.63 in COOP ...City of Radford County... Radford 0.9 WNW 4.66 in COCORAHS ...City of Roanoke County... 2 ENE Cave Spring 9.02 in Trained Spotter 2.1 SE Hollins 8.79 in IFLOWS Roanoke 6.86 in ASOS 2 NNE Cave Spring 5.00 in Public ...City of Salem County... 2 NNE Salem City 11.39 in Public Salem 1.6 WSW 9.20 in COCORAHS 0.6 W Salem City 4.11 in IFLOWS ...Craig County... New Castle 7.42 in COOP Craig Valley 6.54 in RAWS Johns Creek/Route 311 6.78 in IFLOWS Craig Creek/Abbott 6.11 in IFLOWS Simmonsville 5.12 in IFLOWS ...Floyd County... Copper Hill 6.2 S 13.66 in COCORAHS 5 SE Check 12.45 in COCORAHS 3 WNW Callaway 10.80 in Public Copper Hill 8.92 in COOP 4 SE Terrys Fork 8.85 in Trained Spotter Willis 2.7 SE 6.77 in COCORAHS Floyd 5.2 NW 5.41 in COCORAHS 2 S Terrys Fork 5.50 in Public 2.3 N Copper Hill 5.23 in IFLOWS Floyd 4.59 in CWOP 5 WSW Callaway 4.00 in Cocorahs 0.6 N Willis 3.36 in HADS ...Franklin County... Rocky Mount 2.2 NW 11.86 in COCORAHS Ferrum 1.9 SSW 9.53 in COCORAHS Ferrum 2.7 SW 9.26 in COCORAHS Rocky Mount 3.6 W 8.80 in COCORAHS Adney Gap 8.58 in IFLOWS Boones Mill 8.54 in COCORAHS Wirtz 5.4 NE 8.21 in COCORAHS Ferrum 7.94 in IFLOWS Rocky Mount 10.3 NE 7.94 in COCORAHS Rocky Mount 7.80 in COOP 2.2 NW Snow Creek 7.45 in IFLOWS Rocky Mount 8.5 S 7.34 in COCORAHS Union Hall 2.9 E 5.04 in COCORAHS Hardy 3.69 in CWOP ...Giles County... 2.2 NE Mountain Lake 7.95 in IFLOWS Dismal 5.51 in IFLOWS North Fork Stony Creek 5.24 in IFLOWS Pearisburg 4 SSE 4.46 in COOP 1.5 N Kire 3.60 in IFLOWS Pembroke 1.3 NNE 3.41 in COCORAHS Butt Mountain 3.08 in IFLOWS ...Grayson County... Fries 6.26 in Trained Spotter 3 SSW Elk Creek 6.25 in Trained Spotter Grayson Highlands 6.19 in IFLOWS Independence 1.3 S 6.08 in COCORAHS 2.8 W Rugby 5.83 in IFLOWS 3.0 NE Baywood 3.31 in HADS ...Halifax County... 1.1 E South Boston 4.65 in COOP South Boston 3.06 in AWOS Clover 2.01 in CWOP 3.6 NE Mt Laurel 1.29 in HADS ...Henry County... 2.0 E Horse Pasture 10.53 in IFLOWS Sanville 9.94 in IFLOWS Philpott Dam 9.58 in Bassett 1.1 E 8.93 in COCORAHS Martinsville FP 7.73 in COOP Blue Ridge Airport 7.46 in AWOS 2.7 W Bassett 5.01 in HADS 3.2 W Fieldale 4.85 in IFLOWS 2.7 E Martinsville Airport 3.73 in IFLOWS ...Montgomery County... Poor Mountain 7.22 in IFLOWS 2 ESE Christiansburg 7.00 in Trained Spotter Christiansburg 1.3 W 6.41 in COCORAHS Blacksburg 1.6 NNE 5.97 in COCORAHS Blacksburg 1.3 ESE 5.23 in COCORAHS 4.3 SE Elliston-Lafayette 5.84 in IFLOWS Blacksburg NWS 5.47 in NWS Blacksburg 2.4 ENE 5.47 in COCORAHS Blacksburg 1.6 W 5.30 in COCORAHS Christiansburg 4.78 in COOP Blacksburg 5.0 W 4.55 in COCORAHS Christiansburg 1.1 ESE 4.47 in COCORAHS ...Patrick County... Woolwine 0.4 SW 12.20 in COCORAHS 1.3 SE Woolwine 11.90 in COOP 2 SW Meadows of Dan 8.20 in Public 5 ESE Buffalo Ridge 7.25 in Public 4.3 SW Buffalo Ridge 6.95 in IFLOWS 4 ESE Buffalo Ridge 6.57 in Trained Spotter Meadows of Dan 4.5 SW 5.80 in COCORAHS Meadows Of Dan 5 SW 5.60 in COOP ...Pittsylvania County... Pittsville 4.5 NNW 6.50 in COCORAHS Chatham 5.68 in COOP Gretna 8.7 WNW 4.57 in COCORAHS 5 NE Cascade 4.16 in Public Chatham 5.9 SW 4.08 in COCORAHS Danville Regional Airport 3.91 in ASOS Danville 2.55 in CWOP ...Pulaski County... Pulaski 2 E 5.71 in COOP Dublin 2.0 SSW 5.23 in COCORAHS New River 0.6 NW 4.81 in COCORAHS Fairlawn 1.8 WNW 4.72 in COCORAHS ...Roanoke County... Roanoke 5.9 WSW 11.34 in COCORAHS Roanoke 5.8 SW 11.13 in COCORAHS Cave Spring 2.4 SSW 11.09 in COCORAHS Roanoke 9.3 SW 11.02 in COCORAHS Peters Creek 10.96 in IFLOWS Roanoke 5.5 SW 10.85 in COCORAHS Roanoke 4.3 SW 10.39 in COCORAHS Sugar Loaf 10.06 in IFLOWS 2 W Poages Mill 9.78 in Cocorahs 1 SSW Cave Spring 9.75 in Public 1.3 N Hollins 9.62 in COOP Roanoke Airport 9.21 in ASOS Roanoke 3.4 SW 9.10 in COCORAHS Salem 3.4 WNW 8.92 in COCORAHS 4 NW Roanoke Airport 8.20 in Public Bent Mountain 7.09 in CWOP 3 N Bradshaw 5.05 in Public ...Rockbridge County... Irish Gap 7.48 in IFLOWS Lexington 11.5 WSW 6.60 in COCORAHS 3.6 NE Alto 5.16 in IFLOWS Glenped 3.83 in RAWS Lexington 8.6 NW 3.83 in COCORAHS 4.4 SW Collierstown 2.29 in IFLOWS Fairfield 1.52 in CWOP ...Smyth County... Saltville 5.42 in TVA 2.8 E Konnarock 4.32 in HADS 0.8 SW Allison Gap 2.68 in COOP Marion 2.4 ENE 2.13 in COCORAHS 2.3 S Nebo 1.60 in IFLOWS ...Tazewell County... Richlands 3.34 in TVA Bastian Clear Fork 2.75 in HADS 0.9 SE Burkes Garden 2.45 in COOP 3 WNW Tazewell 1.87 in COCORAHS Falls Mills 1.6 SW 1.77 in COCORAHS Richlands 1.59 in COOP 1.4 E Raven 1.34 in HADS 0.9 E Jewell Ridge 1.24 in IFLOWS 2.3 W Tazewell 1.24 in HADS Gratton 1.00 in IFLOWS ...Wythe County... Caseknife Station 5.56 in IFLOWS 1 WSW Ivanhoe 5.50 in Public Wytheville 4.68 in COOP Stony Fork 3.92 in RAWS Max Meadows 2.59 in CWOP ...West Virginia... ...Greenbrier County... 0.9 W Meadow Bluff 3.48 in IFLOWS Alderson 3.11 in IFLOWS Williamsburg VFD 2.34 in IFLOWS White Sulphur Springs 2.23 in COOP Lewisburg 3 N 1.68 in COOP ...Mercer County... Egeria 3.80 in IFLOWS Willowton 3.76 in HADS Bluefield 3.47 in COOP 5.9 NE Wenonah 3.12 in IFLOWS Arista 2.96 in IFLOWS Bluefield 2.88 in ASOS ...Monroe County... 2.0 N Red Sulphur Spring 4.39 in HADS 2.9 SE Raines Corner 3.70 in HADS Alderson 0.8 SSW 3.28 in COCORAHS Greenville 1 SE 2.56 in COOP 0.6 NE Union 2.44 in IFLOWS ...Summers County... 4.1 NW Alderson 5.12 in IFLOWS Pipestem 3.49 in RAWS 2.3 W Ellison 3.16 in IFLOWS 2.8 S Ellison 2.43 in HADS
![]() |
Media use of NWS Web News Stories is encouraged! Please acknowledge the NWS as the source of any news information accessed from this site. |
![]() |