55
Recorded events
2
Direct deaths
0
Direct injuries
$8.2M
Property damage
Flash Flood in Pittsylvania County, Virginia: 55 recorded events between 1996 and 2024. The strongest on record measured 0. That places the county #534 nationally and #22 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Flash Flood in Pittsylvania County, Virginia: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for flash flood in Pittsylvania County is the 2000s, when 21 of the county's 55 recorded events were logged. Comparing decades is useful for spotting active periods, but the earliest years are thin because systematic reporting for this hazard began later.
Within the Pittsylvania County archive, flash flood makes up 6.2% of all recorded severe weather across 8 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #534 for this hazard and #22 within Virginia, putting it in the 82.5 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Sep is the peak month for flash flood in Pittsylvania County with 15 recorded events, while Feb is the quietest. Seasonality here is a property of the archive as much as the climate: reports cluster where population and spotter networks are densest.
Significant events
Deadliest on record
| Date | Location | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 11, 2018 | BROSVILLE | 0 | 1 | 0 | $1.5M |
| Sep 6, 1996 | COUNTYWIDE | 0 | 1 | 0 | $4.3M |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 30, 2024 | AJAX | 0 | $25K |
| Aug 8, 2024 | GRETNA | 0 | $0 |
| Aug 8, 2024 | SYCAMORE | 0 | $0 |
| Aug 8, 2024 | CHATHAM | 0 | $0 |
| Jan 9, 2024 | LEAKSVILLE JCT | 0 | $130K |
| Jun 11, 2021 | KEELING | 0 | $0 |
| Nov 12, 2020 | RINGGOLD | 0 | $0 |
| Jun 17, 2020 | HURT | 0 | $0 |
| Jun 17, 2020 | MOTLEY | 0 | $0 |
| Jun 17, 2020 | HURT | 0 | $0 |
Other hazards here
More from Pittsylvania County
- Thunderstorm Wind 558
- Hail 199
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
Pittsylvania County was included in a Presidential Major Disaster declaration due mainly to the severe flooding associated with Tropical Storm Michael. Rainfall of 4 to 8 inches in several hours triggered widespread flash flooding across the county with numerous roads closed and extensive damage. A man lost his life when his automobile was washed off Sandy Creek Road near the 600 block during intense flooding along Sandy Creek. Media reports indicate the incident occurred around 330 PM local time, with one witness observing that water was flowing rapidly at least two feet above the road surface.
Pittsylvania County was part of Presidential Major Disaster declaration with significant flood damage to roads and other structures. The time and spatial occurrence was based on the highest runoff from the CREST hydrologic model. This indicated that the flash flooding was worst across the eastern parts of the county.
There were several reports of flash flooding in the county including water over Highway 58 near Cloverdale Lumber. County Road 729 southeast of Keeling was washed out and a vehicle stuck in the water and another vehicle was stuck in high water along Little Sandy Creek. On Twitter the public tweeted that a bridge on Birch Creek Road off Route 360 was flooded. News reports said 13 roads were closed in the county, some sustaining heavy damage.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many flash flood events are on record in Pittsylvania County, Virginia?
55 flash flood events are recorded in Pittsylvania County between 1996 and 2024, causing 2 direct deaths.
What is the strongest flash flood recorded in Pittsylvania County?
The strongest flash flood on record in Pittsylvania County measured 0.
Where does the flash flood data for Pittsylvania County come from?
All events come from the NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database, the federal public-domain archive of severe weather reports. Dates are UTC, damage is as reported and not inflation-adjusted, and the most recent entries may still be revised.
Cite this page
“Flash Flood in Pittsylvania County, Virginia.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/virginia/pittsylvania-county/flash-flood/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.