48
Recorded events
0
Direct deaths
0
Direct injuries
$1.9M
Property damage
Flash Flood in Roanoke city, Virginia: 48 recorded events between 1997 and 2023. The strongest on record measured 0. That places the county #639 nationally and #29 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Flash Flood in Roanoke city, Virginia: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for flash flood in Roanoke city is the 2000s, when 29 of the county's 48 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 Roanoke city archive, flash flood makes up 27.3% of all recorded severe weather across 8 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #639 for this hazard and #29 within Virginia, putting it in the 78.8 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Jul is the peak month for flash flood in Roanoke city with 17 recorded events, while Nov 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.
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 23, 2023 | ROANOKE | 0 | $0 |
| Jul 23, 2023 | ROANOKE | 0 | $0 |
| Jul 23, 2023 | ROANOKE | 0 | $0 |
| Aug 20, 2021 | ROANOKE | 0 | $25K |
| May 4, 2021 | ROANOKE | 0 | $3K |
| Apr 13, 2020 | ROANOKE | 0 | $25K |
| Oct 11, 2018 | (ROA)WOODRUM FLD ROA | 0 | $100K |
| Sep 12, 2018 | CAVE SPG | 0 | $0 |
| May 27, 2018 | CAVE SPG | 0 | $500K |
| May 17, 2018 | LESLIE | 0 | $0 |
Other hazards here
More from Roanoke city
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
Flash flooding prompted Ore Branch to leave its banks. The area of Franklin Road and Brandon Avenue was flooded. The flash flooding caused the Ramada Inn in the 1900 block of Franklin Road to have its parking lot inundated. Numerous cars in the parking lot were floating in the water. Damage values are estimated.
Extensive flooding occurred from Mudlick Creek along Grandin and Garst Mill Roads with water getting into many homes. Post-flood survey indicated a recurrence interval of about 10 years (0.1 annual exceedance probability) on Mudlick Creek as the stream rose roughly 10 feet above baseflow.
Extremely high sustained rain rates (2-4 inches per hour) became concentrated across parts of the Roanoke area between 1100 AM to 200 PM local time. At 243 PM a rare Flash Flood Emergency was issued for Roanoke City, City of Salem and Roanoke County after consultation with local Emergency management amidst reports of numerous water rescues in the area. Radar and rain gages showed 3 to 6 inches of rain during this period from the southern part of Roanoke City into the adjacent portions of Roanoke County. Numerous water rescues were conducted in the Roanoke City including at the Ramada Inn along flooded Franklin Road. Numerous roads were flooded across the city.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many flash flood events are on record in Roanoke city, Virginia?
48 flash flood events are recorded in Roanoke city between 1997 and 2023, causing 0 direct deaths.
What is the strongest flash flood recorded in Roanoke city?
The strongest flash flood on record in Roanoke city measured 0.
Where does the flash flood data for Roanoke city 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 Roanoke city, Virginia.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/virginia/roanoke-city/flash-flood/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.