Overview
***This page will continue to be updated with additional radar/technical info***
Several days of scattered showers and thunderstorms preceded this event, which provided very wet antecedent conditions. In fact, the Tri-Cities area had already had significant flash flooding during the late afternoon of Sunday, July 13th, when ~3" of rain fell in 45 minutes. Numerous water rescues were performed in Colonial Heights and Petersburg on 7/13 due to the very high rain rates. Flash flood guidance was only 1-1.5"/hour in the Tri-Cities right before the big event (due to the rain on 7/14).
A very weak frontal boundary was sagging south toward the area during the afternoon/evening on 7/14. Scattered to numerous thunderstorms initially developed to our north (near that boundary) and also to our west along higher terrain. The environment ahead of the boundary (across most of our area) was characterized by very weak deep-layer flow and anomalously high PW values on the order of 2.1-2.2". A few severe storms and also some flash flooding was observed during the evening across the VA Piedmont and northern neck (near Tappahannock). While the severe threat ended by the early overnight due to the loss of daytime heating, the flash flooding persisted through the night. The storms eventually reached the Richmond Metro/Tri Cities by late evening, prompting Flash Flood Warnings. While the initial storms weakened, additional storms developed after midnight and trained along the stalled boundary from roughly Farmville to the Tri Cities east to Prince George/Sussex Counties. These storms ended up producing localized amounts as high as 7-9" of rain. In fact, the Petersburg Airport reported 7.33" of rain. This prompted a rare Flash Flood Emergency for the City of Petersburg in addition to portions of Colonial Heights. Looking at the mesoanalysis, one of the reasons the storms maintained their strength through the early morning hours was that there was a 25 knot 925mb jet across central NC and southern VA. The nose of that low-level jet was located right along the stalled boundary near the Tri-Cities, with ~19C dew pts at 925mb advecting northward. So while the convection was elevated (thus reducing the severe threat), it was able to maintain itself while continuing to backbuild over the same areas, thus the very high localized rain amounts and severe flash flooding.
Severe flash flooding was observed in the Tri Cities, with the worst of the impacts being in Petersburg. The gauge at Lieutenant Run Creek at Bollingbrook (in Petersburg) crested 4 ft above its major flood threshold. Water levels there rose by 10 ft in just over 2 hours, which is very impressive. The flooding in Petersburg did significant damage to 5 homes and numerous businesses along Lieutenant Run. Water was about 1 foot deep in homes while about 3 feet deep outside the houses on McKeever St. Businesses along Wythe St and Bollingbrook Ave also saw significant flooding with water 3-4 feet deep inside some of the businesses. There were also numerous road closures across central and south central VA. A 3 mile stretch of Route 460 was closed in Prince George County for ~12 hours due to flooding. Also, a portion of I-85 in Mecklenburg County was closed during the evening of 7/15, as additional scattered storms later that day caused more flooding (but fortunately missed the Tri Cities).
Flooding
Add a written summary if needed.
Hydrographs
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Radar/Photos
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Photos
Flood Survey Photos
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| Lieutenant Run Creek at St. Andrews | Flooding on Mceever Street | Mceever Street | Wythe Street |
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| Lieutenant Run Creek at St. Andrews | Water inside a business on Bollingbrook Street |
Radar
Radar Loops
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Storm Reports
Public Information Statement National Weather Service Wakefield VA 925 AM EDT Wed Jul 16 2025 ...2 DAY RAINFALL TOTALS... Location Amount Time/Date Provider ...Maryland... ...Dorchester County... Cambridge 1.39 in 0900 AM 07/16 CWOP Cambridge 1.35 in 0910 AM 07/16 CWOP Toddville 1.29 in 0909 AM 07/16 CWOP ...Somerset County... 1.0 NE Princess Anne 1.28 in 0700 AM 07/16 COOP Princess Anne 1.9 WSW 1.02 in 0700 AM 07/16 COCORAHS ...Wicomico County... Powellville 2.19 in 0848 AM 07/16 RAWS Hebron 3.6 W 1.22 in 0800 AM 07/16 COCORAHS FRUITLAND 1.13 in 0905 AM 07/16 CWOP Salisbury Wicomico Airport 0.86 in 0854 AM 07/16 ASOS ...Worcester County... Berlin 3.9 SE 1.77 in 0700 AM 07/16 COCORAHS Ocean City 4.6 NNW 1.70 in 0700 AM 07/16 COCORAHS Ocean Pines 1.59 in 0900 AM 07/16 CWOP Ocean City 1.29 in 0853 AM 07/16 ASOS Bishopville 3.1 E 1.06 in 0500 AM 07/16 COCORAHS ...North Carolina... ...Currituck County... Grandy 0.6 E 0.66 in 0600 AM 07/16 COCORAHS ...Perquimans County... Hertford 0.59 in 0900 AM 07/16 CWOP ...Virginia... ...Accomack County... WALLOPS ISLAND 1.51 in 0910 AM 07/16 CWOP Chincoteague 0.6 SE 1.11 in 0700 AM 07/16 COCORAHS Wallops Island 1.00 in 0911 AM 07/16 ASOS ...Amelia County... Jetersville 3.6 W 2.05 in 0700 AM 07/16 COCORAHS ...Brunswick County... Alberta 5.6 SW 3.44 in 0810 AM 07/16 COCORAHS South Hill Meckl 2.27 in 0855 AM 07/16 AWOS Ebony 2.09 in 0907 AM 07/16 CWOP Alberta 5 N 1.86 in 0800 AM 07/16 COOP Lawrenceville 1.09 in 0855 AM 07/16 AWOS ...Caroline County... Faph_eodtc 1.73 in 0706 AM 07/16 RAWS Ruther Glen 1.41 in 0900 AM 07/16 CWOP Faph_north1 1.02 in 0706 AM 07/16 RAWS ...Charles City County... Charles City County 1.77 in 0905 AM 07/16 CWOP ...Chesterfield County... Chesterfield 4.71 in 0900 AM 07/16 CWOP CHESTERFIELD 3.52 in 0903 AM 07/16 CWOP Winterpock 3.49 in 0900 AM 07/16 CWOP Chester 3.3 WSW 3.43 in 0700 AM 07/16 COCORAHS Ettrick 6.9 WNW 3.36 in 0700 AM 07/16 COCORAHS Chesterfield 2.95 in 0910 AM 07/16 CWOP Midlothian 7.9 S 2.91 in 0700 AM 07/16 COCORAHS Richmond 7.5 SW 2.38 in 0700 AM 07/16 COCORAHS Chester 1.7 N 2.21 in 1231 AM 07/16 COCORAHS Matoaca 2.16 in 0905 AM 07/16 CWOP Chesterfield 2.15 in 0900 AM 07/16 CWOP 5 NNE Winterpock 2.04 in 0910 AM 07/16 AWS Chester 6.6 E 1.61 in 0500 AM 07/16 COCORAHS Moseley 1.3 N 1.57 in 0800 AM 07/16 COCORAHS Bensley 4.9 WSW 1.15 in 0850 AM 07/16 COCORAHS Midlothian 1.03 in 0907 AM 07/16 CWOP Midlothian 4.7 SSW 1.01 in 0700 AM 07/16 COCORAHS ...City of Chesapeake County... Chesapeake 7.3 NE 2.54 in 0800 AM 07/16 COCORAHS Fentress Naval 2.47 in 0858 AM 07/16 AWOS Chesapeake 2.28 in 0900 AM 07/16 CWOP Greenbrier 1.69 in 0910 AM 07/16 AWS Chesapeake 1.24 in 0900 AM 07/16 CWOP ...City of Emporia County... Emporia Reservoir 2.07 in 0700 AM 07/16 COOP ...City of Franklin County... Hunterdale 1.79 in 0600 AM 07/16 COCORAHS Franklin 0.5 ESE 1.75 in 0700 AM 07/16 COCORAHS ...City of Hampton County... Hampton 1.9 NW 1.20 in 0600 AM 07/16 COCORAHS Hampton 3.4 W 1.10 in 0648 AM 07/16 COCORAHS Langley AFB Hamp 0.79 in 0904 AM 07/16 AWOS ...City of Hopewell County... 1 NE Hopewell 1.76 in 0910 AM 07/16 AWS ...City of Newport News County... Newport News 0.61 in 0854 AM 07/16 ASOS ...City of Norfolk County... Norfolk Intl Airport 0.73 in 0851 AM 07/16 ASOS ...City of Poquoson County... Poquoson 6.1 WSW 1.57 in 0700 AM 07/16 COCORAHS ...City of Virginia Beach County... Virginia Beach 4.53 in 0910 AM 07/16 CWOP Virginia Beach 2.95 in 0900 AM 07/16 CWOP Virginia Beach 2.56 in 0900 AM 07/16 CWOP Virginia Beach 6.0 WNW 2.19 in 0700 AM 07/16 COCORAHS Virginia Beach 2.18 in 0906 AM 07/16 CWOP Virginia Beach 9.1 NNW 1.92 in 0700 AM 07/16 COCORAHS Virginia Beach 1.50 in 0910 AM 07/16 CWOP Oceana NAS Souce 1.26 in 0903 AM 07/16 AWOS ...City of Williamsburg County... Williamsburg 0.3 SSW 1.63 in 0654 AM 07/16 COCORAHS Williamsburg 1.3 SSW 1.50 in 0700 AM 07/16 COCORAHS Williamsburg 1.4 ENE 1.07 in 0700 AM 07/16 COCORAHS ...Dinwiddie County... Petersburg 7.33 in 0755 AM 07/16 AWOS 1 ESE Addison 5.35 in 0910 AM 07/16 AWS Churchroad 1.95 in 0900 AM 07/16 CWOP ...Essex County... Tappahannock 2.02 in 0855 AM 07/16 AWOS ...Gloucester County... Baileys Wharf 1.80 in 0907 AM 07/16 CWOP Gloucester 3.9 ESE 1.66 in 0700 AM 07/16 COCORAHS Gloucester Point 5.1 NNE 1.58 in 0800 AM 07/16 COCORAHS Gloucester Courthouse 3.3 SE 1.52 in 0700 AM 07/16 COCORAHS Hayes 1.42 in 0909 AM 07/16 CWOP Hayes 1.37 in 0910 AM 07/16 CWOP Gloucester Courthouse 2.1 S 1.33 in 0700 AM 07/16 COCORAHS Gloucester Point 0.6 S 1.25 in 0700 AM 07/16 COCORAHS Gloucester Courthouse 3.8 EN 1.25 in 0756 AM 07/16 COCORAHS Gloucester Point 1.2 S 1.22 in 0700 AM 07/16 COCORAHS Gloucester Courthouse 3.5 NN 1.20 in 0700 AM 07/16 COCORAHS James Store 1.5 WNW 1.17 in 0700 AM 07/16 COCORAHS Ware Neck 1.6 SSE 1.12 in 0700 AM 07/16 COCORAHS Gloucester Courthouse 3.3 SS 1.09 in 0800 AM 07/16 COCORAHS ...Greensville County... Emporia 8.1 S 2.85 in 0700 AM 07/16 COCORAHS Purdy 2.33 in 0905 AM 07/16 CWOP Emporia 0.74 in 0915 AM 07/16 AWOS ...Hanover County... Mechanicsville 6.9 SE 1.01 in 0700 AM 07/16 COCORAHS ...Henrico County... Richmond Intl Airport 0.62 in 0854 AM 07/16 ASOS ...Isle of Wight County... Franklin J B Ros 0.71 in 0855 AM 07/16 AWOS ...James City County... Williamsburg 4.7 WSW 1.80 in 0700 AM 07/16 COCORAHS Williamsburg 1.68 in 0906 AM 07/16 CWOP Williamsburg 3.2 WNW 1.46 in 0700 AM 07/16 COCORAHS Williamsburg 4.1 WNW 1.42 in 0700 AM 07/16 COCORAHS Williamsburg 5.1 WSW 1.39 in 0700 AM 07/16 COCORAHS Williamsburg 3.2 NW 1.35 in 0800 AM 07/16 COCORAHS Williamsburg 3.4 SW 1.22 in 0700 AM 07/16 COCORAHS Williamsburg 3.8 WSW 1.10 in 0700 AM 07/16 COCORAHS Williamsburg 2.9 SW 1.06 in 0700 AM 07/16 COCORAHS ...King and Queen County... Mattaponi 2.6 NNW 1.25 in 0600 AM 07/16 COCORAHS West Point 0.60 in 0855 AM 07/16 AWOS ...Lancaster County... Mollusk 1.08 in 0902 AM 07/16 CWOP Lancaster 9.0 W 1.07 in 0534 AM 07/16 COCORAHS ...Louisa County... Mineral 6.9 NNE 1.42 in 0600 AM 07/16 COCORAHS Louisa 0.97 in 0855 AM 07/16 AWOS ...Lunenburg County... Kenbridge 1.55 in 0915 AM 07/16 AWOS ...Mathews County... Mathews 1.5 NNE 2.15 in 0700 AM 07/16 COCORAHS Mathews 2.2 WSW 2.02 in 0600 AM 07/16 COCORAHS Port Haywood 1.0 SE 1.78 in 0700 AM 07/16 COCORAHS North 1.21 in 0900 AM 07/16 CWOP ...Mecklenburg County... Chase City 1.88 in 0855 AM 07/16 AWOS La Crosse 1.7 S 1.80 in 0833 AM 07/16 COCORAHS Bracy 5.0 E 1.56 in 0800 AM 07/16 COCORAHS Boydton 1.48 in 0905 AM 07/16 CWOP Boydton 18.8 ESE 1.09 in 0649 AM 07/16 COCORAHS ...Middlesex County... 1 S Deltaville 1.45 in 0905 AM 07/16 AWS Stingray Point 1.05 in 0905 AM 07/16 AWS Saluda 0.52 in 0915 AM 07/16 AWOS ...New Kent County... 0.6 SW Eltham 1.24 in 1200 AM 07/16 COOP ...Northampton County... 3 NNW Wardtown 1.18 in 0800 AM 07/16 COCORAHS ...Northumberland County... Heathsville 1.40 in 0905 AM 07/16 CWOP Heathsville 1.08 in 0900 AM 07/16 CWOP ...Nottoway County... Blackstone 1.71 in 0905 AM 07/16 AWS Crewe 0.86 in 0855 AM 07/16 AWOS ...Powhatan County... Powhatan 3.2 SW 2.25 in 0800 AM 07/16 COCORAHS ...Prince Edward County... Rice 2.0 WSW 1.15 in 0800 AM 07/16 COCORAHS ...Prince George County... 1.6 SE Disputanta 3.51 in 0700 AM 07/16 COOP 1 ESE Disputanta 3.43 in 0905 AM 07/16 AWS South Prince George 6.8 S 2.97 in 0700 AM 07/16 COCORAHS Prince George 3.2 ENE 2.87 in 0700 AM 07/16 COCORAHS James River 2.60 in 0851 AM 07/16 RAWS ...Southampton County... Sedley 3.7 N 4.04 in 0700 AM 07/16 COCORAHS Drewryville 2.3 SW 2.30 in 0631 AM 07/16 COCORAHS Ivor 2.7 ESE 1.35 in 0700 AM 07/16 COCORAHS ...Sussex County... 1.5 NW Wakefield 4.58 in 1200 AM 07/16 COOP ...Westmoreland County... MONTROSS 3.13 in 0900 AM 07/16 CWOP Stratford 0.5 NE 2.34 in 0800 AM 07/16 COCORAHS ...York County... Yorktown 6.9 SE 1.51 in 0700 AM 07/16 COCORAHS Newport News 5.5 ENE 1.49 in 0700 AM 07/16 COCORAHS 2.1 N Williamsburg 1.29 in 1200 AM 07/16 COOP Newport News 6.4 ENE 1.01 in 0700 AM 07/16 COCORAHS &&
Environment
Synoptic summary.
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| Loop of WPC Surface Analysis from 8 AM on 7/14 to 8 AM on 7/15 in 3 hour increments | 7/14 12z/8 AM EDT 500mb Analysis | 7/15 12z/8 AM EDT 500mb Analysis |
Near-storm environment summary.
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| Loop of T/Td/MSLP/Wind from 8 PM-5 AM | 925mb Analysis Loop from 8 PM-5 AM | Loop of 925mb Moisture Transport from 8 PM-5 AM |
Additional environmental data.
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| Loop of Theta-E and Surface Wind from 8 PM-5 AM | Loop of Precipitable Water and 850mb Moisture Transport form 8 PM-5 AM |
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