Roanoke, Va. – Most of southwest Virginia saw one of the coolest and driest Augusts on record, but Roanoke broke from the trend when a sudden storm on August 21 unleashed more than four inches of rain in just two hours, flooding roads and neighborhoods.
According to the National Weather Service in Blacksburg, rainfall totals in Roanoke climbed to 6.14 inches for the month — nearly three inches above normal. That surge came almost entirely from the late-month storm, which dropped 4.27 inches and triggered flash flooding. In contrast, nearby Lynchburg finished the month with only 1.17 inches of rain, its 10th driest August on record.
Temperatures also ran unusually cool. Danville recorded its coldest August ever, averaging 72.8 degrees, while Roanoke tied for its third-coldest August on record. Lynchburg and Bluefield also placed in the top five coldest Augusts historically, as high pressure systems funneled cooler air against the Blue Ridge and limited thunderstorm activity…