The 1940 storm that reshaped Radford's landscape and history
In short: In 1940, a slow-moving tropical depression turned the New River into a historic hazard. The resulting flood was so severe it forced evacuations and shut down major industries, leaving a permanent mark on the geography of Radford, Virginia. Today, a specific marker stands as a silent witness to that record-breaking water level.
On August 14, 1940, a tropical depression moved inland from the Atlantic, meandering across the Cumberland Plateau. Because of the mountainous terrain and the storm's extremely slow movement, it produced torrential rainfall across southwest and central Virginia. While the storm made landfall near Beaufort, South Carolina, as a category 1 hurricane, its impact in Virginia was defined by its persistence, resulting in record rainfall amounts that overwhelmed local waterways. The storm's path began near the northern Leeward Islands before moving northwestward. It produced rough seas in the southeastern Bahamas before reaching the mainland. In nearby Savannah, Georgia, the hurricane-force winds reached 73 mph. Meanwhile, Copper Hill in Floyd County saw the state's highest rainfall at 17.03 inches.
A peak level of 35 feet 11.5 inches was achieved by the Kanawha River (also called the New River) within Radford. This measurement was nearly 22 feet above the standard flood stage. Due to the intense surge, people living in low-lying zones fled, while the Lynchburg Foundry and former Burlington Mills factories underwent compulsory closures. The flooding also rendered the road leading into Pulaski County towards Claytor Lake Dam completely impassable. The surge was so powerful that it forced the evacuation of residents in low-lying areas. The road toward Claytor Lake Dam became completely inundated. No deaths were reported during this disaster. The water reached a height that remains the worst in the city's recorded history.
The economic impact was significant, with several million dollars' worth of damage reported in 1940 USD. To ensure the community remembers this extreme weather event, a high-water mark sign was dedicated in Bisset Park on October 18, 2011. To educate regions with a history of extreme inundation, the National Weather Service and United States Geological Survey collaborated on this commemorative marker. The marker was a gift from a local resident who worked as a hydrometeorologist. It was installed as part of a project to raise awareness of flood risks. This initiative helps communities understand the dangers of severe inundation. The sign now sits in a park that also features a Civil War Trails marker.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Radford, Virginia
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