Virginia faces 'dangerous' risk of urban flash flooding amid relentless thunderstorms

RICHMOND, Va. -- Parts of central Virginia are facing the risk of dangerous flash flooding as powerful thunderstorms line up and repeatedly soak the region.

Flood Watches cover nearly all of West Virginia and Virginia, as well as parts of North Carolina and eastern Kentucky. 

However, NOAA's Weather Prediction Center is focusing on central Virginia as a particularly vulnerable region, expanding a Level 3 out of 4 risk of flash flooding to cover more of the state, including Richmond and Charlottesville.

Thunderstorms moving through the area have access to both a substantial plume of moisture and significant atmospheric instability that could contribute to extreme rainfall rates reaching 2-4 inches per hour, the WPC says.

Rainfall totals in some areas where thunderstorms stall or train could reach 3-5 inches, leading to potentially numerous areas of flash flooding.

"This will include concerns for locally dangerous urban flash flooding impacts," the WPC wrote.

So far, it's been a mix of severe weather headaches around Richmond. Flash Flood Warnings were in effect for the Richmond area after up to an inch of rain fell in just 20 minutes, with another 0.5 to 1.0 inches expected in the next 30 minutes. 

Heavy rains have already left parts of Interstate 64 flooded, spotters reported.  

Meanwhile, strong winds whipped through the city too. Multiple trees and power lines were reported down in Lakeside, just west of Richmond, according to the National Weather Service. 

Farther west, trees fell just east of Roanoke, Virginia during strong thunderstorm-driven wind gusts.