If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building. Locally heavy rain will quickly reduce visibility and result in ponding of water on roadways, standing water in low lying areas, and minor flooding of creeks, streams, and areas of poor drainage. Drivers are urged to slow down and use extra caution to avoid hydroplaning. Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with these storms. Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe shelter inside a building or vehicle. These storms may intensify, so be certain to monitor local radio stations and available television stations for additional information and possible warnings from the National Weather Service.

STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT NORTHWESTERN ROCKINGHAM...SOUTHERN APPOMATTOX...NORTHERN CHARLOTTE... CAMPBELL...PITTSYLVANIA...HALIFAX...SOUTH CENTRAL BEDFORD...HENRY... FRANKLIN AND NORTHEASTERN PATRICK COUNTIES as well as the city OF MARTINSVILLE THROUGH 130 PM EDT... At 1223 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a large area of strong thunderstorms along a line extending from near Ridgeway to Danville to Nathalie to Charlotte Couort House. Movement was north at 30 mph. HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph and pea size hail. Frequent dangerous cloud-to-ground lightning. Very heavy rainfall. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is possible. Dangerous cloud-to-ground lightning. Minor flooding. Locations impacted include... Eden... Martinsville... Rocky Mount... Altavista... Appomattox... Hurt... and Chatham. MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH