The warning, right now
NWS Morristown TN issued this Flash Flood Warning at September 22 at 12:47AM EDT. It runs until 3:45 AM UTC-04:00 and covers 2 counties: Wise, VA, City of Norton, VA. Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Between 1 and 1.5 inches of rain have fallen. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly.
This is the exact interior-flooding scenario restoration contractors see most: water coming in fast, from streets and creeks into homes and businesses, with no time to sandbag. This is a live snapshot as of 9:49 PM PDT. Conditions change fast — always verify with the National Weather Service for your specific county or ZIP code.
Wise, VA, City of Norton, VA — Flash Flood Warning
Issued by: NWS Morristown TN, September 22 at 12:47AM EDT
In effect until: 3:45 AM UTC-04:00
Detection: Radar indicated
Certainty: Likely — Urgency: Immediate
The alert reads, in part:
* Flash Flood Warning for…
Wise County in southwestern Virginia…
The City of Norton in southwestern Virginia…* Until September 22 at 3:45AM EDT.
HAZARD…Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms.
SOURCE…Radar indicated.
IMPACT…Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses as well as other poor drainage and low-lying areas.
Locations that will experience flash flooding include: Norton, Wise, Big Stone Gap, Appalachia and Pardee..
Track this warning at the issuing office page: NWS Morristown TN — https://www.weather.gov/mrx/, and read the full alert source here: https://api.weather.gov/alerts/urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.59f8e1b2f50b37b00597cbd0702699e0b2c33bc4.001.1.
Stay safe tonight
The National Weather Service instruction for this warning is direct: turn around, don’t drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles. Be especially cautious at night, when it is harder to recognize the dangers of flooding. Be aware of your surroundings and do not drive on flooded roads.
If water enters your home: stay out of standing water where electricity may be present, avoid the basement until the water recedes and the power is confirmed off, and photograph everything before cleanup — documentation matters for insurance — then call a local restoration contractor. Water left sitting starts a second wave of damage within a day.
You can report flooding to the National Weather Service toll free at 800-401-9535 when you can do so safely.
What this means for restoration teams
This is the signature call type for this kind of night: interior water intrusion from flash flooding — water through doors and garage bays, seepage up through slabs, saturated drywall and insulation on ground floors, and in low-lying areas, sewage backup riding in with the floodwater. Between 1 and 1.5 inches of rain have fallen. Mold risk starts ticking within 24–48 hours on anything that stays wet.
The play: stage equipment now — air movers, dehumidifiers, and extraction units ready to roll toward Wise, VA, City of Norton, VA before first light. Keep an on-call rotation through the morning, because the first calls land within hours of the water receding and keep coming for days as people discover damage.
Field discipline on the first call: capture the address, the water source, and every affected area before you dispatch. Photo-document everything before mitigation starts, moisture-map every affected room (walls, baseboards, subfloor), and keep the homeowner’s payment responsibility clear in writing before work begins. Clean water from rain-driven flooding can still carry contaminants once it crosses streets and yards — treat category classification as a field decision, not an assumption.
FEMA & federal assistance
If the flooding damages your home or business beyond what insurance covers, federal help may be available. The FEMA Helpline is 1-800-621-3362 (7 a.m.–10 p.m. local, 7 days a week). You can also apply at DisasterAssistance.gov, through the FEMA mobile app, or find a recovery center at fema.gov/drc.
Basic eligibility: U.S. citizenship or qualified status, identity verification, proof of occupancy or ownership, and unmet needs not covered by insurance. Apply as soon as it is safe to do so — you do not need to wait for an official disaster declaration to start documenting your losses.
Looking ahead
This warning expires at 3:45 AM UTC-04:00. When it does, the danger does not necessarily end: small creeks and streams can crest after the rain stops, and additional rounds of thunderstorms can re-trigger flooding on already-saturated ground. Watch the NWS Morristown TN page and weather.gov for the next update through the overnight hours.
Demand window note for contractors: water-intrusion calls typically start within hours of water receding and keep coming for days as people discover damage. The homes that took between 1 and 1.5 inches of rain have fallen. are your call list for the next 72 hours — especially finished basements, ground-floor living space, and any property near the creeks and low-lying drainage the alert names.
Sources & how to verify
- NWS alert source — Flash Flood Warning issued September 22 at 12:47AM EDT until September 22 at 3:45AM EDT by NWS Morristown TN
- NWS Morristown TN office page
- weather.gov — enter your county or ZIP for the warning active over your exact location
To verify for your own county or ZIP: go to weather.gov, type the location in the search box, and read the active alerts banner at the top of the forecast page — or check your local NWS office page directly.
This post is for informational purposes and is not an official weather warning. Always follow instructions from local authorities and the National Weather Service.
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