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Roanoke River at Randolph

Highest listed crest 41.60 ftFlood stage 24.0 ft142 crests since 1901

The Roanoke River at Randolph crested at major flood stage 3 times among the 142 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1901 to 2024. The highest, 41.60 ft on August 16, 1940, was major flooding, 17.60 feet above flood stage. 5 other gauges on the Roanoke River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 3 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
41.60 ft
August 16, 1940; 150,000 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
24.0 ft
Major flooding from 34.0 ft
Crests at major
3
55th of 242 gauges in Virginia
Most recent flood crest
January 11, 2024
27.57 ft, minor flooding
Location
Halifax County
Virginia

Flood stages

The thresholds the National Weather Service uses for this gauge today, and how many listed crests reached each.

Flood categories, Roanoke River at Randolph
Action stage21.057Oct 2, 2024The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)24.068Jan 11, 2024Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage30.07Nov 14, 2020Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage34.03Sep 7, 1996Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

142 crests from 1901 to 2024. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Roanoke River at Randolph, 1901 to 2024 1020304050ft Flood stage 24.0 ftMajor 34.0 ft May 23, 1901: 28.60 ft, minor flooding; 60,000 cubic feet per secondDec 31, 1901: 35.00 ft, major flooding; 97,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 18, 1903: 26.80 ft, minor flooding; 47,800 cubic feet per secondMar 16, 1912: 30.60 ft, moderate flooding; 63,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 5, 1920: 30.90 ft, moderate flooding; 65,000 cubic feet per secondAug 13, 1928: 32.46 ft, moderate flooding; 74,500 cubic feet per secondMar 8, 1932: 24.20 ft, minor flooding; 32,000 cubic feet per secondOct 18, 1932: 28.90 ft, minor flooding; 54,000 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 1934: 22.80 ft, action stage; 27,000 cubic feet per secondDec 3, 1934: 27.00 ft, minor flooding; 44,000 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 1936: 29.10 ft, minor flooding; 55,000 cubic feet per secondJan 4, 1937: 26.40 ft, minor flooding; 42,000 cubic feet per secondOct 22, 1937: 29.20 ft, minor flooding; 56,000 cubic feet per secondAug 21, 1939: 26.90 ft, minor flooding; 44,000 cubic feet per secondAug 16, 1940: 41.60 ft, major flooding; 150,000 cubic feet per secondAug 10, 1942: 23.40 ft, action stage; 29,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 6, 1943: 25.00 ft, minor flooding; 35,000 cubic feet per secondSep 20, 1945: 28.70 ft, minor flooding; 53,000 cubic feet per secondSep 30, 1945: 32.60 ft, moderate flooding; 75,000 cubic feet per secondJan 9, 1946: 23.60 ft, action stage; 30,000 cubic feet per secondJan 22, 1947: 22.20 ft, action stage; 25,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 16, 1948: 26.40 ft, minor flooding; 42,000 cubic feet per secondDec 6, 1948: 28.70 ft, minor flooding; 53,000 cubic feet per secondJun 2, 1950: 25.70 ft, minor flooding; 38,000 cubic feet per secondDec 9, 1950: 22.76 ft, action stage; 22,800 cubic feet per secondSep 2, 1952: 26.50 ft, minor flooding; 31,600 cubic feet per secondMar 25, 1953: 23.39 ft, action stage; 23,100 cubic feet per secondJan 23, 1954: 23.79 ft, action stage; 25,000 cubic feet per secondOct 17, 1954: 27.08 ft, minor flooding; 39,700 cubic feet per secondApr 7, 1957: 27.44 ft, minor flooding; 28,600 cubic feet per secondMay 8, 1958: 24.72 ft, minor flooding; 28,200 cubic feet per secondDec 31, 1958: 25.74 ft, minor flooding; 33,800 cubic feet per secondOct 2, 1959: 24.36 ft, minor flooding; 28,600 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 1962: 25.26 ft, minor flooding; 32,200 cubic feet per secondNov 11, 1962: 23.65 ft, action stage; 24,500 cubic feet per secondFeb 9, 1965: 22.59 ft, action stage; 21,800 cubic feet per secondMar 1, 1966: 21.14 ft, action stage; 18,000 cubic feet per secondAug 26, 1967: 23.37 ft, action stage; 23,800 cubic feet per secondMar 26, 1969: 22.47 ft, action stage; 21,400 cubic feet per secondMay 31, 1971: 23.91 ft, action stage; 25,300 cubic feet per secondJun 23, 1972: 30.96 ft, moderate flooding; 72,500 cubic feet per secondFeb 3, 1973: 25.04 ft, minor flooding; 30,800 cubic feet per secondSep 8, 1974: 24.46 ft, minor flooding; 27,300 cubic feet per secondMar 20, 1975: 29.07 ft, minor flooding; 58,900 cubic feet per secondJan 1, 1976: 21.77 ft, action stage; 17,400 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 1977: 23.15 ft, action stage; 21,600 cubic feet per secondApr 28, 1978: 29.73 ft, minor flooding; 56,200 cubic feet per secondFeb 26, 1979: 29.59 ft, minor flooding; 55,200 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 1980: 23.50 ft, action stage; 23,100 cubic feet per secondFeb 4, 1982: 23.86 ft, action stage; 24,100 cubic feet per secondApr 12, 1983: 26.58 ft, minor flooding; 36,800 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 1984: 25.96 ft, minor flooding; 33,200 cubic feet per secondAug 20, 1985: 27.28 ft, minor flooding; 37,000 cubic feet per secondNov 6, 1985: 29.58 ft, minor flooding; 51,200 cubic feet per secondSep 10, 1987: 33.18 ft, moderate flooding; 76,300 cubic feet per secondJan 20, 1988: 18.08 ft, below flood stage; 12,400 cubic feet per secondMay 7, 1989: 26.79 ft, minor flooding; 34,300 cubic feet per secondMay 30, 1990: 24.51 ft, minor flooding; 24,500 cubic feet per secondOct 24, 1991: 28.08 ft, minor flooding; 41,600 cubic feet per secondJan 4, 1992: 11.91 ft, below flood stage; 11,200 cubic feet per secondApr 22, 1992: 18.09 ft, below flood stage; 22,000 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 1993: 28.32 ft, minor flooding; 43,000 cubic feet per secondMar 18, 1993: 22.75 ft, action stage; 20,090 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 1993: 25.63 ft, minor flooding; 28,720 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 1993: 23.17 ft, action stage; 21,010 cubic feet per secondNov 28, 1993: 21.52 ft, action stage; 17,670 cubic feet per secondFeb 25, 1994: 22.56 ft, action stage; 19,710 cubic feet per secondMar 4, 1994: 25.34 ft, minor flooding; 27,490 cubic feet per secondMar 29, 1994: 27.16 ft, minor flooding; 36,300 cubic feet per secondJan 16, 1995: 23.00 ft, action stage; 20,620 cubic feet per secondJun 24, 1995: 29.84 ft, minor flooding; 52,970 cubic feet per secondJul 1, 1995: 27.58 ft, minor flooding; 38,640 cubic feet per secondJan 20, 1996: 26.58 ft, minor flooding; 33,240 cubic feet per secondJan 28, 1996: 22.84 ft, action stage; 20,280 cubic feet per secondJun 11, 1996: 22.08 ft, action stage; 18,750 cubic feet per secondAug 13, 1996: 21.03 ft, action stage; 16,740 cubic feet per secondSep 7, 1996: 34.92 ft, major flooding; 89,150 cubic feet per secondDec 3, 1996: 25.16 ft, minor flooding; 26,700 cubic feet per secondJan 29, 1998: 27.17 ft, minor flooding; 36,400 cubic feet per secondApr 18, 1998: 22.99 ft, action stage; 20,600 cubic feet per secondApr 19, 2000: 22.99 ft, action stage; 20,600 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 2001: 22.41 ft, action stage; 19,400 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 2002: 11.21 ft, below flood stage; 5,200 cubic feet per secondFeb 24, 2003: 27.18 ft, minor flooding; 36,400 cubic feet per secondFeb 8, 2004: 22.48 ft, action stage; 19,569 cubic feet per secondSep 30, 2004: 21.22 ft, action stage; 17,110 cubic feet per secondJan 15, 2005: 23.60 ft, action stage; 22,000 cubic feet per secondOct 9, 2005: 21.05 ft, action stage; 16,800 cubic feet per secondNov 18, 2006: 21.50 ft, action stage; 17,628 cubic feet per secondMar 17, 2007: 24.26 ft, minor flooding; 23,800 cubic feet per secondMay 9, 2008: 21.47 ft, action stage; 17,600 cubic feet per secondNov 14, 2009: 27.09 ft, minor flooding; 35,900 cubic feet per secondDec 10, 2009: 23.93 ft, action stage; 22,700 cubic feet per secondJan 27, 2010: 26.86 ft, minor flooding; 34,755 cubic feet per secondMar 11, 2011: 20.56 ft, below flood stage; 17,900 cubic feet per secondDec 9, 2011: 23.89 ft, action stage; 25,055 cubic feet per secondMar 26, 2012: 24.87 ft, minor flooding; 25,624 cubic feet per secondJan 18, 2013: 21.06 ft, action stage; 16,173 cubic feet per secondFeb 1, 2013: 22.55 ft, action stage; 18,900 cubic feet per secondMay 9, 2013: 25.03 ft, minor flooding; 26,178 cubic feet per secondJan 12, 2014: 21.14 ft, action stage; 16,361 cubic feet per secondMay 17, 2014: 24.89 ft, minor flooding; 25,665 cubic feet per secondOct 4, 2015: 21.71 ft, action stage; 17,300 cubic feet per secondNov 11, 2015: 23.70 ft, action stage; 21,820 cubic feet per secondDec 25, 2015: 25.35 ft, minor flooding; 27,400 cubic feet per secondFeb 5, 2016: 23.32 ft, action stage; 20,700 cubic feet per secondFeb 18, 2016: 24.10 ft, minor flooding; 23,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 26, 2016: 23.74 ft, action stage; 21,900 cubic feet per secondMay 7, 2016: 23.20 ft, action stage; 20,385 cubic feet per secondOct 10, 2016: 24.10 ft, minor flooding; 23,000 cubic feet per secondJan 24, 2017: 21.43 ft, action stage; 23,000 cubic feet per secondApr 26, 2017: 24.02 ft, minor flooding; 22,800 cubic feet per secondMay 26, 2017: 25.33 ft, minor flooding; 27,300 cubic feet per secondFeb 12, 2018: 21.55 ft, action stage; 17,000 cubic feet per secondApr 26, 2018: 23.90 ft, action stage; 22,400 cubic feet per secondMay 20, 2018: 26.44 ft, minor flooding; 31,875 cubic feet per secondSep 18, 2018: 23.88 ft, action stage; 22,641 cubic feet per secondOct 13, 2018: 28.73 ft, minor flooding; 42,500 cubic feet per secondNov 17, 2018: 25.57 ft, minor flooding; 28,300 cubic feet per secondDec 17, 2018: 26.10 ft, minor flooding; 30,549 cubic feet per secondDec 22, 2018: 25.70 ft, minor flooding; 28,700 cubic feet per secondDec 30, 2018: 24.16 ft, minor flooding; 23,100 cubic feet per secondFeb 25, 2019: 26.12 ft, minor flooding; 30,466 cubic feet per secondJun 13, 2019: 23.11 ft, action stage; 20,700 cubic feet per secondFeb 8, 2020: 27.30 ft, minor flooding; 35,500 cubic feet per secondMay 23, 2020: 27.47 ft, minor flooding; 36,300 cubic feet per secondJun 19, 2020: 26.77 ft, minor flooding; 33,186 cubic feet per secondSep 19, 2020: 23.26 ft, action stage; 20,800 cubic feet per secondOct 31, 2020: 26.81 ft, minor flooding; 33,400 cubic feet per secondNov 14, 2020: 31.97 ft, moderate flooding; 58,200 cubic feet per secondDec 1, 2020: 25.83 ft, minor flooding; 28,100 cubic feet per secondDec 6, 2020: 23.64 ft, action stage; 21,300 cubic feet per secondDec 25, 2020: 22.75 ft, action stage; 19,300 cubic feet per secondJan 27, 2021: 21.66 ft, action stage; 17,700 cubic feet per secondFeb 17, 2021: 25.19 ft, minor flooding; 25,800 cubic feet per secondMay 29, 2022: 19.82 ft, below flood stage; 16,000 cubic feet per secondDec 25, 2022: 22.29 ft, action stage; 19,800 cubic feet per secondMay 31, 2023: 18.80 ft, below flood stage; 14,478 cubic feet per secondJul 17, 2023: 21.25 ft, action stage; 18,200 cubic feet per secondJan 11, 2024: 27.57 ft, minor flooding; 33,400 cubic feet per secondSep 27, 2024: 22.41 ft, action stage; 20,038 cubic feet per secondOct 2, 2024: 22.38 ft, action stage; 19,989 cubic feet per second Highest, 41.60 ft, Aug 16, 1940 192019401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Roanoke River at Randolph 1900s: 3 1910s: 1 1920s: 2 1930s: 7 1940s: 6 1950s: 7 1960s: 1 1970s: 6 1980s: 6 1990s: 12 2000s: 3 2010s: 16 16 2020s: 8 1900s1910s1920s1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  1. These are the crests the local National Weather Service office lists for the gauge: the highest on record and recent crests. Lesser floods between them may be missing, so counts by decade are a floor.
  2. Categories use today's flood stages. Levees, dams and channel changes since a crest can make old and new stages not directly comparable.

Highest crests

The 50 highest of 142 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Roanoke River at Randolph
1Aug 16, 194041.60+17.60Major150,000
2Dec 31, 190135.00+11.00Major97,000
3Sep 7, 199634.92+10.92Major89,150
4Sep 10, 198733.18+9.18Moderate76,300
5Sep 30, 194532.60+8.60Moderate75,000
6Aug 13, 192832.46+8.46Moderate74,500
7Nov 14, 202031.97+7.97Moderate58,200
8Jun 23, 197230.96+6.96Moderate72,500
9Feb 5, 192030.90+6.90Moderate65,000
10Mar 16, 191230.60+6.60Moderate63,000
11Jun 24, 199529.84+5.84Minor52,970
12Apr 28, 197829.73+5.73Minor56,200
13Feb 26, 197929.59+5.59Minor55,200
14Nov 6, 198529.58+5.58Minor51,200
15Oct 22, 193729.20+5.20Minor56,000
16Mar 19, 193629.10+5.10Minor55,000
17Mar 20, 197529.07+5.07Minor58,900
18Oct 18, 193228.90+4.90Minor54,000
19Oct 13, 201828.73+4.73Minor42,500
20Sep 20, 194528.70+4.70Minor53,000
21Dec 6, 194828.70+4.70Minor53,000
22May 23, 190128.60+4.60Minor60,000
23Mar 5, 199328.32+4.32Minor43,000
24Oct 24, 199128.08+4.08Minor41,600
25Jul 1, 199527.58+3.58Minor38,640
26Jan 11, 202427.57+3.57Minor33,400
27May 23, 202027.47+3.47Minor36,300
28Apr 7, 195727.44+3.44Minor28,600
29Feb 8, 202027.30+3.30Minor35,500
30Aug 20, 198527.28+3.28Minor37,000
31Feb 24, 200327.18+3.18Minor36,400
32Jan 29, 199827.17+3.17Minor36,400
33Mar 29, 199427.16+3.16Minor36,300
34Nov 14, 200927.09+3.09Minor35,900
35Oct 17, 195427.08+3.08Minor39,700
36Dec 3, 193427.00+3.00Minor44,000
37Aug 21, 193926.90+2.90Minor44,000
38Jan 27, 201026.86+2.86Minor34,755
39Oct 31, 202026.81+2.81Minor33,400
40Feb 18, 190326.80+2.80Minor47,800
41May 7, 198926.79+2.79Minor34,300
42Jun 19, 202026.77+2.77Minor33,186
43Apr 12, 198326.58+2.58Minor36,800
44Jan 20, 199626.58+2.58Minor33,240
45Sep 2, 195226.50+2.50Minor31,600
46May 20, 201826.44+2.44Minor31,875
47Jan 4, 193726.40+2.40Minor42,000
48Feb 16, 194826.40+2.40Minor42,000
49Feb 25, 201926.12+2.12Minor30,466
50Dec 17, 201826.10+2.10Minor30,549

The worst floods along the Roanoke River

For this gauge's highest crests, the other gauges on the Roanoke River that crested above flood stage within a week.

August 16, 1940: 41.60 ft here, major flooding

  • AltavistaVA · Aug 15, 1940 · 40.08 ft · Major · its highest
  • Roanoke RapidsNC · Aug 18, 1940 · 39.00 ft · Major · its highest
  • WilliamstonNC · Aug 22, 1940 · 20.50 ft · Major · its highest
  • RoanokeVA · Aug 14, 1940 · 18.25 ft · Major
  • NiagaraVA · Aug 14, 1940 · 17.50 ft · Moderate

September 7, 1996: 34.92 ft here, major flooding

  • AltavistaVA · Sep 6, 1996 · 25.87 ft · Moderate
  • GlenvarVA · Sep 6, 1996 · 15.59 ft · Moderate
  • RoanokeVA · Sep 6, 1996 · 13.90 ft · Moderate
  • LafayetteVA · Sep 6, 1996 · 11.61 ft · Moderate
  • BrooknealVA · Sep 4, 1996 · 24.52 ft · Minor
  • Roanoke RapidsNC · Sep 12, 1996 · 11.60 ft · Minor

September 10, 1987: 33.18 ft here, moderate flooding

  • BrooknealVA · Sep 9, 1987 · 39.80 ft · Major · its highest
  • AltavistaVA · Sep 8, 1987 · 34.45 ft · Major

Gauges on the Roanoke River

Flood gauges sharing the river's name, linked within 80 miles of one another.

Flood gauges on the Roanoke River
AltavistaVA18.040.08 ft, Aug 15, 19408
BrooknealVA23.039.80 ft, Sep 9, 198718
GlenvarVA9.017.73 ft, Apr 21, 19925
LafayetteVA8.015.60 ft, Jun 21, 19723
NiagaraVA13.025.30 ft, Nov 4, 19854
Randolph this gaugeVA24.041.60 ft, Aug 16, 19403
RoanokeVA10.023.35 ft, Nov 4, 19857
Roanoke RapidsNC9.039.00 ft, Aug 18, 19408
Smith Mountain LakeVA797.0799.79 ft, Apr 27, 19783
WilliamstonNC12.020.50 ft, Aug 22, 19405
Scotland NeckNC28.037.05 ft, Sep 23, 19453

Other gauges in Halifax County

Flood gauges in Halifax County
Paces22.033.15 ft, Jun 23, 19720
South Boston22.033.37 ft, Jun 24, 19720

Halifax County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Virginia

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge RNDV2, retrieved October 30, 2026. Stages in feet on the gauge's own datum, not elevation. Crests are as the National Weather Service lists them; preliminary values may be revised.