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South Fork Shenandoah River near Lynnwood

Highest listed crest 30.84 ftFlood stage 16.0 ft34 crests since 1934

The South Fork Shenandoah River near Lynnwood crested at major flood stage 16 times among the 34 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1934 to 2024. The highest, 30.84 ft on September 7, 1996, was major flooding, 14.84 feet above flood stage. 2 other gauges on the South Fork Shenandoah River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 1 at its own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
30.84 ft
September 7, 1996; 107,000 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
16.0 ft
Major flooding from 20.0 ft
Crests at major
16
4th of 242 gauges in Virginia
Most recent flood crest
September 30, 2024
16.71 ft, minor flooding
Location
Rockingham County
Near Harrisonburg (10.1 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, South Fork Shenandoah River near Lynnwood
Action stage14.00—The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)16.06Sep 30, 2024Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage17.012Apr 17, 2011Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage20.016Sep 18, 2018Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

34 crests from 1934 to 2024. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the South Fork Shenandoah River near Lynnwood, 1934 to 2024 1520253035ft Flood stage 16.0 ftMajor 20.0 ft Dec 1, 1934: 21.62 ft, major flooding; 45,600 cubic feet per secondMar 18, 1936: 26.57 ft, major flooding; 77,000 cubic feet per secondApr 26, 1937: 20.48 ft, major flooding; 39,800 cubic feet per secondAug 17, 1940: 19.86 ft, moderate flooding; 33,100 cubic feet per secondMay 16, 1942: 16.97 ft, minor flooding; 23,200 cubic feet per secondMay 22, 1942: 20.37 ft, major flooding; 36,300 cubic feet per secondOct 15, 1942: 27.20 ft, major flooding; 80,000 cubic feet per secondSep 18, 1945: 21.70 ft, major flooding; 42,800 cubic feet per secondDec 4, 1948: 16.40 ft, minor flooding; 21,500 cubic feet per secondJun 18, 1949: 23.60 ft, major flooding; 53,600 cubic feet per secondDec 4, 1950: 16.20 ft, minor flooding; 20,900 cubic feet per secondDec 8, 1950: 16.88 ft, minor flooding; 22,900 cubic feet per secondAug 18, 1955: 22.94 ft, major flooding; 46,800 cubic feet per secondMay 30, 1971: 19.43 ft, moderate flooding; 31,700 cubic feet per secondJun 22, 1972: 23.45 ft, major flooding; 50,700 cubic feet per secondOct 6, 1972: 21.92 ft, major flooding; 42,600 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 1975: 20.44 ft, major flooding; 35,800 cubic feet per secondOct 9, 1976: 17.99 ft, moderate flooding; 26,500 cubic feet per secondJan 26, 1978: 16.74 ft, minor flooding; 22,700 cubic feet per secondSep 6, 1979: 17.89 ft, moderate flooding; 26,200 cubic feet per secondNov 5, 1985: 29.46 ft, major flooding; 95,100 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 1987: 19.29 ft, moderate flooding; 33,900 cubic feet per secondApr 22, 1992: 17.91 ft, moderate flooding; 28,700 cubic feet per secondMar 4, 1993: 19.45 ft, moderate flooding; 34,500 cubic feet per secondJan 19, 1996: 24.88 ft, major flooding; 62,500 cubic feet per secondSep 7, 1996: 30.84 ft, major flooding; 107,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 18, 1998: 17.49 ft, moderate flooding; 27,600 cubic feet per secondSep 19, 2003: 22.40 ft, major floodingSep 29, 2004: 18.92 ft, moderate flooding; 32,900 cubic feet per secondNov 30, 2005: 17.81 ft, moderate flooding; 28,700 cubic feet per secondJan 25, 2010: 19.09 ft, moderate flooding; 33,560 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 2011: 19.93 ft, moderate flooding; 37,050 cubic feet per secondSep 18, 2018: 20.23 ft, major flooding; 36,660 cubic feet per secondSep 30, 2024: 16.71 ft, minor flooding; 22,043 cubic feet per second Highest, 30.84 ft, Sep 7, 1996 19401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, South Fork Shenandoah River near Lynnwood 1930s: 3 1940s: 7 7 1950s: 3 1960s: 0 1970s: 7 1980s: 2 1990s: 5 2000s: 3 2010s: 3 2020s: 1 1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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

Highest listed crests, South Fork Shenandoah River near Lynnwood
1Sep 7, 199630.84+14.84Major107,000
2Nov 5, 198529.46+13.46Major95,100
3Oct 15, 194227.20+11.20Major80,000
4Mar 18, 193626.57+10.57Major77,000
5Jan 19, 199624.88+8.88Major62,500
6Jun 18, 194923.60+7.60Major53,600
7Jun 22, 197223.45+7.45Major50,700
8Aug 18, 195522.94+6.94Major46,800
9Sep 19, 200322.40+6.40Major—
10Oct 6, 197221.92+5.92Major42,600
11Sep 18, 194521.70+5.70Major42,800
12Dec 1, 193421.62+5.62Major45,600
13Apr 26, 193720.48+4.48Major39,800
14Mar 19, 197520.44+4.44Major35,800
15May 22, 194220.37+4.37Major36,300
16Sep 18, 201820.23+4.23Major36,660
17Apr 17, 201119.93+3.93Moderate37,050
18Aug 17, 194019.86+3.86Moderate33,100
19Mar 4, 199319.45+3.45Moderate34,500
20May 30, 197119.43+3.43Moderate31,700
21Apr 17, 198719.29+3.29Moderate33,900
22Jan 25, 201019.09+3.09Moderate33,560
23Sep 29, 200418.92+2.92Moderate32,900
24Oct 9, 197617.99+1.99Moderate26,500
25Apr 22, 199217.91+1.91Moderate28,700
26Sep 6, 197917.89+1.89Moderate26,200
27Nov 30, 200517.81+1.81Moderate28,700
28Feb 18, 199817.49+1.49Moderate27,600
29May 16, 194216.97+0.97Minor23,200
30Dec 8, 195016.88+0.88Minor22,900
31Jan 26, 197816.74+0.74Minor22,700
32Sep 30, 202416.71+0.71Minor22,043
33Dec 4, 194816.40+0.40Minor21,500
34Dec 4, 195016.20+0.20Minor20,900

The worst floods along the South Fork Shenandoah River

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

September 7, 1996: 30.84 ft here, major flooding

  • Front RoyalVA · Sep 7, 1996 · 32.57 ft · Major
  • LurayVA · Sep 7, 1996 · 26.95 ft · Major · its highest

November 5, 1985: 29.46 ft here, major flooding

  • Front RoyalVA · Nov 6, 1985 · 32.43 ft · Major
  • LurayVA · Nov 5, 1985 · 26.72 ft · Major

October 15, 1942: 27.20 ft here, major flooding

  • Front RoyalVA · Oct 16, 1942 · 34.80 ft · Major · its highest
  • LurayVA · Oct 16, 1942 · 25.70 ft · Major

Gauges on the South Fork Shenandoah River

In USGS station-number order, which runs downstream within a river basin.

Flood gauges on the South Fork Shenandoah River
Lynnwood this gaugeVA16.030.84 ft, Sep 7, 199616
LurayVA14.026.95 ft, Sep 7, 19964
Front RoyalVA12.034.80 ft, Oct 16, 194214

Other gauges in Rockingham County

Flood gauges in Rockingham County
Mount Clinton8.010.37 ft, Sep 6, 19960
Cootes Store15.027.86 ft, Sep 6, 19964
Burketown11.036.70 ft, Sep 6, 19964

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge LYWV2, 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.