2026-02-16T18:00:00-07:00
...PROLONGED PERIOD OF CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS EARLY TO MID NEXT WEEK... .Recent dry conditions combining with above normal temperatures and much stronger winds early next week will bring potentially critical fire weather conditions Monday and Tuesday, possibly lasting into Wednesday. There is potential for extreme fire weather conditions on Tuesday as widespread strong and gusty winds to around 60 mph are expected. The National Weather Service in Denver has issued a Fire Weather Watch for wind and low relative humidity, which is in effect from Monday morning through Monday afternoon. A Fire Weather Watch has also been issued from Tuesday morning through Tuesday evening. * AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zones 216, 240, 241, 244, 245, 246, 247 and 249. * TIMING...For the first Fire Weather Watch, from late Monday morning through Monday afternoon. For the second Fire Weather Watch, from Tuesday morning through Tuesday evening. * WINDS...Southwest 15 to 25 mph with gusts to 35 mph on Monday. On Tuesday, west winds 30 to 40 mph with gusts around 60 mph. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...As low as 11 percent. * IMPACTS...Conditions will be favorable for rapid fire spread. Avoid outdoor burning and any activity that may produce a spark and start a wildfire. There is potential for extreme fire weather conditions on Tuesday.
Summary
Total streamflow across the
Roanoke River
was last observed at
4,515
cfs, and is expected to yield approximately
8,955
acre-ft of water today; about 27%
of normal.
River levels are low and may signify a drought.
Average streamflow for this time of year is
16,885 cfs,
with recent peaks last observed
on
2025-02-16 when daily discharge volume was observed at
99,000 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the
Roanoke River At Roanoke Rapids
reporting a streamflow rate of 2,570 cfs.
This is also the highest stage along the Roanoke River, with a gauge stage of
3.32 ft at this location.
This river is monitored from 6 different streamgauging stations along the Roanoke River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 1,185 ft, the
Roanoke River At Lafayette.
15-Day Weather Outlook
River Details
| Last Updated | 2026-02-13 |
| Discharge Volume | 8,955 ACRE-FT |
| Streamflow |
4,515.0 cfs
-300.0 cfs (-6.23%) |
| Percent of Normal | 26.74% |
| Maximum |
99,000.0 cfs
2025-02-16 |
| Seasonal Avg | 16,885 cfs |
River Streamflow Levels
| Streamgauge | Streamflow | Gauge Stage | 24hr Change (%) | % Normal | Minimum (cfs) | Maximum (cfs) | Air Temp | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Roanoke River At Lafayette
USGS 02054500 |
202 cfs | 2.25 ft | -44.2 | |||||
|
Roanoke River At Glenvar
USGS 02054530 |
235 cfs | 3.03 ft | -38.16 | |||||
|
Roanoke River At Roanoke
USGS 02055000 |
308 cfs | 1.56 ft | 13.24 | |||||
|
Roanoke River At Niagara
USGS 02056000 |
465 cfs | 3.02 ft | 28.1 | |||||
|
Roanoke River At Altavista
USGS 02060500 |
735 cfs | 2.02 ft | -34.96 | |||||
|
Roanoke River At Roanoke Rapids
USGS 02080500 |
2570 cfs | 3.32 ft | -0.39 |
Seasonal Discharge Comparison
Maximum Streamflow Discharge
Streamflow Elevation Profile
The Roanoke River () is a river in southern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina in the United States, 410 miles (660 km) long. A major river of the southeastern United States, it drains a largely rural area of the coastal plain from the eastern edge of the Appalachian Mountains southeast across the Piedmont to Albemarle Sound. An important river throughout the history of the United States, it was the site of early settlement in the Virginia Colony and the Carolina Colony. An 81-mile (130 km) section of its lower course in Virginia between the Leesville Lake and Kerr Lake is known as the Staunton River, pronounced , as is the Shenandoah Valley city of that name. It is impounded along much of its middle course to form a chain of reservoirs.