Alert archive / Virginia / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1986

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 21, NWS Wakefield, VA

July 9, 1986Accomack County, Virginia

NWS Wakefield, VA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 9, 1986, 6:23 PM EDT for Accomack County, Virginia. It was in force for 52 min. 1 report came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued: Jul 9, 1986, 6:23 PM EDT (22:23 UTC)
Expired: Jul 9, 1986, 7:15 PM EDT
In force: 52 min
Issued by: NWS Wakefield, VA
Area: Whole counties

County Accomack County, VA

The radar

The WSR-88D network and its archive begin in 1991, so there is no radar volume for this alert.

What was reported inside it

Time	Report	Where	Remark
Jul 9, 6:35 PM EDT	Thunderstorm Wind 0	Accomack, VA

NCEI Storm Data entries that began inside the alert's area while it was in force. Before 2003 the local storm report archive is thin, so this is the record of what happened rather than what was phoned in. Storm Data before 1996 records only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail.

The nearest sounding before it

Wallops Is Stn, VA (KWAL), launched 12:00Z, 10.4 hours before the alert went out and 36 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.

Mixed-layer CAPE: 1100 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -74 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1375 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 27 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 33 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 73 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.1
Supercell composite: 0.5

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
TTAA00 KORF 092224
SVRORF
VAC001-092315-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED/EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM AND SPECIAL MARINE WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORFOLK VA
623 PM EDT WED JUL 9 1986

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM AND
SPECIAL MARINE WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 715 PM EDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE
FOLLOWING COUNTY OF

VIRGINIA...ACCOMACK
...THIS WARNING ALSO INCLUDES THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS FOR THE
COUNTY JUST MENTIONED

AT 615 PM RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR TANGIER
ISLAND MOVING TOWARD THE EAST AT 25 TO 35 MPH. THIS
THUNDERSTORM WILL MOVE ACROSS ACCOMACK COUNTY DURING THE
NEXT HOUR.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH.
HAIL..DEADLY LIGHTNING...AND HEAVY RAIN.

THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM AND WILL PASS OVER PARTS OF CHESAPEAKE
BAY..BOATERS SHOULD TAKE THE NECESSARY ACTION TO SAFEGUARD LIFE
AND PROPERTY.

PLEASE REPORT ALL SEVERE WEATHER TO YOUR LOCAL LAW SENFORCEMENT
OFFICIALS AND ASK THEM TO PASS THE REPORT ALONG TO A WEATHER
SERVICE OFFICE.
RITTER

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 9, 1:07 PM EDT, 5 hours 16 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORFOLK VA
 110    PM EDT WED  JUL  9  1986

 AT 1 PM RADAR SHOWS VERY HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS MOVING ACROSS THE
POTOMAC RIVER INTO WESTMORELAND AND NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTIES.
THERE HAVE BEEN UNCONFIRMED REPORTS OF WATER SPOUTS ON THE
POTOMAC. THESE STORMS MAY PRODUCE WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH..
HEAVY DOWNPOURS AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING. BOATERS SHOULD BE ALERT
FOR SEVERE WEATHER AND SEEK SAFE HARBOR IF IT APPROACHES.

FURTHER STATEMENTS WILL BE ISSUED AS NEEDED..JM..

Special weather statement, Jul 9, 3:43 PM EDT, 2 hours 40 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RICHMOND VA
345 PM EDT WED JUL 9 1986

 ....SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 9PM EDT TONIGHT
         FOR MUCH OF VIRGINIA....

A COLD FRONT IS MOVING SOUTHWARD INTO THE LONGSTANDING AIRMASS
OF HOT HUMID AIR OVER VIRGINIA WITH PREDICTABLE RESULTS. THE
POSSIBILITY OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS EXISTS FOR MUCH OF VIRGINIA.
THIS MEANS THUNDERSTORMS WITH THE CAPABILITY OF PRODUCING LARGE
HAIL AND OR DAMAGING WINDS THAT WILL REQUIRE PRECAUTIONS TO ENSURE
PERSONAL SAFETY.

NO SEVERE WEATHER IS CURRENTLY REPORTED IN THE STATE BUT THERE
ARE NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THE STATE.
THE LARGEST IS JUST NORTHEAST OF THE CITY OF CHARLOTTESVILLE.

ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS WILL BE ISSUED AS NEEDED.
END/JB

Special weather statement, Jul 9, 4:06 PM EDT, 2 hours 17 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORFOLK VA
405    PM EDT WED  JUL  9  1986

...THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING OVER SOUTHEAST VIRGINIA...
...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF EASTERN VIRGINIA
UNTIL 900 PM...
AT 4 PM NEWLY DEVELOPED THUNDERSTORMS WERE IN A LINE THAT EXTENDED
FROM FORT EUSTIS NEAR WILLIAMSBURG WEST NORTHWEST TO NEAR SURRY
COURTHOUSE IN SURRY COUNTY. THE THUNDERTORMS WILL MOVE SOUTHEAST
AT 20 TO 30 MPH AND SHOULD BE MOVING INTO THE HAMPTON ROADS CITIES
AND LOWER BAY WITHIN THE HOUR. STRONG GUSTY WINDS MAY ACCOMPANY
THESE THUNDERSTORMS AND RESIDENTS AND MARINE INTERESTS IN THE
PATH OF THESE STORMS SHOULD BE ALERT TO THESE APPROACHING STORMS.

ANOTHE:R STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED AROUND 5 PM.
RITTER

Special weather statement, Jul 9, 4:22 PM EDT, 2 hours 1 minute before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RICHMOND VA
415 PM EDT WED JUL 9 1986

 ....SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 9PM EDT TONIGHT
         FOR MUCH OF VIRGINIA....

AT 410 PM WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED A STRONG LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS
EXTENDING FROM THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE POTOMAC WESTWARD THROUGH
THE COUNTIES OF ESSEX...CAROLINE...SPOTSYLVANIS...LOUISA...ALBEMARLE...
AUGUSTA...NELSON...AUGUSTA...ROCKBRIDGE...BOTETOURT...ALLEGHANY...
AND THEN ON INTO WEST VIRGINIA. THE LINE OF STORMS WAS MOVING
SOUTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

THE HEAVIEST STORMS WERE IN SPOTSYLVANIA COUNTY.

THESE STORMS WERE PRODUCING DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...STRONG GUSTY WINDS
AND POSSIBLE HAIL.
IF YOU LIVE I`N THE PATH OF THESE STORMS YOU SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT
FOR THREATENING WEATHER. PLEASE REPORT ANY SEVERE WEATHER TO YOUR
NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY FOR RELAY TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE.

JL

Special weather statement, Jul 9, 4:45 PM EDT, 1 hour 38 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORFOLK VA
445    PM EDT WED  JUL  9  1986

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM FOR MOST OF
EASTERN VIRGINIA...
AT 445 PM  A CLUSTER OF THUNDERSTORMS COVERED NEWPORT NEWS AND HAMPTON
WITH ANOTHER CLUSTER BETWEEN COURTLAND AND EMPORIA. A LINE OF
THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM WEST OF WARSAW WEST SOUTHWEST TO WELL
NORTH OF RICHMOND.

AT THIS TIME THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE BETWEEN COURTLAND AND
EMPORIA AND WEST OF WESTMORELAND AND ESSEX COUNTIES. RESIDENTS OF
THESE AREAS SHOULD BE ALERT TO STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND FREQUENT
LIGHTNING. THE THUNDERSTORMS ARE MOVING TO THE EAST SOUTHEAST AT
25 TO 35MPH.
ANOTHER STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED BY 530 PM EDT.
RITTER

Special weather statement, Jul 9, 5:24 PM EDT, 59 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RICHMOND VA
520 PM EDT WED JUL 9 1986

 ....SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 9PM EDT TONIGHT
         FOR MUCH OF VIRGINIA....

AT 515PM  WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF SHOWERS AND
THINDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM ESSEX COUNTY WEST TO GOOCHLAND COUNTY
THEN WEST TO ALBEMARLE COUNTY AND FURTHER SOUTHWEST THROUGH NELSON
COUNTY INTO SOUTHWESTERN VIRGINIA.

THE HEAVIEST OF THESE SHOWES AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE OVER KING AND
QUEEN COUNTY..OVER THE WESTERN PART OF HANOVER COUNTY AND OVER
NORTHWESTERN NELSON COUNTY.

WINDS GUSTING TO AROUND 40 MPH WERE REPORTED OVER WESTERN HANOVER
COUNTY.

ANY OF THESE STORMS MAY DEVELOP AND DAMAGING SURFACE WINDS..BRIEF
HEAVY RAIN..DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND POSSIBLY HAIL.
THE STORMS ARE MOVING TO THE EAST AT ABOUT 35 MILES AN HOUR AS THE
AREA DRIFTS SOUTH AT ABOUT 15 MPH.

AREAS OF LIGHT RAIN EXTEND NORTH FROM THE LINE OF SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS INTO NORTHERN VIRGINIA.

IF YOU OBSERVE SEVERE WEATHER PLEASE REPORT IT TO THE NEAREST
LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY AND ASK THEM TO RELAY IT TO THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE

FURTHER STATEMENTS WILL BE ISSUED AS NEEDED.

MCS

The office that day

Everything else NWS Wakefield, VA issued on the same UTC day.

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jul 9, 5:11 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	AKQ	Essex	49 min
Jul 9, 5:28 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	AKQ	Gloucester, Middlesex	62 min
Jul 9, 5:28 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	AKQ	Lancaster	62 min
Jul 9, 5:28 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	AKQ	Mathews	62 min
Jul 9, 5:33 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	AKQ	Hanover, Henrico	42 min
Jul 9, 5:57 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	AKQ	James City, York	63 min
Jul 9, 6:58 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	AKQ	City of Virginia Beach	32 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Virginia, 1986 Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1986

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.