Alert archive / Virginia / Tornado Warnings in 1989
Tornado Warning 2, NWS Wakefield, VA
NWS Wakefield, VA issued this tornado warning at Mar 30, 1989, 5:06 PM EST for Accomack County, Virginia. It was in force for 39 min.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- Mar 30, 1989, 5:06 PM EST (22:06 UTC)
- Expired
- Mar 30, 1989, 5:45 PM EST
- In force
- 39 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.
The nearest sounding before it
Wallops Is Stn, VA (KWAL), launched 12:00Z, 10.1 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- No buoyant parcel
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 986 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 55 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 71 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 177 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000
TTAA00 KORF 302206
TORORF
VAC001-302245-
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED/EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO AND SPECIAL MARINE WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORFOLK VA
506 PM EST THU MAR 30 1989
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO AND SPECIAL
MARINE WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 545 PM EST FOR PEOPLE IN THE
FOLLOWING COUNTY
IN THE STATE OF VIRGINIA
SOUTHERN ACCOMACK
...THIS WARNING ALSO INCLUDES THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS FOR THE
COUNTY JUST MENTIONED
AT 500 PM RADAR INDICATED A TORNADO OVER THE CHESAPEAKE BAY
15 MILES SOUTHEAST OF WINDMILL POINT. THIS STORM WILL BE
MOVING INTO EXTREME SOUTHERN ACCOMOCK COUNTY DURING THE NEXT
15 MINUTES.
THE THUNDERSTORM IS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 TO 40 MPH
IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF A TORNADO..GO TO A BASEMENT SHELTER
OR A CENTRAL INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR.
ABANDON CARS AND MOBILE HOMES FOR REENFORCED BUILDINGS.
IF NO BUILDING IS NEARBY...SEEK SHELTER IN A DITCH OR LOW PLACE.
PLEASE REPORT ALL SEVERE WEATHER TO YOUR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT
OFFICIALS AND ASK THEM TO PASS THE REPORT ALONG TO A WEATHER
SERVICE OFFICE.
RITTERWhat forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before this tornado 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, Mar 30, 1:18 PM EST, 3 hours 48 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RICHMOND VA 115 PM EST THU MAR 30 1989 ...SHOWERS AND HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS MOVING RAPIDLY OVER VIRGINIA... AT 115 PM EST THIS THURSDAY AFTERNOON WEATHER
Special weather statement, Mar 30, 2:09 PM EST, 2 hours 57 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORFOLK VA 2.05 PM EST THU MAR 30 1989 AT 2 PM THE AREA OF SHOWERS AND MODERATE TO HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDS FROM NEAR CHINCOTEAGUE ON THE EASTERN SHORE SOUTHWESTWARD TO NEAR COURTLAND AND INTO NORTH CAROLINA. THE HEAVIEST ACTIVITY IS OVER THE COASTAL WATERS. THE MOVEMENT IS TOWARD THE NORTHEAST AT 40 MILES AN HOUR. A LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS APPROACHING FROM THE NORTHWEST. THIS LINE EXTENDS FROM NORTHERN WESTMORELAND COUNTY SOUTHWESTWARD NEAR HOPEWELL INTO NORTH CAROLINA. THE LINE IS MOVING SOUTHEAST AND THE THUNDERSTORMS ARE MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHEAST AT 50 MILES AN HOUR WITH IN THE LINE. THESE STORMS COULD PRODUCE STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND HEAVY RAIN ALONG WITH THE EVER DANGEROUS LIGHTNING. ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS WILL BE ISSUED AS THESE STORMS CONTINUE TO MOVE THROUGH SOUTHEASTERN VIRGINIA. CWT .
Special weather statement, Mar 30, 2:19 PM EST, 2 hours 47 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RICHMOND VA 215 PM EST THU MAR 30 1989 ...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE OVER CENTRAL VIRGINIA... AT 215 PM EST THIS THURSDAY AFTERNOON WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED WIDELY SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS OVER CENTRAL VIRGINIA. THE SHOWERS WERE LOCATED OVER MUCH OF EAST CENTRAL VIRGINIA WITH THE HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS OVER NORTHERN PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY AND SOUTHERN CHARLES CITY COUNTY. THE THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED TO MOVE NORTHEAST AT AROUND 45 MPH TOWARD THE COUNTIES OF KING WILLIAM AND KING AND QUEEN COUNTIES. THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL LIKELY BE ACCOMPANIED BY STRONG GUSTY WINDS BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS...AND DEADLY LIGHTNING. PERSONS IN THE VICINITY OF THESE STORMS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER AND BE PREPARED TO SEEK SAFE SHELTER IF THESE DANGEROUS STORMS APPROACH. MATT MATT
Special weather statement, Mar 30, 3:22 PM EST, 1 hour 44 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RICHMOND VA 322 PM EST THU MAR 30 1989 ...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE OVER SOUTH CENTRAL VIRGINIA... AT 315 PM EST THIS THURSDAY AFTERNOON WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A CLUSTER OF HEAVY TO VERY HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS OVER SOUTH CENTRAL VA. THE STORMS WERE LOCATED OVER EASTERN MECKLENBURG...SOUTHEASTERN LUNENBURG AND CENTRAL BRUNSWICK COUNTIES. THE STORMS ARE MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 40 TO 45 MPH...AND WILL BE MOVING INTO DINWIDDIE AND NOTTOWAY COUNTIES BETWEEN 4 AND 5 PM. THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY STRONG GUSTY WINDS...HEAVY DOWNPOURS...LIGHTNING AND POSSIBLY HAIL. PERSONS IN THE VICINITY OF THESE STORMS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER AND BE PREPARED TO SEEK INDOOR SHELTER AS THESE STORMS APPROACH. MG
Special weather statement, Mar 30, 3:45 PM EST, 1 hour 21 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORFOLK VA 345 PM EST THU MAR 30 1989 ...HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS OVER SOUTHEAST VIRGINIA... AT 340 PM AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...SOME PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN...EXTENDED FROM PATUXENT RIVER MARYLAND SOUTHWEST ACROSS THE WESTERN NORTHERN NECK COUNTIES THROUGH SUSSEX AND SURRY COUNTIES AND INTO NORTH CAROLINA. THE HEAVIEST THUNDERSTORMS AT THIS TIME WERE OVER NORTHERN SURRY AND SUSSEX COUNTIES. THESE THUNDERSTORMS MAY PRODUCE STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND HAIL AS THEY MOVE NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH INTO JAMES CITY AND YORK COUNTIES AND THE CITY OF WILLIAMSBURG. RITTER
Special weather statement, Mar 30, 4:35 PM EST, 31 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORFOLK VA 430 PM EST THU MAR 30 1989 ...HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS NEAR FRANKLIN...EMPORIA...WILLIAMSBURG... AN AREA OF SHOWERS WITH A FEW THUDERSTORMS PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAINS AND HAIL EXTENDED FROM THE CENTRAL CHESAPEAKE BAY SOUTHWEST THROUGH MATHEWS COUNTY...WILLIAMSBURG AND INTO SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY. AT 430 PM THE HEAVIEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE OVER GLOUCESTER AND MATHEWS COUNTY. A WEATHER SPOTTER IN WILLIAMSBURG REPORTED ONE QUARTER TO ONE HALF INCH HAIL AND SOME STREET FLOODING WITH THIS STORM. ANOTHER HEAVY THUNDERSTORM WAS NEAR FRANKLIN AND THIS STORM MAY ALSO PRODUCE HAIL AND VERY HEAVY RAIN. THE THUNDERSTORMS ARE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 TO 40 MPH . MARINE INTERESTS IN THE CHESAPEAKE BAY OF VIRGINIA SHOULD BE ALERT TO LOCALLY STRONG GUSTY WINDS NEAR THUNDERSTORMS THAT WILL BE MOVING THROUGH THE AREA FOR THE NEXT ONE TO TWO HOURS. RITTER
The office that day
Everything else NWS Wakefield, VA issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 30, 5:20 PM EST | Tornado Warning | AKQ | Isle of Wight, Southampton, City of Suffolk | 55 min |
| Mar 30, 5:28 PM EST | Tornado Warning | AKQ | City of Virginia Beach | 62 min |
| Mar 30, 6:12 PM EST | Tornado Warning | AKQ | City of Hampton | 63 min |
| Mar 30, 6:12 PM EST | Tornado Warning | AKQ | City of Chesapeake, City of Virginia Beach | 63 min |
| Mar 30, 6:31 PM EST | Tornado Warning | AKQ | City of Chesapeake, City of Virginia Beach | 44 min |
| Mar 30, 6:31 PM EST | Tornado Warning | AKQ | City of Hampton | 44 min |
Nearby
Tornado Warnings in Virginia, 1989Every tornado warning in 1989Tornadoes in 1989
Sources
The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.