Alert archive / Virginia / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1990

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 39, NWS Wakefield, VA

June 22, 1990Richmond County, Virginia

NWS Wakefield, VA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jun 22, 1990, 4:40 PM EDT for Richmond County, Virginia. It was in force for 50 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jun 22, 1990, 4:40 PM EDT (20:40 UTC)
Expired
Jun 22, 1990, 5:30 PM EDT
In force
50 min
Issued by
NWS Wakefield, VA
Area
Whole counties

County Richmond 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, 8.7 hours before the alert went out and 117 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-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Wallops Is Stn, VA at 12:00Z on 1990-06-22Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Wallops Is Stn, VA at 12:00Z on 1990-06-22The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 14 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
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
1 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-138 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1308 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
32 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
14 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
151 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
-0.0
Supercell composite
-0.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KORF 222040
SVRORF
VAC057-119-159-222130-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM AND SPECIAL MARINE WARNING 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORFOLK VA
440 PM EDT FRI JUN 22 1990

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 
AND SPECIAL MARINE WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 530 PM EDT FOR 
PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES

   IN THE STATE OF VIRGINIA
      SOUTHERN ESSEX...NORTHERN MIDDLESEX...RICHMOND

...THIS WARNING ALSO INCLUDES THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS FOR THE
COUNTIES JUST MENTIONED

AT 437 PM WEATHER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM OVER
THE BORDER BETWEEN KING AND QUEEN AND MIDDLESEX COUNTY. THE
STORM IS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 55 MPH AND WILL BE MOVING INTO
SOUTHERN ESSEX...NORTHERN MIDDLESEX AND RICHMOND COUNTIES
SHORTLY.

THESE ARE DANGEROUS STORMS. SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY!

THERE IS FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS
WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS.

TORNADOES COULD OCCUR WITH THESE THUNDEaRSTORMS.

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

 WALSTON

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, Jun 22, 1:53 PM EDT, 2 hours 47 minutes before
VAZ006-007-221600-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RICHMOND VA
150 PM EDT FRI JUN 22 1990

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF CENTRAL
VIRGINIA UNTIL 7PM EDT.

 AT 145 PM EDT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED
A LARGE AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS MOVING NORTHEAST FROM NORTH
CAROLINA INTO THE VIRGINIA COUNTIES OF MECKLENBURG AND BRUNSWICK.

THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL PRODUCE FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING STRIKES...
VERY HEAVY DOWNPOURS AND POSSIBLY HAIL. THESE STORMS PRODUCED SEVERE
WEATHER WITH WIND DAMAGE AS THEY MOVED ACROSS NORTH CAROLINA.

THE STORMS WILL BE MOVING INTO MECKLENBURG AND BRUNSWICK COUNTIES
BY 2PM EDT.

ANOTHER LINE OF THUNDSTORMS NEAR THE VIRGINIA WEST VIRGINIA BRODER
WILL BE MOVING INTO THE COUNTIES OF ALLEGHANY AND BATH BETWEEN 2 AND
230 PM EDT. THESE STORMS ALSO WILL PRODUCE FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING
STRIKES...VERY HEAVY RAIN AND POSSIBLY HAIL.

THE STORMS MOVING INTO T7HE SOUTHERN PORTION OF VIRGINIA ARE MOVING
RAPIDLY NORTHEAST AT ABOUT 40 MPH.

WILLS
Special weather statement, Jun 22, 2:39 PM EDT, 2 hours 1 minute before
VAZ001>004-041200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORFOLK VA
 2:40   PM EDT FRI  JUN  22 1990

 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 7PM EDT...
AT 230 PM EDT WEATHER RADAR SHOWS A LARGE AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS
MOVING NORTHEAST FROM NORTH CAROLINA INTO THE VIRGINIA COUNTIES OF
GREENSVILLE SUSSEX AND SOUTHAMPTON.  THESE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCED
SEVERE WEATHER WITH WIND DAMAGE IN NORTH CAROLINA.
THE STORMS ARE MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHEAST AROUND 35 MILES AN HOUR.

PERSONS IN THE ABOVE MENTIONED COUNTIES SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR
THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND
POSSIBL WARNINGS

CWT
Special weather statement, Jun 22, 2:56 PM EDT, 1 hour 44 minutes before
VAZ003-004-006-007-010-012-013-014-017-018-222100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RICHMOND VA
 255 PM EDT FRI JUNE 22 1990

 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF CENTRAL
VIRGINIA UNTIL 7PM...

AT 240 PM EDT WEATHER SERVICE RADARS SHOWED TWO BANDS OF STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS. ONE LINE EXTENDS ACROSS SOUTHWESTERN VIRGINIA...
FROM BATH COUNTY SOUTH TO THE NORTH CAROLINA BORDER. THIS AREA
HAS BEEN MOVING TOWARDS THE NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH AND
WILL BE AFFECTING PERSONS IN ROCKBRIDGE AND BATH COUNTIES
DURING THE NEXT HOUR.

ANOTHER STRONG BAND OF THUNDERSTORMS HAS BEEN MOVING INTO SOUTH-
CENTRAL VIRGINIA DURING THE LAST HOUR. THIS LINE EXTENDS EAST TO
WEST FROM HALIFAX COUNTY THROUGH LUNENBURG AND BRUNSWICK COUNTIES.
MOVEMENT OF THIS AREA IS TOWARDS THE NORTHEAST AROUND 35 MPH. THIS
AREA WILL BE AFFECTING PERSONS IN PRINCE EDWARD...NOTTOWAY AND
DINWIDDIE COUNTIES DURING THE NEXT 1 TO 2 HOURS.

ALL STORMS WILL LIKELY PRODUCE DANGEROUS CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING...
STRONG WINDS...HEAVY DOWNPOURS AND POSSIBLE HAIL.

STAY TUNED FOR FURTHER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

RWW
Special weather statement, Jun 22, 3:28 PM EDT, 1 hour 12 minutes before
VAZ001>004-041200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORFOLK VA
3:30 PM EDT FRI JUN 22 1990

 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 7PM EDT...
AT 3:15 PM EDT WEATHER RADAR SHOWS A LARGE AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS
FROM NEAR RICHMOND SOUTHEAST TO NEAR FRANKLIN VIRGINIA AND INTO
NORTHEASTERN NORTH CAROLINA.  THE AREA IS MOVING TOWARD THE
NORTHEAST AROUND 35 MILES AN HOUR.  THE STORMS ARE PRODUCING
GUSTY WINDS AND HEAVY DOWNOURS.  THERE HAVE BEEN NO REPORTS OF ANY
SEVERE WEATHER AT THIS TIME.
THE AREA OF STORMS WILL BE MOVING INTO SUFFOLK AND THE GREATER
HAMPTON ROADS CITIES DURING THE NEXT HOUR.
PERSONS IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR
THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND
POSSIBL WARNINGS.

CWT
Special weather statement, Jun 22, 3:31 PM EDT, 1 hour 9 minutes before
VAZ003-004-006-007-010-012-013-014-017-018-222200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RICHMOND VA
 330 PM EDT FRI JUNE 22 1990

 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF CENTRAL
VIRGINIA UNTIL 9PM...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING IN EFFECT
FOR ROCKBRIDGE COUNTY UNTIL 415 PM...

AT 325 PM EDT WEATHER SERVICE RADARS CONTINUE TO SHOW TWO STRONG
BANDS OF THUNDERSTORMS. THE LINE OVER SOUTHWESTERN VIRGINIA NOW
EXTENDS ACROSS EASTERN ROCKBRIDGE COUNTY...SOUTH THROUGH BEDFORD
COUNTY TO THE NORTH CAROLINA BORDER. THIS BAND IS NOW MOVING
NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH. THIS AREA WILL BE AFFECTING NELSON COUNTY
DURING THE NEXT HOUR.

ANOTHER STRONG BAND OF THUNDERSTORMS HAS BEEN MOVING NORTHEAST
THROUGH SOUTH-CENTRAL VIRGINA. THIS LINE EXTENDS EAST TO WEST ACROSS
PRINCE EDWARD...AMELIA...CHESTERFIELD AND PRINCE GEORGE COUNTIES.
MOVEMENT OF THIS AREA IS TOWARDS THE NORTHEAST AROUND 35 MPH.
THIS AREA WILL BE AFFECTING THE RICHMOND AREA DURING THE NEXT HOUR.

ALL STORMS WILL LIKELY PRODUCE DANGEROUS CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING...
STRONG WINDS...HEAVY DOWNPOURS AND POSSIBLE HAIL.

STAY TUNED FOR FURTHER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

RWW

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 22, 3:10 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQRockbridge65 min
Jun 22, 4:07 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQCharles City, New Kent68 min
Jun 22, 4:12 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQCity of Chesapeake, City of Virginia Beach33 min
Jun 22, 4:40 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQEssex, Middlesex50 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Virginia, 1990Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1990

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.