Alert archive / Virginia / Tornado Warnings in 1994
Tornado Warning 3, NWS Wakefield, VA
NWS Wakefield, VA issued this tornado warning at May 26, 1994, 3:10 PM EDT for City of Hampton, Virginia. It was in force for 50 min.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- May 26, 1994, 3:10 PM EDT (19:10 UTC)
- Expired
- May 26, 1994, 4:00 PM EDT
- In force
- 50 min
- Issued by
- NWS Wakefield, VA
- Area
- Whole counties
County City of Hampton, VA
The nearest sounding before it
Wallops Is Stn, VA (KWAL), launched 12:00Z, 7.2 hours before the alert went out and 127 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
- 161 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -98 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1264 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 32 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 84 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 133 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.6
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 TTAA00 KORF 261912 TORORF VAC650-262000- BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED TORNADO WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORFOLK VA 310 PM EDT THU MAY 26 1994 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN NORFOLK HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 400 PM EDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION... IN SOUTHEAST VIRGINIA THE INDEPENDENT CITY OF ...HAMPTON...NEWPORT NEWS... AT 3 PM FIRE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL IN HAMPTON REPORTED A FUNNEL CLOUD TOUCHING DOWN AND DOWN BURST OVER THE INDUSTRIAL PARK. WEATHR SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR REPORTED A VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OVER ISLE OF WIGHT. MOVING TO THE NORSTHEAST AT 30 TO 35 MPH. AS THESE STORMS MOVE TO THE EAST ADDITIONAL TORNADO ACTIVITY MAY OCCUR. BOTTOM IF YOU ARE CAUGHT OUTSIDE...SEEK SHELTER IN A NEARBY REINFORCED BUILDING. AS A LAST RESORT...SEEK SHELTER IN A CULVERT...DITCH OR LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS. THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM SITUATION. ACT QUICKLY. IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS TORNADO MOVE TO A SHELTER BELOW GROUND IF AVAILABLE. OTHERWISE...GO TO A SMALL INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR POSSIBLE. AVOID WINDOWS. ABANDON CARS AND MOBILE HOMES FOR xA REINFORCED BUILDING OR GET INTO A DITCH OR CULVERT.
What 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, May 26, 2:18 PM EDT, 52 minutes before
VAZ074>078-084>100-260400- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORFOLK VA 215 PM EDT WED MAY 25 1994 ...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS DEVLOP OVER EASTERN VIRGINIA... AT 210 PM WEATHER RADAR SHOWED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING OVER EASTERN VIRGINIA. THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE OVER SOUTHHAMPTON AND WESTERN ISLE OF WIGHT COUNTIES AND WESTERN SUFFOLK. THESE STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE EAST NORTHEAST AROUND 25 MPH. ANY THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING MAY PRODUCE DAMAGING WINDS AND HAIL AS WELL AS HEAVY DOWNPOURS AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING. IF IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES TAKE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY. LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, May 26, 2:32 PM EDT, 38 minutes before
VAZ074>078-084>100-262015- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORFOLK VA 215 PM EDT WED MAY 25 1994 ...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS DEVLOP OVER EASTERN VIRGINIA... AT 210 PM WEATHER RADAR SHOWED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING OVER EASTERN VIRGINIA. THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE OVER SOUTHHAMPTON AND WESTERN ISLE OF WIGHT COUNTIES AND WESTERN SUFFOLK. THESE STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE EAST NORTHEAST AROUND 25 MPH. ANY THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING MAY PRODUCE DAMAGING WINDS AND HAIL AS WELL AS HEAVY DOWNPOURS AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING. IF IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES TAKE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY. LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS. WILSON
Special weather statement, May 26, 2:58 PM EDT, 12 minutes before
VAZ079-261945- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTION FOR DATE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RICHMOND VA 258 PM EDT THU MAY 26 1994 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ARE MOVING ACROSS SOUTHERN BRUNSWICK COUNTY... AT 255 PM EDT WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED AN AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING OUT OF NORTHERN NORTH CAROLINA INTO BRUNSWICK COUNTY. THESE STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...HEAVY DOWNPOURS...BRIEF GUSTY WINDS AND POSSIBLY SMALL HAIL. THE STORMS SHOULD AFFECT THE GASBURG VICINITY IN THE NEXT 20 MINUTES OR SO. ALSO THE TOWNS OF WYCHE AND ANKUM SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT. MOVEMENT IS TO THE NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH. REMEMBER ALL THUNDERSTORMS ARE DANGEROUS WITH LIGHTNING BEING ONE ITS MORE DEADLY PRODUCTS. IF THREATENING WEATHER OCCURS IN YOUR AREA TAKE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY...PREFERABLY IN A STRONG STURDY BUILDING OR IN AN AUTOMOBILE WITH A METAL TOP. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR FURTHER UPDATES AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS. K. LYNCH
Special weather statement, May 26, 3:00 PM EDT, 10 minutes before
VAZ079-260215- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RICHMOND VA 258 PM EDT WED MAY 25 1994 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ARE MOVING ACROSS SOUTHERN BRUNSWICK COUNTY... AT 255 PM EDT WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED AN AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING OUT OF NORTHERN NORTH CAROLINA INTO BRUNSWICK COUNTY. THESE STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...HEAVY DOWNPOURS...BRIEF GUSTY WINDS AND POSSIBLY SMALL HAIL. THE STORMS SHOULD AFFECT THE GASBURG VICINITY IN THE NEXT 20 MINUTES OR SO. ALSO THE TOWNS OF WYCHE AND ANKUM SHOULDS BE ON THE LOOKOUT. MOVEMENT IS TO THE NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH. REMEMBER ALL THUNDERSTORMS ARE DANGEROUS WITH LIGHTNING BEING ONE ITS MORE DEADLY 8PRODUCTS. IF THREATENING WEATHER OCCURS IN YOUR AREA TAKE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY...PREFERABLY IN A STRONG STURDY BUILDING OR IN AN AUTOMOBILE WITH A METAL TOP. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR FURTHER UPDATES AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS. K. LYNCH
Special weather statement, May 26, 3:01 PM EDT, 9 minutes before
VAZ079-261945- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RICHMOND VA 258 PM EDT WED MAY 25 1994 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ARE MOVING ACROSS SOUTHERN BRUNSWICK COUNTY... AT 255 PM EDT WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED AN AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING OUT OF NORTHERN NORTH CAROLINA INTO BRUNSWICK COUNTY. THESE STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...HEAVY DOWNPOURS...BRIEF GUSTY WINDS AND POSSIBLY SMALL HAIL. THE STORMS SHOULD AFFECT THE GASBURG VICINITY IN THE NEXT 20 MINUTES OR SO. ALSO THE TOWNS OF WYCHE AND ANKUM SHOULDS BE ON THE LOOKOUT. MOVEMENT IS TO THE NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH. REMEMBER ALL THUNDERSTORMS ARE DANGEROUS WITH LIGHTNING BEING ONE ITS MORE DEADLY PRODUCTS. IF THREATENING WEATHER OCCURS IN YOUR AREA TAKE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY...PREFERABLY IN A STRONG STURDY BUILDING OR IN AN AUTOMOBILE WITH A METAL TOP. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR FURTHER UPDATES AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS. K. LYNC>H
Special weather statement, May 26, 3:04 PM EDT, 6 minutes before
VAZ079-261945- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTION FOR DATE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RICHMOND VA 258 PM EDT THU MAY 26 1994 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ARE MOVING ACROSS SOUTHERN BRUNSWICK COUNTY... AT 255 PM EDT WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED AN AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING OUT OF NORTHERN NORTH CAROLINA INTO BRUNSWICK COUNTY. THESE STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...HEAVY DOWNPOURS...BRIEF GUSTY WINDS AND POSSIBLY SMALL HAIL. THE STORMS SHOULD AFFECT THE GASBURG VICINITY IN THE NEXT 20 MINUTES OR SO. ALSO THE TOWNS OF WYCHE AND ANKUM SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT. MOVEMENT IS TO THE NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH. REMEMBER ALL THUNDERSTORMS ARE DANGEROUS WITH LIGHTNING BEING ONE ITS MORE DEADLY PRODUCTS. IF THREATENING WEATHER OCCURS IN YOUR AREA TAKE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY...PREFERABLY IN A STRONG STURDY BUILDING OR IN AN AUTOMOBILE WITH A METAL TOP. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR FURTHER UPDATES AND POSSIBLE@ WARNINGS. K. LYNCH
The office that day
Everything else NWS Wakefield, VA issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 25, 8:07 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | AKQ | Chesterfield | 53 min |
| May 26, 3:22 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | AKQ | City of Virginia Beach | 53 min |
Nearby
Tornado Warnings in Virginia, 1994Every tornado warning in 1994Tornadoes in 1994
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.