Alert archive / Virginia / Tornado Warnings in 1998

Tornado Warning 17, NWS Wakefield, VA

June 15, 1998Henrico County, City of Richmond, Virginia

NWS Wakefield, VA issued this tornado warning at Jun 15, 1998, 5:18 PM EDT for Henrico County, City of Richmond, Virginia. It was in force for 32 min. 2 reports 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: Jun 15, 1998, 5:18 PM EDT (21:18 UTC)
Expired: Jun 15, 1998, 5:50 PM EDT
In force: 32 min
Issued by: NWS Wakefield, VA
Area: Whole counties

Counties City of Richmond, VA, Henrico County, VA

What was reported inside it

Time	Report	Where	Remark
Jun 15, 5:30 PM EDT	Hail 0.75	Short Pump, VA
Jun 15, 5:45 PM EDT	Thunderstorm Wind	Short Pump, VA	Several trees down.

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.

The watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
Jun 15, 3:30 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Washington/Dulle, VA (KIAD), launched 12:00Z, 9.3 hours before the alert went out and 161 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: 0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL: 697 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 42 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 174 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 299 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

206 
WFUS01 KAKQ 152119 RRA
TORAKQ
VAC087-760-152150-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
518 PM EDT MON JUN 15 1998

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WAKEFIELD VA HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  HENRICO COUNTY IN CENTRAL VIRGINIA
  THE CITY OF RICHMOND IN CENTRAL VIRGINIA

* UNTIL 550 PM EDT

* AT 517 PM EDT... NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A
  POSSIBLE TORNADO 10 MILES WEST NORTHWEST OF RICHMOND OR 4 MILES
  WEST OF LAUREL MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH.

* SOME LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THIS TORNADO ARE...
    LAUREL AT 515 PM EDT
    GLEN ALLEN AT 515 PM EDT
    LAKESIDE AT 520 PM EDT
    LABURNUM MANOR AT 520 PM EDT
    RICHMOND BY 520 PM EDT

IF YOU ARE IN THESE AREAS... SEEK SAFETY IN A SMALL INTERIOR ROOM
AWAY FROM WINDOWS. A BASEMENT OFFERS THE BEST PROTECTION

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.

BC/NS

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.

NWS Wakefield, VA wrote its last area forecast discussion before this tornado warning went out at Jun 15, 2:20 PM EDT, 2 hours 58 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 15, 2:20 PM EDT, 2 hours 58 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
220 PM EDT MON JUN 15 1998

WRKZNS SENT TO WBC/RDU VIA ADMAKQ.  WRKMAR SENT.

DISCN:
TNGT...SAT PIX SHW LOTS OF CU DVLPMT...AND SOME CLOUD STREETS DUE TO
RLTVLY STG UNIDIRECTIONAL WNDS THRU A DP LYR.  SOME CNVCTN W OF THE
MTNS TRACKING ENE WTH THE SRN EDGE OF THE UPRLVL SYSTEM.  WTR VPR PIX
SHW UPSTRM SYS OVR SERN CANADA LIFTING N...ALLOWING OH VALLEY SYSTEM TO
ALSO LIFT A LTL N.  ADAP SHWS BETTEWR LLVL CNVRGNC OVR NRN VA INTO MD
WHERE A SMALL SFC WV HAS FORMED.  ANTHR CNTR OVR SERN NC...AND SOME
ISOLD ACTIVITY OVR NRN NC AND WRN VA. MDLS SUGG A LLVL SPD MAX TRACKS
THRU DELMARVA THS EVE...AND BEST CHCS FOR MORE WDSPRD TSRA AND SVR LUK
TO STILL BE N OF RIC TO DELMARVA...ALTHO RIC TO HMPTN RDS AND NERN NC
SHUD SEE WDLY SCT TSRA...ANY OF WHCH CUD BECOME SVR.  A WK LLVL DWPT
BNDRY FCST TO TRACK THRU THE REGION...ALG WTH THE SFC WV OVR DELMARVA
TRACKING NE.  NO UPRLVL SUPPORT FOR SFC DWPT BNDRY TO TRACK VRY FAR
E...WHCH SUGG THE MINIMAL ACTIVITY OVR SRN VA AND NERN NC.

TMRW...UPRLVL SYSTEM CURRENTLY OUT IN KS TRACKS E AND MDLS SHWG
AMBIGUOUS LLVL SPEED MAX OVR VA/NC AS THIS SYSTEM APPCHS.  BETTER
UPRLVL FRNT ASSOC WTH THIS SYSTEM...AND DYNMCS APPCHG AREA WL BRG ANTHR
LLVL DWPT BNDRY TO THE REGION.  WTH HGTS FALLING AND QUITE A BIT OF
COOLING ALF...ANTHR ROUND OF STG/SVR CNVCTN PSBL OVR THE CWA.  TEMPS WL
RCH NR 90 BASED ON MIXING.

TMRW NGT...ANY LINGERING ACTIVITY WL END...THEN MSTLY CLR...WTH SW WNDS
TURNING W...AND SFC DWPTS FALLING FRTHR INTO 60S.

WED INTO WEEKEND...A BIT OF A COOLDOWN AT H8 ON WED...SO TEMPS WL BA A
CAT OR SO COOLER...AND NO CNVCTN.  QUICK W TO WNW UPR FLO SUGG NR
NORMAL TEMPS AND WTH SMALL UPRLVL IMPULSES TRACKING QUICKLY E...MDLS
CANT AID IN POPS...SO SMALL CHC POPS EACH DAY.

ON CSTL WTRS...WNDS STILL TO INCRS FROM SW INTO THS EVE AND
OVRNGT...SEE WRKMAR.

RIC 68/89/67/88 4321     SBY 66/87/66/86 5421
ORF 70/89/68/88 3321     ECG 71/89/68/88 3321 07

NS

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jun 15, 4:20 PM EDT, 58 minutes before

STORM REPORT CORRECTED FOR TIME
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD, VA
420 PM EDT MON JUN 15 1998

TIME(EDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0404 PM    BREMO BLUFF               VA   .75 INCH HAIL
06/15/98   FLUVANNA                       DIME HAIL REPORTED BY
                                          SPOTTER NEAR ROUTE 657.

KLL

Local storm report, Jun 15, 4:20 PM EDT, 58 minutes before

STORM REPORT CORRECTED FOR TIME
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD, VA
420 PM EDT MON JUN 15 1998

TIME(EDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0404 PM    BREMO BLUFF               VA   .75 INCH HAIL
06/15/98   FLUVANNA                       DIME HAIL REPORTED BY
                                          SPOTTER NEAR ROUTE 657.

KLL

Special weather statement, Jun 15, 4:30 PM EDT, 48 minutes before

NCZ012>017-030>032-102-ANZ633-658-160300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
430 PM EDT MON JUN 15 1998

THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER IN NORMAN OK HAS ISSUED SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WATCH 587...VALID UNTIL 11 PM MONDAY EVENING.

THE WATCH INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...

IN NORTH CAROLINA
  NORTHAMPTON NC...HERTFORD...BERTIE...GATES...CHOWAN...PERQUIMANS
  ...PASQUOTANK...CAMDEN...MAINLAND CURRITUCK...OUTER BANKS CURRITUCK

IN THE BAY AND COASTAL WATERS
  COASTAL WATERS FROM VA-NC BORDER TO CURRITUCK LIGHT...CURRITUCK SOUND

SKYWARN ACTIVATION IS REQUESTED IN THE COUNTIES MENTIONED ABOVE.

REMEMBER...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE
FAVORABLE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THUNDERSTORMS WHICH CONTAIN DAMAGING
WIND IN EXCESS OF 55 MPH AND LARGE DESTRUCTIVE HAIL IN AND CLOSE TO
THE WATCH AREA. FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND VERY HEAVY
RAIN ARE ALSO POSSIBLE WITH ANY THUNDERSTORMS.

ADVANCED PLANNING DURING A WATCH IS ESSENTIAL. PERSONS SHOULD KNOW
WHERE TO GO AND WHAT TO DO IN THE EVENT A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
IS ISSUED. REPORT SEVERE WEATHER TO LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AND ASK
THEM TO RELAY YOUR INFORMATION TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

FOR THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL MEDIA.

KELLER

Special weather statement, Jun 15, 4:30 PM EDT, 48 minutes before

NCZ012>017-030>032-102-ANZ633-658-160300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
430 PM EDT MON JUN 15 1998

THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER IN NORMAN OK HAS ISSUED SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WATCH 587...VALID UNTIL 11 PM MONDAY EVENING.

THE WATCH INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...

IN NORTH CAROLINA
  NORTHAMPTON NC...HERTFORD...BERTIE...GATES...CHOWAN...PERQUIMANS
  ...PASQUOTANK...CAMDEN...MAINLAND CURRITUCK...OUTER BANKS CURRITUCK

IN THE BAY AND COASTAL WATERS
  COASTAL WATERS FROM VA-NC BORDER TO CURRITUCK LIGHT...CURRITUCK SOUND

SKYWARN ACTIVATION IS REQUESTED IN THE COUNTIES MENTIONED ABOVE.

REMEMBER...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE
FAVORABLE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THUNDERSTORMS WHICH CONTAIN DAMAGING
WIND IN EXCESS OF 55 MPH AND LARGE DESTRUCTIVE HAIL IN AND CLOSE TO
THE WATCH AREA. FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND VERY HEAVY
RAIN ARE ALSO POSSIBLE WITH ANY THUNDERSTORMS.

ADVANCED PLANNING DURING A WATCH IS ESSENTIAL. PERSONS SHOULD KNOW
WHERE TO GO AND WHAT TO DO IN THE EVENT A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
IS ISSUED. REPORT SEVERE WEATHER TO LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AND ASK
THEM TO RELAY YOUR INFORMATION TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

FOR THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL MEDIA.

KELLER

Local storm report, Jun 15, 5:07 PM EDT, 11 minutes before

STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD, VA
507 PM EDT MON JUN 15 1998

TIME(EDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0501 PM    GOOCHLAND                 VA   1.75 INCH HAIL
06/15/98   GOOCHLAND                      GOLFBALL SIZED HAIL
                                          REPORTED BY EOC

KLL

Local storm report, Jun 15, 5:07 PM EDT, 11 minutes before

STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD, VA
507 PM EDT MON JUN 15 1998

TIME(EDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0501 PM    GOOCHLAND                 VA   1.75 INCH HAIL
06/15/98   GOOCHLAND                      GOLFBALL SIZED HAIL
                                          REPORTED BY EOC

KLL

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jun 15, 3:35 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	AKQ	Fluvanna	35 min
Jun 15, 4:44 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	AKQ	Goochland, Powhatan	36 min
Jun 15, 5:12 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	AKQ	Goochland	33 min
Jun 15, 5:14 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	AKQ	Henrico	36 min
Jun 15, 5:43 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	AKQ	Mecklenburg	32 min
Jun 15, 6:01 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	AKQ	Southampton, City of Franklin	34 min
Jun 15, 6:01 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	AKQ	City of Suffolk	34 min
Jun 15, 6:37 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	AKQ	York, City of Newport News	33 min
Jun 15, 6:37 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	AKQ	City of Poquoson	33 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Virginia, 1998 Every tornado warning in 1998 Tornadoes in 1998

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.