Alert archive / Virginia / Tornado Warnings in 1999

Tornado Warning 8, NWS Wakefield, VA

July 24, 1999Caroline County, Virginia

NWS Wakefield, VA issued this tornado warning at Jul 24, 1999, 2:12 PM EDT for Caroline County, Virginia. It was in force for 33 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 24, 1999, 2:12 PM EDT (18:12 UTC)
Expired
Jul 24, 1999, 2:45 PM EDT
In force
33 min
Issued by
NWS Wakefield, VA
Area
Whole counties

County Caroline County, VA

The radar

The Sterling radar (KLWX), 106 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 18:12 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Jul 24, 2:25 PM EDTThunderstorm WindPort Royal, VANumerous trees were downed, causing structural damage to two homes and one injury when a tree fell on a car. Many trees were down along Highway 17 between Rappahannock Academy and Port Royal.

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.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Jul 24, 1:00 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Washington/Dulle, VA (KIAD), launched 12:00Z, 6.2 hours before the alert went out and 103 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, Washington/Dulle, VA at 12:00Z on 1999-07-24Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 206 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, Washington/Dulle, VA at 12:00Z on 1999-07-24The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 50 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 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
206 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-204 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1846 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
31 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
50 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
77 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.

000 
TTAA00 KAKQ 241814 RRA
TORAKQ
VAC033-241845-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
212 PM EDT SAT JUL 24 1999

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WAKEFIELD HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  NORTHERN CAROLINE COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL VIRGINIA

* UNTIL 245 PM EDT

* AT 209 PM EDT... NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A
  POSSIBLE TORNADO 13 MILES NORTH NORTHWEST OF BOWLING GREEN OR 7
  MILES WEST NORTHWEST OF RAPPAHANNOCK ACADEMY... MOVING EAST
  SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH.  DAMAGE HAS RECENTLY BEEN REPORTED AROUND
  THE FREDERICKSBURG AREA AND SPOTSYLVANIA COUNTY.

* THE TORNADO IS EXPECTED TO BE NEAR...

    RAPPAHANNOCK ACADEMY AT 225 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.

ALS/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 Jul 24, 1:50 PM EDT, 22 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 24, 1:50 PM EDT, 22 minutes before
WAKEFIELD FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
150 PM EDT SAT JUL 24 1999

TNGT...LOTS OF CNVCTN FIRING NOW...VIL OF DAY SEEMS TO BE LWR 60S...
AND WL KP AN EYE FOR BOWING STORMS.  EXTREME LTG ASSOC WTH STORMS...
SO LTG CUD KNOCK DOWN TREES AND POWER LINES JUST AS WNDS CUD.  WL
UP POPS JUST ABOUT EVERYWHERE TNGT...AND LOWS SHUD BE IN 70S
THROUGHOUT.  SFC WNSHFT TO W AND NW OVRNGT MOST AREAS.

TMRW...BESIDES A PSBL LINGERING TSTM OVR HMPTN RDS OR NERN NC...
CLRG AND DEW PTS DROPPING INTO UPR 60S.  H8 TEMPS ONLY DROP A LTL...
SO HGHS IN LWR/MID 90S MOST AREAS WTH STDY W TO NW WNDS.  DEW PTS
SHUD BE LOW ENUF TO PRVNT HT ADVSY WTH TEMPS IN LWR/MID 90S.

TMRW NGT...UPR TROF AMPLIFIES ALG THE COAST AND CONT COOLING AT
H8.  TEMPS WL FALL TO UPR 60S LWR MD TO ARND 70 MANY OTHE RPLCS...
LWR 70S HMPTN RDS AND NERN NC.

MONDAY...WNDS WL SHFT TO MORE N AND NE SO CSTL AREAS SHUD SEE UPR
80S TO ARND 90 WHL INLAND AREAS WL SEE ARND 90.

NOW ITS TIME TO GET BACK TO THE RADAR

.AKQ...SVR TSTM WATCH VAZ048-049-060-064 UNTIL 7 PM AND
SVR TSTM WATCH ALL OTHER VAZ AND MDZ UNTIL 9 PM.

NS

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 24, 11:30 AM EDT, 2 hours 42 minutes before
MDZ021>025-VAZ048-049-061>064-067>100-250000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
1130 AM EDT SAT JUL 24 1999

...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS...A FEW POSSIBLY SEVERE...ARE EXPECTED
THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH THIS EVENING ACROSS THE LOWER MARYLAND EASTERN
SHORE AND CENTRAL AND EASTERN VIRGINIA...

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE AFFECTING AREAS ALONG THE VIRGINIA
MOUNTAINS...AND WILL TRACK INTO OUR AREA LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING. A FEW THUNDERSTORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE WITH DAMAGING WINDS
AND LARGE HAIL. THE GREATEST THREAT FOR THE LOWER MARYLAND EASTERN
SHORE IS AFTER 3 PM...AND CONTINUING INTO THE EVENING.  THE
THUNDERSTORMS WILL BEGIN TO AFFECT CENTRAL VIRGINIA AFTER 4 PM...
REACHING THE RICHMOND AND TRI-CITIES AREA TO SOUTH HILL AFTER 5 PM.
THE GREATEST THREAT FROM EMPORIA TO HAMPTON ROADS AND THE VIRGINIA
EASTERN SHORE IS AFTER 6 PM.

FREQUENT LIGHTNING IS LIKELY WITH THE THUNDERSTORMS SO ALL INTERESTS
ARE ADVISED TO SEEK SAFE SHELTER IF THREATENING WEATHER
APPROACHES. HEAVY DOWNPOURS COULD CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL TELEVISION OR RADIO
STATIONS...OR YOUR CABLE TELEVISION PROVIDER FOR LATER STATEMENTS
CONCERNING THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SEVERE WEATHER THREAT.

NS
Special weather statement, Jul 24, 11:30 AM EDT, 2 hours 42 minutes before
MDZ021>025-VAZ048-049-061>064-067>100-250000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
1130 AM EDT SAT JUL 24 1999

...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS...A FEW POSSIBLY SEVERE...ARE EXPECTED
THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH THIS EVENING ACROSS THE LOWER MARYLAND EASTERN
SHORE AND CENTRAL AND EASTERN VIRGINIA...

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE AFFECTING AREAS ALONG THE VIRGINIA
MOUNTAINS...AND WILL TRACK INTO OUR AREA LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING. A FEW THUNDERSTORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE WITH DAMAGING WINDS
AND LARGE HAIL. THE GREATEST THREAT FOR THE LOWER MARYLAND EASTERN
SHORE IS AFTER 3 PM...AND CONTINUING INTO THE EVENING.  THE
THUNDERSTORMS WILL BEGIN TO AFFECT CENTRAL VIRGINIA AFTER 4 PM...
REACHING THE RICHMOND AND TRI-CITIES AREA TO SOUTH HILL AFTER 5 PM.
THE GREATEST THREAT FROM EMPORIA TO HAMPTON ROADS AND THE VIRGINIA
EASTERN SHORE IS AFTER 6 PM.

FREQUENT LIGHTNING IS LIKELY WITH THE THUNDERSTORMS SO ALL INTERESTS
ARE ADVISED TO SEEK SAFE SHELTER IF THREATENING WEATHER
APPROACHES. HEAVY DOWNPOURS COULD CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL TELEVISION OR RADIO
STATIONS...OR YOUR CABLE TELEVISION PROVIDER FOR LATER STATEMENTS
CONCERNING THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SEVERE WEATHER THREAT.

NS
Special weather statement, Jul 24, 1:02 PM EDT, 1 hour 10 minutes before
VAZ048-049-060>064-242300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
102 PM EDT SAT JUL 24 1999

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 580 HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR PARTS OF
CENTRAL VIRGINIA UNTIL 7 PM EDT...

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...

...PRINCE EDWARD...CUMBERLAND...GOOCHLAND...FLUVANNA...LOUISA...
HANOVER...CAROLINE...

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING OVER NORTHERN VIRGINIA ARE
MOVING SOUTHEAST AND WILL AFFECT AREAS FROM FARMVILLE TO HANOVER
AND CAROLINE THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON.  SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS
COULD BE SEVERE WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS.

FREQUENT LIGHTNING WILL OCCUR WITH ANY THUNDERSTORMS SO IF
THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES...SEEK SAFE SHELTER.  HEAVY DOWNPOURS
COULD CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS.

REMEMBER...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS ARE POSSIBLE IN AND NEAR THE
WATCH AREA.  STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL TELEVISION
OR RADIO STATIONS...OR YOUR CABLE TELEVISION PROVIDER FOR LATER
STATEMENTS CONCERNING THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SEVERE WEATHER
THREAT.

NS
Special weather statement, Jul 24, 1:02 PM EDT, 1 hour 10 minutes before
VAZ048-049-060>064-242300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
102 PM EDT SAT JUL 24 1999

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 580 HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR PARTS OF
CENTRAL VIRGINIA UNTIL 7 PM EDT...

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...

...PRINCE EDWARD...CUMBERLAND...GOOCHLAND...FLUVANNA...LOUISA...
HANOVER...CAROLINE...

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING OVER NORTHERN VIRGINIA ARE
MOVING SOUTHEAST AND WILL AFFECT AREAS FROM FARMVILLE TO HANOVER
AND CAROLINE THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON.  SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS
COULD BE SEVERE WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS.

FREQUENT LIGHTNING WILL OCCUR WITH ANY THUNDERSTORMS SO IF
THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES...SEEK SAFE SHELTER.  HEAVY DOWNPOURS
COULD CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS.

REMEMBER...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS ARE POSSIBLE IN AND NEAR THE
WATCH AREA.  STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL TELEVISION
OR RADIO STATIONS...OR YOUR CABLE TELEVISION PROVIDER FOR LATER
STATEMENTS CONCERNING THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SEVERE WEATHER
THREAT.

NS
Special weather statement, Jul 24, 2:00 PM EDT, 12 minutes before
MDZ021>025-VAZ065>100-250100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
200 PM EDT SAT JUL 24 1999

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 581 HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR CENTRAL
AND EASTERN VIRGINIA AND THE LOWER MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE UNTIL 9 PM
EDT...

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN
VIRGINIA...

...ACCOMACK-AMELIA-BRUNSWICK-CAROLINE-CHARLES CITY-CHESAPEAKE-
CHESTERFIELD INCLUDING COLONIAL HEIGHTS-DINWIDDIE--ESSEX-
GLOUCESTER-GREENSVILLE INCLUDING EMPORIA-HANOVER-
HENRICO INCLUDING THE CITY OF RICHMOND-ISLE OF WIGHT-
JAMES CITY COUNTY INCLUDING WILLIAMSBURG-KING AND QUEEN-KING
WILLIAM-LANCASTER-LUNENBURG-MARYLAND BEACHES INCLUDING OCEAN CITY-
MATHEWS-MECKLENBURG-MIDDLESEX-NEW KENT-NEWPORT NEWS/HAMPTON-
NORFOLK/PORTSMOUTH-NORTHAMPTON-NORTHUMBERLAND-NOTTOWAY-POWHATAN-
PRINCE GEORGE INCLUDING PETERSBURG & HOPEWELL-RICHMOND--
SOUTHAMPTON INCLUDING FRANKLIN-SUFFOLK-SURRY-SUSSEX-VIRGINIA BEACH-
WESTMORELAND-YORK INCLUDING POQUOSON CITY-

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN
MARYLAND...

...WICOMICO-DORCHESTER-SOMERSET-WORCESTER INCLUDING OCEAN CITY

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING OVER NORTHERN VIRGINIA ARE
MOVING SOUTHEAST AND WILL AFFECT CENTRAL AND EASTERN VIRGINIA
AND THE LOWER MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING. SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS COULD BE SEVERE WITH LARGE HAIL
AND DAMAGING WINDS.

FREQUENT LIGHTNING WILL OCCUR WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS SO IF
THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES...SEEK SAFE SHELTER.  HEAVY DOWNPOURS
COULD CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS.

REMEMBER...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS ARE POSSIBLE IN AND NEAR THE
WATCH AREA.  STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL TELEVISION
OR RADIO STATIONS...OR YOUR CABLE TELEVISION PROVIDER FOR LATER
STATEMENTS CONCERNING THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SEVERE WEATHER
THREAT.

NS
Special weather statement, Jul 24, 2:00 PM EDT, 12 minutes before
MDZ021>025-VAZ065>100-250100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
200 PM EDT SAT JUL 24 1999

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 581 HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR CENTRAL
AND EASTERN VIRGINIA AND THE LOWER MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE UNTIL 9 PM
EDT...

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN
VIRGINIA...

...ACCOMACK-AMELIA-BRUNSWICK-CAROLINE-CHARLES CITY-CHESAPEAKE-
CHESTERFIELD INCLUDING COLONIAL HEIGHTS-DINWIDDIE--ESSEX-
GLOUCESTER-GREENSVILLE INCLUDING EMPORIA-HANOVER-
HENRICO INCLUDING THE CITY OF RICHMOND-ISLE OF WIGHT-
JAMES CITY COUNTY INCLUDING WILLIAMSBURG-KING AND QUEEN-KING
WILLIAM-LANCASTER-LUNENBURG-MARYLAND BEACHES INCLUDING OCEAN CITY-
MATHEWS-MECKLENBURG-MIDDLESEX-NEW KENT-NEWPORT NEWS/HAMPTON-
NORFOLK/PORTSMOUTH-NORTHAMPTON-NORTHUMBERLAND-NOTTOWAY-POWHATAN-
PRINCE GEORGE INCLUDING PETERSBURG & HOPEWELL-RICHMOND--
SOUTHAMPTON INCLUDING FRANKLIN-SUFFOLK-SURRY-SUSSEX-VIRGINIA BEACH-
WESTMORELAND-YORK INCLUDING POQUOSON CITY-

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN
MARYLAND...

...WICOMICO-DORCHESTER-SOMERSET-WORCESTER INCLUDING OCEAN CITY

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING OVER NORTHERN VIRGINIA ARE
MOVING SOUTHEAST AND WILL AFFECT CENTRAL AND EASTERN VIRGINIA
AND THE LOWER MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING. SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS COULD BE SEVERE WITH LARGE HAIL
AND DAMAGING WINDS.

FREQUENT LIGHTNING WILL OCCUR WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS SO IF
THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES...SEEK SAFE SHELTER.  HEAVY DOWNPOURS
COULD CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS.

REMEMBER...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS ARE POSSIBLE IN AND NEAR THE
WATCH AREA.  STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL TELEVISION
OR RADIO STATIONS...OR YOUR CABLE TELEVISION PROVIDER FOR LATER
STATEMENTS CONCERNING THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SEVERE WEATHER
THREAT.

NS

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 24, 3:13 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQCumberland, Prince Edward32 min
Jul 24, 3:18 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQSouthampton32 min
Jul 24, 3:50 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQPrince Edward35 min
Jul 24, 4:04 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQDinwiddie31 min
Jul 24, 4:09 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQCity of Chesapeake, City of Portsmouth, City of Suffolk36 min
Jul 24, 4:17 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQIsle of Wight18 min
Jul 24, 4:45 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningAKQCity of Chesapeake, City of Norfolk, City of Virginia Beach3 hr
Jul 24, 4:45 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningAKQCity of Portsmouth, City of Suffolk3 hr
Jul 24, 7:45 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningAKQCity of Chesapeake, City of Norfolk, City of Portsmouth, City of Suffolk, City of Virginia Beach75 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Virginia, 1999Every tornado warning in 1999Tornadoes in 1999

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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.