Alert archive / Virginia / Tornado Warnings in 2001
Tornado Warning 1, NWS Baltimore/Washington
NWS Baltimore/Washington issued this tornado warning at May 22, 2001, 6:46 PM EDT for Prince William County, Virginia. It was in force for 14 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
- May 22, 2001, 6:46 PM EDT (22:46 UTC)
- Expired
- May 22, 2001, 7:00 PM EDT
- In force
- 14 min
- Issued by
- NWS Baltimore/Washington
- Area
- Whole counties
County Prince William County, VA
The radar
The Sterling radar (KLWX), 30 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:48 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
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 22, 6:52 PM EDT | Tornado F0 | Dale City, VA | Trees were damaged. |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 22, 1:30 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | 7 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Washington/Dulle, VA (KIAD), launched 12:00Z, 10.8 hours before the alert went out and 28 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
- 542 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 35 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 39 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 77 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 WFUS51 KLWX 222246 TORLWX VAC153-222300- BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED TORNADO WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE-WASHINGTON 646 PM EDT TUE MAY 22 2001 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STERLING VIRGINIA HAS ISSUED A * TORNADO WARNING FOR... PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA * UNTIL 700 PM EDT * AT 643 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A TORNADO OVER MONTCLAIR...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH. * THE TORNADO IS EXPECTED TO BE... OVER DALE CITY AT 650 PM OVER LAKE RIDGE...2 MILES NORTHWEST OF WOODBRIDGE AT 656 PM 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. THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS IN A BASEMENT. GET UNDER A WORKBENCH OR OTHER PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. IF NO BASEMENT IS AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE BUILDING IN AN INTERIOR HALLWAY OR ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO COVER YOUR BODY AND ALWAYS STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE NEAREST DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS. $$ STRONG/SMZ
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 Baltimore/Washington wrote its last area forecast discussion before this tornado warning went out at May 22, 3:55 PM EDT, 2 hours 51 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, May 22, 3:55 PM EDT, 2 hours 51 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE/WASHINGTON 355 PM EDT TUE MAY 22 2001 BUSY SHIFT WHICH LOOKS TO REMAIN FAIRLY BUSY THROUGH AT LEAST MID EVENING. THETA-E POOLING JUST S OF OUR CWA WHERE SVR WX HAS ALREADY OCCURRED. LARGE LINE OVR CENTRAL W.V. XTNDS TO THE FL PANHANDLE HAS HAD INCSRG LTNG OVR THE PAST TWO HRS. UNTIL THIS LINE MOVES THROUGH FEEL WE HAVE A CHC AT SVR - BEST TIME FOR DC LOOKS TO BE ARND 8 PM. AFTER FNT MOVES THROUGH LUKG FOR SKIES TO PARTIALLY CLR AND A PS DAY ON WED. BUT IT LOOKS LIKE THE CHC OF PCPN WL CONT FOR THE NEXT SVRL DAYS THEREAFTER AS LARGE UPR LVL LOW SITS OVR THE UPR MIDWEST AND SPINS. THIS WL KEEPS US IN THE MOIST FLOW...KEEPING TALK OF A DROUGHT AT BAY. DCA 58 78 57 76 / 70 20 20 30 BWI 57 74 56 75 / 70 20 20 30 MRB 54 73 52 72 / 60 10 20 30 IAD 56 73 56 75 / 70 20 20 30 CHO 56 77 54 74 / 60 20 20 30 HGR 52 73 52 72 / 60 10 20 30 NHK 56 75 56 75 / 70 20 20 30 .LWX...SEVERE TSTM WATCH UNTIL 8 PM ENTIRE CWA... MD...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR THIS EVENING FOR ZONES MDZ002>003. VA...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR THIS EVENING FOR ZONES VAZ021...VAZ025>031...VAZ036>040...VAZ050>051. WV...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR THIS EVENING FOR ZONES WVZ048>055. WOODY
In the hours before
Special weather statement, May 22, 1:41 PM EDT, 5 hours 5 minutes before
DCZ001-MDZ002>007-009>011-013-014-016>018-VAZ021-025>031-036>042- 050>057-WVZ048>055-230000- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE-WASHINGTON 141 PM EDT TUE MAY 22 2001 SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 274 IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM EDT FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS... DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA IN MARYLAND... ALLEGANY...ANNE ARUNDEL...CALVERT...CARROLL... CHARLES...FREDERICK...HARFORD...HOWARD...MONTGOMERY...NORTHERN BALTIMORE...PRINCE GEORGES...SOUTHERN BALTIMORE...ST. MARYS AND WASHINGTON IN VIRGINIA... ALBEMARLE...ARLINGTON/FALLS CHURCH/ALEXANDRIA... AUGUSTA...CLARKE...CULPEPER...FAIRFAX...FAUQUIER...FREDERICK... GREENE...HIGHLAND...KING GEORGE...LOUDOUN...MADISON...NELSON... ORANGE...PAGE...PRINCE WILLIAM/MANASSAS/MANASSAS PARK... RAPPAHANNOCK...ROCKINGHAM...SHENANDOAH...SPOTSYLVANIA...STAFFORD AND WARREN IN WEST VIRGINIA... BERKELEY...GRANT...HAMPSHIRE...HARDY... JEFFERSON...MINERAL...MORGAN AND PENDLETON A COLD FRONT STRETCHING ACROSS WESTERN WEST VIRGINIA DOWN THROUGH THE CAROLINAS WILL BE MOVING TO THE EAST DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THUNDERSTORMS HAVE BEEN OCCURRING ALONG THE COLD FRONT ALL DAY...AND BY LATE AFTERNOON ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO THE EASTERN PANHANDLE OF WEST VIRGINIA...AND WESTERN VIRGINIA. THESE STORMS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE HAIL UP TO ONE INCH IN DIAMETER AND WINDS GUSTS TO 75 MPH. THE STORMS ARE EXPECTED< TO PUSH INTO THE GREATER WASHINGTON DC AREA DURING THE EVENING HOURS. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR UPDATES ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THESE STORMS. ABW
Local storm report, May 22, 5:15 PM EDT, 1 hour 31 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE/WASHINGTON
515 PM EDT TUE MAY 22 2001
TIME(EDT) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION...i.
0330 PM PARTLOW VA WIND DAMAGE
05/22/01 SPOTSYLVANIA LARGE OAK TREE DOWNLocal storm report, May 22, 6:16 PM EDT, 30 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE/WASHINGTON
616 PM EDT TUE MAY 22 2001
TIME(EDT) .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0545 PM CHARLOTTESVILLE VA WIND DAMAGE
05/22/01 ALBEMARLE TREES AND POWER LINES
DOWN. REPORTED BY LAW
ENFORCEMENT
0545 PM COUNTYWIDE VA WIND DAMAGE
05/22/01 ALBEMARLE TREES AND POWERLINES
DOWNREPORTED BY LAW
ENFORCEMENT
0505 PM LOVINGSTON VA 71 MPH TSTM WIND GUST
05/22/01 NELSON
0330 PM PARTLOW VA WIND DAMAGE
05/22/01 SPOTSYLVANIA LARGE OAK TREE DOWN
DMWLocal storm report, May 22, 6:16 PM EDT, 30 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE/WASHINGTON
616 PM EDT TUE MAY 22 2001
TIME(EDT) .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0545 PM CHARLOTTESVILLE VA WIND DAMAGE
05/22/01 ALBEMARLE TREES AND POWER LINES
DOWN. REPORTED BY LAW
ENFORCEMENT
0545 PM COUNTYWIDE VA WIND DAMAGE
05/22/01 ALBEMARLE TREES AND POWERLINES
DOWN. REPORTED BY LAW
ENFORCEMENT
0505 PM LOVINGSTON VA 71 MPH TSTM WIND GUST
05/22/01 NELSON
0330 PM PARTLOW VA WIND DAMAGE
05/22/01 SPOTSYLVANIA LARGE OAK TREE DOWN
DMW
Local storm report, May 22, 6:35 PM EDT, 11 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE/WASHINGTON
635 PM EDT TUE MAY 22 2001
TIME(EDT) .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0545 PM CHARLOTTESVILLE VA WIND DAMAGE
05/22/01 ALBEMARLE TREES AND POWER LINES
DOWN. REPORTED BY LAW
ENFORCEMENT
0545 PM COUNTYWIDE VA WIND DAMAGE
05/22/01 ALBEMARLE TREES AND POWERLINES
DOWN. REPORTED BY LAW
ENFORCEMENT
0505 PM LOVINGSTON VA 71 MPH TSTM WIND GUST
05/22/01 NELSON
0330 PM PARTLOW VA WIND DAMAGE
05/22/01 SPOTSYLVANIA LARGE OAK TREE DOWN
0535 PM ORANGE VA WIND DAMAGE
05/22/01 ORANGE TREES DOWNREPORTED BY LAW
ENFORCEMENT
0510 PM COUNTYWIDE VA WIND DAMAGE
05/22/01 AUGUSTA TREES DOWN
0510 PM WAYNESBORO VA WIND DAMAGE
05/22/01 AUGUSTA TREES DOWN
0600 PM RUCKERSVILLE VA WIND DAMAGE
05/22/01 GREENE TREES DOWN
DMW
@ RUKWBCeKDENNWUS51 KLWX 222234 CCA
LSRLWX
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE/WASHINGTON
635 PM EDT TUE MAY 22 2001
TIME(EDT) .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0545 PM CHARLOTTESVILLE VA WIND DAMAGE
05/22/01 ALBEMARLE TREES AND POWER LINES
DOWN. REPORTED BY LAW
ENFORCEMENT
0545 PM COUNTYWIDE VA WIND DAMAGE
05/22/01 ALBEMARLE TREES AND POWERLINES
DOWN. REPORTED BY LAW
ENFORCEMENT
0505 PM LOVINGSTON VA 71 MPH TSTM WIND GUST
05/22/01 NELSON
0330 PM PARTLOW VA WIND DAMAGE
05/22/01 SPOTSYLVANIA LARGE OAK TREE DOWN
0535 PM ORANGE VA WIND DAMAGE
05/22/01 ORANGE TREES DOWN. REPORTED BY
LAW ENFORCEMENT
0510 PM COUNTYWIDE VA WIND DAMAGE
05/22/01 AUGUSTA TREES DOWN
0510 PM WAYNESBORO VA WIND DAMAGE
05/22/01 AUGUSTA TREES DOWN
0600 PM RUCKERSVILLE VA WIND DAMAGE
05/22/01 GREENE TREES DOWN
DMWLocal storm report, May 22, 6:35 PM EDT, 11 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE/WASHINGTON
635 PM EDT TUE MAY 22 2001
TIME(EDT) .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0545 PM CHARLOTTESVILLE VA WIND DAMAGE
05/22/01 ALBEMARLE TREES AND POWER LINES
DOWN. REPORTED BY LAW
ENFORCEMENT
0545 PM COUNTYWIDE VA WIND DAMAGE
05/22/01 ALBEMARLE TREES AND POWERLINES
DOWN. REPORTED BY LAW
ENFORCEMENT
0505 PM LOVINGSTON VA 71 MPH TSTM WIND GUST
05/22/01 NELSON
0330 PM PARTLOW VA WIND DAMAGE
05/22/01 SPOTSYLVANIA LARGE OAK TREE DOWN
0535 PM ORANGE VA WIND DAMAGE
05/22/01 ORANGE TREES DOWN. REPORTED BY
LAW ENFORCEMENT
0510 PM COUNTYWIDE VA WIND DAMAGE
05/22/01 AUGUSTA TREES DOWN
0510 PM WAYNESBORO VA WIND DAMAGE
05/22/01 AUGUSTA TREES DOWN
0600 PM RUCKERSVILLE VA WIND DAMAGE
05/22/01 GREENE TREOES DOWN
DMWThe office that day
Everything else NWS Baltimore/Washington issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 22, 2:54 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LWX | Spotsylvania | 51 min |
| May 22, 4:52 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LWX | Augusta, Nelson | 23 min |
| May 22, 4:52 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LWX | City of Staunton | 23 min |
| May 22, 4:52 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LWX | City of Waynesboro | 23 min |
| May 22, 5:30 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LWX | Albemarle, Greene, Orange | 45 min |
| May 22, 5:30 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LWX | City of Charlottesville | 45 min |
| May 22, 6:20 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LWX | Fauquier, Prince William, Spotsylvania, Stafford, City of Fredericksburg | 40 min |
| May 22, 7:06 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LWX | Fairfax | 24 min |
| May 22, 7:06 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LWX | King George | 24 min |
| May 22, 7:19 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LWX | Arlington, City of Alexandria | 26 min |
Nearby
Tornado Warnings in Virginia, 2001Every tornado warning in 2001Tornadoes in 2001
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.