Alert archive / Virginia / Tornado Warnings in 2001

Tornado Warning 15, NWS Baltimore/Washington

September 24, 2001Fauquier County, Loudoun County, Virginia

NWS Baltimore/Washington issued this tornado warning at Sep 24, 2001, 4:00 PM EDT for Fauquier County, Loudoun County, Virginia. It was in force for 45 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline the Iowa Environmental Mesonet reconstructed for it; the warning itself named whole counties.

The facts

Issued: Sep 24, 2001, 4:00 PM EDT (20:00 UTC)
Expired: Sep 24, 2001, 4:45 PM EDT
In force: 45 min
Issued by: NWS Baltimore/Washington
Area: Whole counties; the outline is the Mesonet’s reconstruction

Counties Fauquier County, VA, Loudoun County, VA

The radar

The Sterling radar (KLWX), 25 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:04 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.

The watch it was issued in

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

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
Sep 24, 1:30 PM EDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Washington/Dulle, VA (KIAD), launched 12:00Z, 8.0 hours before the alert went out and 33 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: 674 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -56 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 583 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 34 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 96 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 64 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 1.3

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

166 
WFUS51 KLWX 242003
TORLWX
VAC061-107-242045-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE-WASHINGTON
400 PM EDT MON SEP 24 2001

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STERLING VIRGINIA HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  NORTHERN FAUQUIER COUNTY IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA
  CENTRAL AND WESTERN LOUDOUN COUNTY IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA

* UNTIL 445 PM EDT

* AT 354 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED   
  A TORNADO 3 MILES NORTHWEST OF THE PLAINS...MOVING NORTH-NORTHEAST
  AT 25 MPH.

* THE TORNADO IS EXPECTED TO BE...
  NEAR MIDDLEBURG AT 410 PM
  5 MILES EAST OF ROUND HILL AT 436 PM
  2 MILES SOUTHEAST OF PURCELLVILLE AT 438 PM

THIS IS A LONG-LIVED TORNADO WITH A HISTORY OF PRODUCING STRUCTURAL
DAMAGE. EXTENSIVE DAMAGE WAS REPORTED IN THE PLAINS AT 400 PM. TAKE 
SHELTER IMMEDIATELY

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.

LAT...LON 3886 7792 3883 7776 3921 7753 3928 7774
$$
JLW/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 Sep 24, 3:45 PM EDT, 15 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 24, 3:45 PM EDT, 15 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE/WASHINGTON
345 PM EDT MON SEP 24 2001

TORNADO WATCH UNTIL 8 PM FOR EASTERN HALF OF OUR CWA. BACK EDGE OF
PRECIP WILL MOVE EAST ACROSS THE REGION MUCH FASTER THAN THE MODLS
HAVE IT. 12Z ETA HAD BACK EDGE AT BLU RIDGE BY 11PM AND THE TIP OF
ST MARY/S COUNTY AROUND 12Z TUE. AS A S/W MOVES NNE ALONG THE FRONT
MAIN AREA OF PRECIP WILL SHIFT OUT OF THE AREA FROM SW TO NE. AT 330
PM...PRECIP WAS ALREADY MOVING OUT OF THE FAR SW TIP OF OUR CWA.
MAY BE A FEW ISOLATED SHWRS BEHND THE MAIN AREA AND WILL ACCNT FOR
THAT IN THE ZONES. BY 00Z THOUGH...AM EXPCTNG MAIN PRECIP SHIELD TO
BE CONFINED TO OUR NE COUNTIES.

AFTER THAT...DECRSNG CLDS. THERE WILL BE SEVRL SHRT WVS ROTATING
AROUND THE LARGE DVLPNG CUT OFF LOW OVER THE GREAT LAKES. MOST OF
THE ENERGY FROM THESE SHOULD STAY TO OUR N AND IT SHOULD BE PSUNNY
MOST OF THE WEEK. TUE SHOULD BE PSUNNY WITH SOME CU. WED LOOKS LIKE
THE BEST DAY FOR MSUNNY. THEN...THU AND FRI ARE BACK TO PSUNNY. SAT
AND SUN A LARGE HIGH MOVES DWN FROM THE NW WITH MSUNNY SKIES.

BY EARLY NEXT WEEK ALL THE MDLS HAVE A LEFTOVER PIECE OF ENERGY FROM
THE EARLIER CUT OFF LOW OVER THE GULF STATES. THIS MAY BEGIN TO
CREEP N WITH SOME CLDS BY MON OR TUE...BUT WILL JUST KEEP PSUNNY FOR
MON FOR NOW.

WILL OF COURSE HAVE A REST OF THE AFTERNOON PERIOD TO CVR SVR WX.

STRONG
FCSTID = 78
DCA   61  72  51  67 /  60  20  10  10
BWI   61  72  51  67 /  60  20  10  10
MRB   57  68  46  65 /  30  10  10  10
IAD   57  68  46  65 /  30  10  10  10
CHO   58  70  47  66 /  20  10  10  10
HGR   57  68  46  65 /  30  10  10  10
NHK   61  72  51  67 /  60  20  10  10
W99   56  64  45  64 /  20  10  10  10

.LWX...
DC...TORNADO WATCH UNTIL 8 PM.
MD...TORNADO WATCH WEST OF THE BAY AND WASHINGTON COUNTY EAST UNTIL
8 PM.
VA...TORNADO WATCH UNTIL 8 PM FOR EASTERN THIRD.
WV...TORNADO WATCH UNTIL 8 PM FOR BERKELEY JEFFERSON AND MORGAN
COUNTIES.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Sep 24, 2:03 PM EDT, 1 hour 57 minutes before

DCZ001-MDZ003>007-009>011-013-014-016>018-VAZ028-030-031-039>042-
050>057-WVZ051>053-250000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE-WASHINGTON
203 PM EDT MON SEP 24 2001

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM THIS EVENING...

A TORNADO WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE EASTERN THIRD OF VIRGINIA...
THE EASTERNMOST THREE COUNTIES IN WEST VIRGINIA... AND ALL OF
MARYLAND WEST OF THE BAY WITH THE EXCEPTION OF GARRETT AND ALLEGANY
COUNTIES. THIS ALSO INCLUDES THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA AND THE WATERS
OF THE TIDAL POTOMAC AND THE CHESAPEAKE BAY.

A TORNADO WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR TORNADO
FORMATION THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
WILL BE MONITORING THESE STORMS...AND WILL ISSUE WARNINGS IF
TORNADOES OR ANY OTHER SEVERE WEATHER IS IMMINENT IN YOUR AREA.

A DEVELOPING LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM AND AN ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT WILL
MOVE ACROSS THE MID ATLANTIC STATES THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL ACCOMPANY THIS WEATHER SYSTEM AS IT
MOVES THROUGH THE AREA. AS THESE STORMS MOVE EAST OVER THE AREA...
THEY WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE DAMAGING WINDS... HAIL...
AND TORNADOES.

ALSO... HEAVY RAINFALL FROM THESE STORMS MAY RESULT IN ISOLATED
FLOODING... ESPECIALLY IN URBAN AREAS AND IN LOW LYING AREAS NEAR
CREEKS AND STREAMS.

THE SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION NETWORK HAS BEEN ACTIVATED.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR OTHER MEDIA OUTLETS FOR UPDATED
FORECASTS... STATEMENTS... AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

FOR ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION, CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT
HTTP://WWW.NWS.NOAA.GOV/ER/LWX

STRONG

Local storm report, Sep 24, 2:56 PM EDT, 1 hour 4 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE/WASHINGTON
256 PM EDT MON SEP 24 2001

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

0243 PM    2 S RIVA                  VA   TORNADO
09/24/01   CULPEPER                       REPORTED BY POLICE ON
                                          MADISON COUNTY LINE OFF
                                          ROUTE 29.

MKM

Local storm report, Sep 24, 3:20 PM EDT, 40 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE/WASHINGTON
320 PM EDT MON SEP 24 2001

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

0310 PM    RIXEYVILLE                VA   TORNADO
09/24/01   CULPEPER                       HOUSE STRUCK BY TORNADO ON
                                          OAK SHADE ROAD. REPORTED BY
                                          911.

MKM

Local storm report, Sep 24, 3:20 PM EDT, 40 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTION TO TIME AND LOCATION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE/WASHINGTON
320 PM EDT MON SEP 24 2001

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

0308 PM    RIXEYVILLE                VA   TORNADO
09/24/01   CULPEPER                       HOUSE STRUCK BY TORNADO ON
                                          ENDEN FORK RD. REPORTED BY
                                          911.

MKM

Local storm report, Sep 24, 3:31 PM EDT, 29 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE/WASHINGTON
331 PM EDT MON SEP 24 2001

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

0315 PM    JEFFERSONTON              VA   TORNADO
09/24/01   CULPEPER                       NUMEROUS TREES DOWN. SOME
                                          TREES FELL ON HOUSES IN
                                          ROUTE 229 AND 211 AREAS.
                                          TWO HOMES DAMAGED. REPORTED
                                          BY 911.

MKM

Local storm report, Sep 24, 3:48 PM EDT, 12 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE/WASHINGTON
348 PM EDT MON SEP 24 2001

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

0335 PM    5 SW WARRENTON            VA   TORNADO
09/24/01   FAUQUIER                       ROOFS BLOWN OFF ONTO ROUTE
                                          211 NEAR ROUTE 681.
                                          REPORTED BY LAW
                                          ENFORCEMENT.

MKM

The office that day

Everything else NWS Baltimore/Washington issued on the same UTC day.

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Sep 24, 2:36 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	LWX	Culpeper	34 min
Sep 24, 3:08 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	LWX	Culpeper, Fauquier	37 min
Sep 24, 3:45 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	LWX	Fauquier	30 min
Sep 24, 4:09 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	LWX	Prince William, Stafford	36 min
Sep 24, 4:53 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	LWX	Arlington, Fairfax, City of Alexandria	37 min
Sep 24, 4:53 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	LWX	City of Falls Church	37 min
Sep 24, 6:15 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	LWX	Fauquier, Loudoun	2 hr

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Virginia, 2001 Every tornado warning in 2001 Tornadoes 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.