Alert archive / Virginia / Tornado Watches in 2002

Tornado Watch 300

May 13, 20026 states

The Storm Prediction Center issued this tornado watch at May 13, 2002, 1:30 PM EDT for 6 states. It was in force for 6 hr.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
May 13, 2002, 1:30 PM EDT (17:30 UTC)
Expired
May 13, 2002, 7:00 PM EDT
In force
6 hr
Issued by
the Storm Prediction Center
All 68 counties

Kent County, DE, New Castle County, DE, Sussex County, DE, Anne Arundel County, MD, Baltimore County, MD, Calvert County, MD, Caroline County, MD, Carroll County, MD, Cecil County, MD, Charles County, MD, City of Baltimore, MD, Dorchester County, MD, Frederick County, MD, Harford County, MD, Howard County, MD, Kent County, MD, Montgomery County, MD, Prince George's County, MD, Queen Anne's County, MD, Saint Mary's County, MD, Somerset County, MD, Talbot County, MD, Wicomico County, MD, Atlantic County, NJ, Burlington County, NJ, Camden County, NJ, Cape May County, NJ, Cumberland County, NJ, Gloucester County, NJ, Mercer County, NJ, Monmouth County, NJ, Ocean County, NJ, Salem County, NJ, Adams County, PA, Chester County, PA, Delaware County, PA, Lancaster County, PA, Montgomery County, PA, Philadelphia County, PA, York County, PA, Albemarle County, VA, Arlington County, VA, Caroline County, VA, City of Alexandria, VA, City of Charlottesville, VA, City of Fairfax, VA, City of Falls Church, VA, City of Fredericksburg, VA, City of Manassas, VA, City of Manassas Park, VA, City of Waynesboro, VA, Clarke County, VA, Culpeper County, VA, Fairfax County, VA, Fauquier County, VA, Greene County, VA, King George County, VA, Loudoun County, VA, Madison County, VA, Orange County, VA, Page County, VA, Prince William County, VA, Rappahannock County, VA, Spotsylvania County, VA, Stafford County, VA, Warren County, VA, Westmoreland County, VA, Jefferson County, WV

The radar

The Sterling radar (KLWX), 58 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 17:30 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.

Warnings issued inside it

27 tornado, severe thunderstorm and flash flood warnings for its counties while it was in force.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 13, 1:47 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLWXLoudoun43 min
May 13, 2:21 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLWXFairfax, Loudoun, Prince William39 min
May 13, 2:41 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPHIMontgomery34 min
May 13, 3:11 PM EDTTornado WarningLWXMontgomery34 min
May 13, 3:14 PM EDTTornado WarningLWXHoward31 min
May 13, 3:21 PM EDTTornado WarningLWXBaltimore, City of Baltimore24 min
May 13, 3:21 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPHIMontgomery24 min
May 13, 3:27 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQCaroline, King and Queen, King William28 min
May 13, 3:39 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQEssex, Richmond, Westmoreland46 min
May 13, 3:46 PM EDTTornado WarningLWXBaltimore, Harford, City of Baltimore29 min
May 13, 4:02 PM EDTTornado WarningPHICecil, Kent43 min
May 13, 4:27 PM EDTTornado WarningPHINew Castle43 min
May 13, 4:36 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLWXHarford24 min
May 13, 4:36 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPLancaster24 min
May 13, 4:40 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQSomerset30 min
May 13, 4:40 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPHICecil65 min
May 13, 4:43 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPHICumberland, Salem47 min
May 13, 4:57 PM EDTTornado WarningAKQSomerset28 min
May 13, 4:58 PM EDTTornado WarningPHISalem32 min
May 13, 5:03 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPHIMontgomery42 min
May 13, 5:11 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPHIGloucester34 min
May 13, 5:18 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPHICamden37 min
May 13, 5:23 PM EDTTornado WarningPHICamden, Gloucester22 min
May 13, 5:33 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPHIBurlington42 min
May 13, 5:34 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPHIBurlington41 min
May 13, 5:41 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPHIAtlantic19 min
May 13, 5:53 PM EDTTornado WarningPHIBurlington, Ocean37 min

The nearest sounding before it

Washington/Dulle, VA (KIAD), launched 12:00Z, 5.5 hours before the alert went out and 51 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 2002-05-13Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 313 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 2002-05-13The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 117 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
313 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-110 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1186 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
50 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
117 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
127 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.1
Supercell composite
1.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WWUS20 KWNS 131710
SEL0  
SPC WW 131706
DCZ000-DEZ000-MDZ000-NJZ000-PAZ000-VAZ000-CWZ000-132300-

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 300
STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
106 PM EDT MON MAY 13 2002

THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF

   DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
   DELAWARE                           
   CENTRAL AND EASTERN MARYLAND                           
   SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY                         
   SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA                       
   NORTHERN VIRGINIA                           
   COASTAL WATERS                     

EFFECTIVE THIS MONDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING FROM 130 PM UNTIL 700
PM EDT.

TORNADOES...HAIL TO 2 INCHES IN DIAMETER...THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS
TO 80 MPH...AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE IN THESE AREAS.

THE TORNADO WATCH AREA IS ALONG AND 95 STATUTE MILES EAST AND WEST
OF A LINE FROM 50 MILES WEST SOUTHWEST OF PATUXENT RIVER MARYLAND
TO 30 MILES NORTH OF PHILADELPHIA PENNSYLVANIA.

REMEMBER...A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR
TORNADOES AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA. 
PERSONS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING
WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE
WARNINGS.

OTHER WATCH INFORMATION...  CONTINUE...WW 298...WW 299...

DISCUSSION...WITH DEEPENING SURFACE LOW OVER SRN PA AND APPROACH OF
VIGOROUS UPPER TROUGH...CONDITIONS ARE RAPIDLY BECOMING FAVORABLE
FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN WATCH AREA.  WITH MDT/STG INSTABILITY
AND STRONG SHEAR PROFILES...ISOLATED TORNADIC SUPERCELLS ARE
POSSIBLE AS STORMS EVOLVE INTO A SQUALL LINE DURING AFTERNOON.


AVIATION...TORNADOES AND A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH HAIL
SURFACE AND ALOFT TO 2 INCHES.  EXTREME TURBULENCE AND SURFACE WIND
GUSTS TO 70 KNOTS.  A FEW CUMULONIMBI WITH MAXIMUM TOPS TO 550. 
MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 24040.


...HALES

375,0790 401,0770 401,0732 375,0753

WWUS20 KWNS 131710
SEL0  
SPC WW 131706
DCZ000-DEZ000-MDZ000-NJZ000-PAZ000-VAZ000-CWZ000-132300-

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 300
STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
106 PM EDT MON MAY 13 2002

THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF

   DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
   DELAWARE                           
   CENTRAL AND EASTERN MARYLAND                           
   SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY                         
   SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA                       
   NORTHERN VIRGINIA                           
   COASTAL WATERS                     

EFFECTIVE THIS MONDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING FROM 130 PM UNTIL 700
PM EDT.

TORNADOES...HAIL TO 2 INCHES IN DIAMETER...THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS
TO 80 MPH...AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE IN THESE AREAS.

THE TORNADO WATCH AREA IS ALONG AND 95 STATUTE MILES EAST AND WEST
OF A LINE FROM 50 MILES WEST SOUTHWEST OF PATUXENT RIVER MARYLAND
TO 30 MILES NORTH OF PHILADELPHIA PENNSYLVANIA.

REMEMBER...A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR
TORNADOES AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA. 
PERSONS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING
WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE
WARNINGS.

OTHER WATCH INFORMATION...  CONTINUE...WW 298...WW 299...

DISCUSSION...WITH DEEPENING SURFACE LOW OVER SRN PA AND APPROACH OF
VIGOROUS UPPER TROUGH...CONDITIONS ARE RAPIDLY BECOMING FAVORABLE
FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN WATCH AREA.  WITH MDT/STG INSTABILITY
AND STRONG SHEAR PROFILES...ISOLATED TORNADIC SUPERCELLS ARE
POSSIBLE AS STORMS EVOLVE INTO A SQUALL LINE DURING AFTERNOON.


AVIATION...TORNADOES AND A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH HAIL
SURFACE AND ALOFT TO 2 INCHES.  EXTREME TURBULENCE AND SURFACE WIND
GUSTS TO 70 KNOTS.  A FEW CUMULONIMBI WITH MAXIMUM TOPS TO 550. 
MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 24040.


...HALES

375,0790 401,0770 401,0732 375,0753

SPC that day

Everything else SPC issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 13, 6:30 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPCSomerset6 hr
May 13, 5:45 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPCBland, Buchanan, Dickenson, Lee, Russell, Scott and 6 more5 hr
May 13, 10:00 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPCAlbemarle, Alleghany, Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford, Bland and 44 more5 hr
May 13, 3:00 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPCAmelia, Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford, Botetourt, Brunswick and 54 more5 hr

Nearby

Tornado Watches in Virginia, 2002Tornado Watches in Maryland, 2002Tornado Watches in New Jersey, 2002Every tornado watch in 2002

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.