Alert archive / Virginia / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2003

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 45, NWS Blacksburg, VA

May 9, 2003Bedford County, Virginia

NWS Blacksburg, VA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 9, 2003, 4:46 PM EDT for Bedford County, Virginia. It was in force for 29 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued: May 9, 2003, 4:46 PM EDT (20:46 UTC)
Expired: May 9, 2003, 5:15 PM EDT
In force: 29 min
Issued by: NWS Blacksburg, VA
Area: Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Bedford County, VA

The radar

The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 78 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:48 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.

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this severe thunderstorm warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.

Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.

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 9, 2:05 PM EDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Roanoke, VA (KRNK), launched 12:00Z, 8.8 hours before the alert went out and 9 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: 59 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -186 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 982 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 47 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 153 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 199 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 
WUUS51 KRNK 092046
SVRRNK
VAC019-092115-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
446 PM EDT FRI MAY 9 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BLACKSBURG HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  CENTRAL AND EASTERN BEDFORD COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL VIRGINIA

* UNTIL 515 PM EDT.

* AT 444 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 17 MILES SOUTHWEST OF FOREST...MOVING EAST AT
  40 MPH.

* SOME LOCATIONS THREATENED THROUGH 515 PM EDT INCLUDE
  FOREST...

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING UP TO NICKEL SIZE
HAIL.

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WINDS UP TO 60 MILES
AN HOUR.

<<CALL TO ACTION>>SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN PRODUCE TORNADOES WITH
LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE WARNING. PREPARE TO MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY IN
A STURDY STRUCTURE SUCH AS A BASEMENT OR SMALL INTERIOR ROOM IF A
TORNADO IS SPOTTED.

RELAY SEVERE WEATHER REPORTS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BY
CALLING TOLL FREE...1...8 6 6...2 1 5...4 3 2 4.

LAT...LON 3730 7950 3718 7960 3717 7938 3738 7924

$$
06

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Blacksburg, VA wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at May 9, 2:30 PM EDT, 2 hours 16 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 9, 2:30 PM EDT, 2 hours 16 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG, VA
230 PM EDT FRI MAY 9 2003

MODELS CONT TO HANDLE WAVES COMING OVER THE RIDGE WITH RELATIVELY
GOOD CONSISTENCY.

CRNT WAVE OF STORMS WILL EXIT THE REGION THIS EVENING...WITH ANOTHER
WAVE PROGGED TO MOVE OVER THE MID-ATL AREA TMRW...ALBEIT JUST A BIT
FURTHER NORTH.  THEN UPR RIDGE PROGRESSES EAST.  STRONG WAVE
ROTATING THRU THE TROF OVER THE GREAT LAKES PUSHES A COLD FRONT THRU
THE AREA SUNDAY.  PCPN ALONG THE FRONT WILL DIMINISH THRU THE DAY AS
DYNAMICS PULL OUT TO THE NORTH.

CLEARING SUNDAY NIGHT...WITH MOSTLY CLEAR AND COOL WX THRU TUESDAY
NGT OR WED.  SOME UPSLOPE SHOWERS POSSIBLE IN THE FAR NW MONDAY AFTN
AND EVE. NEXT WAVE STILL PROGGED TO APPROACH THE AREA TOWARD
THURSDAY AND FRIDAY.

FCSTID =    9
ROA   65  82  67  83 /  30  30  30  40
LYH   62  83  68  84 /  30  30  30  30
DAN   64  87  69  87 /  30  30  30  30
BLF   60  79  64  72 /  30  30  30  50
LWB   57  78  61  70 /  30  30  40  50
BCB   60  80  63  76 /  30  30  30  40
TNB   60  77  59  74 /  30  30  20  40

.RNK...
NC...NONE.
VA...NONE.
WV...NONE.

Hazardous weather outlook, May 9, 4:55 AM EDT, 11 hours 51 minutes before

NCZ001>006-018>020-VAZ007-009>020-022>024-032>035-043>047-058-059-
WVZ042>045-100845-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
455 AM EDT FRI MAY 9 2003

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST WEST VIRGINIA...
WESTERN AND CENTRAL VIRGINIA...AS WELL AS NORTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTY
WARNING AREA TODAY.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

THE RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER WILL CONTINUE SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND
EVENING AND AGAIN ON SUNDAY. A COLD FRONT MOVING ACROSS THE REGION
ON SUNDAY WILL BE THE LEADING EDGE OF A COOLER AIRMASS...WITH DRY
WEATHER EXPECTED THROUGH MID WEEK.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED THIS AFTERNOON.

AMS

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 9, 12:05 PM EDT, 4 hours 41 minutes before

NCZ001>006-018>020-VAZ007-009>020-022>024-032>035-043>047-058-059-WVZ
042>045-101000-
SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
1205 PM EDT FRI MAY 9 2003

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE REGION
THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY TONIGHT. THE THREAT THIS AFTERNOON AND
EARLY TONIGHT IS GREATEST ACROSS THE GREENBRIER VALLEY...THE
ALLEGHANY HIGHLANDS... AND AREAS NORTH OF A LINE FROM ROANOKE TO
LYNCHBURG.  THIS AREA WILL BE IN THE VICINITY OF A WARM FRONT THAT
WILL BE PUSHING NORTH.  LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS MAY ACCOMPANY
SOME OF THESE STORMS.

ELSEWHERE SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS MAY DEVELOP...WITH THE POTENTIAL
FOR ISOLATED STORMS TO CONTAIN LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS.

ACTIVATION OF SKYWARN SPOTTER GROUPS MAY BE NEEDED LATER TODAY. STAY
TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR FAVORITE MEDIA OUTLET FOR THE
LATEST INFORMATION ON THE SEVERE STORM POTENTIAL TODAY AND TONIGHT.

AMS/SPN

Special weather statement, May 9, 2:30 PM EDT, 2 hours 16 minutes before

WVZ045-092000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
230 PM EDT FRI MAY 9 2003

STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA THROUGH 4 PM.  SOME
OF THE STORMS MAY CONTAIN SMALL HAIL AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS...AS
WELL AS FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.

$S

BS

Local storm report, May 9, 4:45 PM EDT, 1 minute before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
445 PM EDT FRI MAY 09 2003

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

0250 PM    RONCEVERTE                WV   0.88 IN HAIL
05/09/03   GREENBRIER

0300 PM    ARVONIA                   VA   WIND DAMAGE
05/09/03   BUCKINGHAM                     NUMEROUS TREES DOWN ALONG
                                          NORTHERN BORDER OF COUNTY

0300 PM    1SW EARLEHURST            VA   0.75 IN HAIL
05/09/03   GILES

0355 PM    1S BEDFORD                VA   WIND DAMAGE
05/09/03   BEDFORD                        LARGE TREE BRANCHES BLOWN
                                          DOWN.

0415 PM    ALTAVISTA                 VA   WIND DAMAGE
05/09/03   CAMPBELL                       TREES DOWN. SIGNS BLOWN
                                          DOWN.

0440 PM    HURT                      VA   WIND DAMAGE
05/09/03   PITTSYLVANIA                   NUMEROUS TREES DOWN.

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 9, 2:45 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Buckingham	30 min
May 9, 2:51 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Alleghany, Craig	24 min
May 9, 2:59 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	RNK	Buckingham	31 min
May 9, 3:07 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Botetourt	23 min
May 9, 3:31 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Bedford	29 min
May 9, 3:53 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Bedford	37 min
May 9, 4:07 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Campbell	23 min
May 9, 4:11 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Roanoke, City of Roanoke, City of Salem	34 min
May 9, 4:21 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Pittsylvania	24 min
May 9, 4:28 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	RNK	Halifax, Pittsylvania	47 min
May 9, 4:30 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Campbell	30 min
May 9, 5:01 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Halifax	29 min
May 9, 5:04 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Pittsylvania	26 min
May 9, 5:41 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Halifax	34 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Virginia, 2003 Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2003

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.