Alert archive / Virginia / Tornado Watches in 2003
Tornado Watch 317
The Storm Prediction Center issued this tornado watch at May 9, 2003, 2:05 PM EDT for 64 counties in Virginia; Greenbrier County, Monroe County, West Virginia. It was in force for 6 hr.
The area
The outline as issued.
The facts
- Issued
- May 9, 2003, 2:05 PM EDT (18:05 UTC)
- Expired
- May 9, 2003, 8:00 PM EDT
- In force
- 6 hr
- Issued by
- the Storm Prediction Center
All 66 counties
Albemarle County, VA, Alleghany County, VA, Amelia County, VA, Amherst County, VA, Appomattox County, VA, Augusta County, VA, Bath County, VA, Bedford County, VA, Botetourt County, VA, Buckingham County, VA, Campbell County, VA, Caroline County, VA, Charles City County, VA, Charlotte County, VA, Chesterfield County, VA, City of Buena Vista, VA, City of Charlottesville, VA, City of Colonial Heights, VA, City of Covington, VA, City of Hampton, VA, City of Hopewell, VA, City of Lexington, VA, City of Lynchburg, VA, City of Newport News, VA, City of Petersburg, VA, City of Poquoson, VA, City of Radford, VA, City of Richmond, VA, City of Roanoke, VA, City of Salem, VA, City of Staunton, VA, City of Waynesboro, VA, City of Williamsburg, VA, Craig County, VA, Cumberland County, VA, Dinwiddie County, VA, Essex County, VA, Fluvanna County, VA, Giles County, VA, Gloucester County, VA, Goochland County, VA, Hanover County, VA, Henrico County, VA, James City County, VA, King and Queen County, VA, King William County, VA, Lancaster County, VA, Louisa County, VA, Mathews County, VA, Middlesex County, VA, Montgomery County, VA, Nelson County, VA, New Kent County, VA, Northumberland County, VA, Nottoway County, VA, Powhatan County, VA, Prince Edward County, VA, Prince George County, VA, Pulaski County, VA, Richmond County, VA, Roanoke County, VA, Rockbridge County, VA, Surry County, VA, York County, VA, Greenbrier County, WV, Monroe County, WV
The radar
The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 143 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 18:09 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
23 tornado, severe thunderstorm and flash flood warnings for its counties while it was in force.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 9, 2:05 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LWX | Albemarle, Nelson, City of Charlottesville | 40 min |
| May 9, 2:15 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | LWX | Albemarle, City of Charlottesville | 45 min |
| May 9, 2:33 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | RNK | Greenbrier | 27 min |
| May 9, 2:40 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | AKQ | Fluvanna | 25 min |
| May 9, 2:45 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | RNK | Buckingham | 30 min |
| May 9, 2:51 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LWX | Augusta, Nelson | 54 min |
| May 9, 2:51 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | RNK | Alleghany, Craig | 24 min |
| May 9, 2:58 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | AKQ | Cumberland | 32 min |
| May 9, 2:59 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | RNK | Buckingham | 31 min |
| May 9, 3:03 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LWX | Albemarle | 42 min |
| May 9, 3:07 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | RNK | Botetourt | 23 min |
| May 9, 3:09 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | AKQ | Amelia, Powhatan | 31 min |
| May 9, 3:31 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | RNK | Bedford | 29 min |
| May 9, 3:37 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | AKQ | Amelia, Dinwiddie | 38 min |
| May 9, 3:39 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | AKQ | Chesterfield | 31 min |
| May 9, 3:52 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | AKQ | Nottoway | 18 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, 4:12 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | AKQ | Dinwiddie, Greensville, Sussex | 38 min |
| May 9, 4:30 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | RNK | Campbell | 30 min |
| May 9, 4:35 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | AKQ | Brunswick, Dinwiddie, Nottoway | 40 min |
| May 9, 4:46 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | RNK | Bedford | 29 min |
Discussions around it
SPC mesoscale discussions over the same counties from four hours before the watch to its end.
The nearest sounding before it
Roanoke, VA (KRNK), launched 12:00Z, 6.1 hours before the alert went out and 77 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
- 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
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000
WWUS20 KWNS 091801
SEL7
SPC WW 091805
VAZ000-WVZ000-100000-
URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 317
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
205 PM EDT FRI MAY 9 2003
THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF
CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN VIRGINIA
SOUTHEAST WEST VIRGINIA
EFFECTIVE THIS FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING FROM 205 PM UNTIL 800
PM EDT.
TORNADOES...HAIL TO 2 INCHES IN DIAMETER...THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS
TO 70 MPH...AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE IN THESE AREAS.
THE TORNADO WATCH AREA IS ALONG AND 40 STATUTE MILES EITHER SIDE
OF A LINE FROM 25 MILES WEST SOUTHWEST OF WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS
WEST VIRGINIA TO 65 MILES EAST OF RICHMOND VIRGINIA.
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.
DISCUSSION...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE INCREASING OVER EASTERN WV
AND NORTHERN VA...IN VICINITY OF SURFACE WARM FRONT. THESE STORMS
ARE EXPECTED TO SPREAD SOUTHEASTWARD ACROSS CENTRAL/SOUTHERN VA
THROUGH THE AFTERNOON HOURS. LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS ARE THE
MAIN THREAT. HOWEVER...ENHANCED LOW LEVEL SHEAR NEAR THE WARM FRONT
SUGGESTS THE POTENTIAL FOR ISOLATED TORNADOES.
AVIATION...TORNADOES AND A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH HAIL
SURFACE AND ALOFT TO 2 INCHES. EXTREME TURBULENCE AND SURFACE WIND
GUSTS TO 60 KNOTS. A FEW CUMULONIMBI WITH MAXIMUM TOPS TO 500.
MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 24035.
...HART
381,0804 380,0760 365,0760 370,0804
WWUS20 KWNS 091801
SEL7
SPC WW 091805
VAZ000-WVZ000-100000-
URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 317
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
205 PM EDT FRI MAY 9 2003
THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF
CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN VIRGINIA
SOUTHEAST WEST VIRGINIA
EFFECTIVE THIS FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING FROM 205 PM UNTIL 800
PM EDT.
TORNADOES...HAIL TO 2 INCHES IN DIAMETER...THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS
TO 70 MPH...AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE IN THESE AREAS.
THE TORNADO WATCH AREA IS ALONG AND 40 STATUTE MILES EITHER SIDE
OF A LINE FROM 25 MILES WEST SOUTHWEST OF WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS
WEST VIRGINIA TO 65 MILES EAST OF RICHMOND VIRGINIA.
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.
DISCUSSION...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE INCREASING OVER EASTERN WV
AND NORTHERN VA...IN VICINITY OF SURFACE WARM FRONT. THESE STORMS
ARE EXPECTED TO SPREAD SOUTHEASTWARD ACROSS CENTRAL/SOUTHERN VA
THROUGH THE AFTERNOON HOURS. LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS ARE THE
MAIN THREAT. HOWEVER...ENHANCED LOW LEVEL SHEAR NEAR THE WARM FRONT
SUGGESTS THE POTENTIAL FOR ISOLATED TORNADOES.
AVIATION...TORNADOES AND A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH HAIL
SURFACE AND ALOFT TO 2 INCHES. EXTREME TURBULENCE AND SURFACE WIND
GUSTS TO 60 KNOTS. A FEW CUMULONIMBI WITH MAXIMUM TOPS TO 500.
MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 24035.
...HART
381,0804 380,0760 365,0760 370,0804SPC that day
Everything else SPC issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 9, 12:53 PM EDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Albemarle, Alleghany, Amelia, Amherst, Appomattox, Augusta and 57 more | 3 hr |
| May 9, 3:55 PM EDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Albemarle, Alleghany, Amelia, Amherst, Appomattox, Bath and 78 more | 2 hr |
| May 9, 4:15 PM EDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | Brunswick, Greensville, Halifax, Lunenburg, Mecklenburg, Southampton and 6 more | 6 hr |
| May 9, 7:35 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | Buchanan, Dickenson, Lee, Russell, Scott, Washington and 2 more | 5 hr |
| May 9, 5:36 PM EDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Braxton, Calhoun, Gilmer, Jackson, Lewis, Pleasants and 4 more | 114 min |
| May 9, 6:00 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | Boone, Braxton, Cabell, Calhoun, Clay, Doddridge and 21 more | 5 hr |
Nearby
Tornado Watches in Virginia, 2003Tornado Watches in West Virginia, 2003Every tornado watch 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.