Alert archive / Virginia / Tornado Warnings in 2004
Tornado Warning 47, NWS Wakefield, VA
NWS Wakefield, VA issued this tornado warning at Sep 8, 2004, 7:08 PM EDT for Hanover County, Henrico County, Virginia. It was in force for 37 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
- Sep 8, 2004, 7:08 PM EDT (23:08 UTC)
- Expired
- Sep 8, 2004, 7:45 PM EDT
- In force
- 37 min
- Issued by
- NWS Wakefield, VA
- Area
- Counties, with a storm outline in the text
Counties Hanover County, VA, Henrico County, VA
The radar
The Norfolk radar (KAKQ), 95 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:07 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 tornado 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 8, 6:40 PM EDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | 5 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Washington/Dulle, VA (KIAD), launched 12:00Z, 11.1 hours before the alert went out and 138 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
- 188 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -3 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 490 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 31 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 57 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 106 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 KAKQ 082308
TORAKQ
VAC085-087-082345-
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
707 PM EDT WED SEP 8 2004
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WAKEFIELD HAS ISSUED A
* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
WESTERN HANOVER COUNTY IN CENTRAL VIRGINIA
WESTERN HENRICO COUNTY IN CENTRAL VIRGINIA
* UNTIL 745 PM EDT
* AT 702 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO NEAR TUCKAHOE...
OR ABOUT OVER BON AIR...MOVING NORTH AT 35 MPH. PUBLIC REPORTED A
POSSIBLE TORNADO IN THE WOODLAKE SUBDIVISION IN WESTERN
CHESTERFIELD COUNTY AROUND 650 PM.
* THE TORNADO IS EXPECTED TO BE NEAR...
SHORT PUMP BY 715 PM EDT...
ROCKVILLE BY 720 PM EDT...
ELMONT BY 725 PM EDT...
GILMAN...GOODALL AND ASHLAND BY 730 PM EDT...
GUM TREE BY 735 PM EDT...
OLIVER...NOEL AND DOSWELL BY 740 PM EDT...
WHEN A TORNADO WARNING IS ISSUED BASED ON DOPPLER RADAR...IT MEANS
THAT STRONG ROTATION HAS BEEN DETECTED IN THE STORM. A TORNADO MAY
ALREADY BE ON THE GROUND...OR IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP SHORTLY. IF YOU
ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS DANGEROUS STORM...MOVE INDOORS AND TO THE
LOWEST LEVEL OF THE BUILDING. STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. IF DRIVING...DO
NOT SEEK SHELTER UNDER A HIGHWAY OVERPASS.
HEAVY RAINFALL MAY OBSCURE THIS TORNADO. TAKE COVER NOW IF YOU WAIT
TO SEE OR HEAR IT COMING...IT MAY BE TOO LATE TO GET TO A SAFE PLACE.
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 3796 7762 3787 7748 3788 7744 3779 7741
3758 7751 3757 7756 3756 7755 3756 7754
3756 7754 3756 7766 3756 7764 3758 7762
3763 7766 3770 7763 3771 7770
$$
25What 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 Wakefield, VA wrote its last area forecast discussion before this tornado warning went out at Sep 8, 3:15 PM EDT, 3 hours 53 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Sep 8, 3:15 PM EDT, 3 hours 53 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
315 PM EDT WED SEP 8 2004
.SHORT TERM (TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY)...
FRANCES CONTS TO TRACK JUST W OF THE MTNS...WHICH IS WHY MOST OF THE
HVY RAIN IS FOCUSED W OF OUR AREA. DAYTIME HTG WITHIN AREAS OF BKN
CLOUDS CONTS TO SUPPORT BKN BANDS OF TSTMS...SOME OF WHICH HV BEEN
SHOWING SOME CIRCS AT TIMES. IT SEEMS THE STORMS THAT HV PRODUCED
TORNADOES ARE ONES WTH SYMMETRIC CIRCS...AS MOST OF THE STORMS HV
HAD LOPSIDED CIRCS...AND ALL STORMS HV HAD RLTVLY WK CIRCS.
CIRCS HV BEEN QUITE SHALLOW WHCH MAKES IT A CHALLENGE TO SEE
CIRCS FAR FROM RADAR. SOME SHEAR CONTS OVR THE REGION...AND TOR
WATCH CONTS TIL 7 PM. SEE LSRAKQ FOR TORNADO REPORTS TODAY.
WTH THE BANDS OF STORMS GRDLY TRACKING E...MAINTAINING FLOOD WATCH IN
WRN AREAS...WHERE LOCALIZED FLOODING PSBL. EVERYTHING MVS OUT TNGT
AND TMRW MORN. THE OLD COLD FRONTAL BNDRY WL GET DRAWN INTO THE
AREA...AND WK LLVL CNVRGNC ALG WTH THE MOISTURE IN PLC WL RESULT IN
JUST SMALL CHCS FOR TSTMS TMRW AFTN AND SLGT CHCS INTO EVENING. MORE
BRKS IN CLOUDS TMRW INTO FRIDAY WL ALLOW TEMPS TO CLIMB SOLIDLY INTO
80S. WK WSHFT TO N AND NE THU NGT AND FRI...SO SOME CLOUDINESS MAY
DVLP DURG THE DAY FRIDAY...BUT STILL GNRLY PS. ONSHORE FLO MEANS
COOLER AT COAST FRI.
&&
.LONG TERM (FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY)...
OLD FRNTL BNDRY WASHES OUT JUST S AND E OF OUR AREA...THEN A NEW
COLD FONT APPCHS FOR SUNDAY AND SUNDAY NGT. GDNC STILL SUGG NRN
STREAM UPR TROF WL AMPLIFY A BIT MORE THN PAST UPR TROFS...SO SOME
COOLING MON AND TUE...WTH SOME MODERATION WED AS UPR TROF LIFTS
OUT. INTERESTING PATN EVOLUTION PSBL BEYOND DAY 5 AS NRN STREAM
PORTION OF +PNA ESSENTIALLY GONE...ALTHO SRN STREAM PORTION OF +PNA
MAY CONT TO BATTLE THE NRN STREAM NRN PACIFIC AND WRN N AMERICA
TROF. OF COURSE IVAN STILL NEEDS TO BE WATCHED.
&&
.AVIATION...
CONTD MVFR/IFR CONDS FOR CIGS AND VSBY IN SHRA/TSTMS INTO TNGT.
IMPROVING CONDS TMRW.
&&
.MARINE...CONDS HV INCRSD TO SCA OVR MANY AREAS...AND WL INCRS TO
SCA IN AREAS THAT HVNT ALRDY. CONDS DMNSHG TMRW AND TMRW NGT.
&&
.AKQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MD...NONE.
NC...TORNADO WATCH FOR ZONES NCZ012-013-030 UNTIL 7 PM EDT.
VA...TORNADO WATCH FOR ZONES VAZ049-062>064-067>076-079>083-
087>090-092 UNTIL 7 PM EDT.
...FLOOD WATCH FOR ZONES VAZ048-049-060>062-065>069 TONIGHT.
MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FENWICK ISLAND TO CURRITUCK BEACH
LIGHT AND CHES BAY S OF SMITH PT...AND CURRITUCK SOUND.
&&
SHORT TERM/LONG TERM...NS
AVIATION...MALOIT
MARINE...MALOITHazardous weather outlook, Sep 8, 6:55 AM EDT, 12 hours 13 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA 655 AM EDT WED SEP 08 2004 MDZ021>025-NCZ012>017-030>032-102-VAZ048-049-060>100-090900- ACCOMACK VA-AMELIA VA-BERTIE NC-BRUNSWICK VA-CAMDEN NC-CAROLINE VA- CHARLES CITY VA-CHESAPEAKE VA-CHESTERFIELD VA-CHOWAN NC- CUMBERLAND VA-DINWIDDIE VA-DORCHESTER MD-EASTERN CURRITUCK NC- ESSEX VA-FLUVANNA VA-GATES NC-GLOUCESTER VA-GOOCHLAND VA- GREENSVILLE VA-HANOVER VA-HENRICO VA-HERTFORD NC-INLAND WORCESTER MD- ISLE OF WIGHT VA-JAMES CITY VA-KING AND QUEEN VA-KING WILLIAM VA- LANCASTER VA-LOUISA VA-LUNENBURG VA-MARYLAND BEACHES MD-MATHEWS VA- MECKLENBURG VA-MIDDLESEX VA-NEW KENT VA-NEWPORT NEWS/HAMPTON VA- NORFOLK/PORTSMOUTH VA-NORTHAMPTON VA-NORTHAMPTON NC- NORTHUMBERLAND VA-NOTTOWAY VA-PASQUOTANK NC-PERQUIMANS NC- POWHATAN VA-PRINCE EDWARD VA-PRINCE GEORGE VA-RICHMOND VA- SOMERSET MD-SOUTHAMPTON VA-SUFFOLK VA-SURRY VA-SUSSEX VA- VIRGINIA BEACH VA-WESTERN CURRITUCK NC-WESTMORELAND VA-WICOMICO MD- YORK VA- 655 AM EDT WED SEP 08 2004 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL AND EASTERN VIRGINIA... NORTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA AND THE EASTERN MARYLAND SHORE. .DAY ONE...TODAY... RAIN FROM THE REMNANTS OF TROPICAL DEPRESSION FRANCES WILL CONTINUE TO OVERSPREAD THE REGION TODAY AND LINGER THROUGH TONIGHT. LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING WILL BE POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY WEST OF I-95 WHERE A FLOOD WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED. REFER TO THE LATEST WBCFFAAKQ FOR DETAILS. IN ADDITION...ISOLATED TORNADOES WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH SOME OF THESE RAIN BANDS...MAINLY WEST OF I-95. MEANWHILE...THE RUNOFF MAY CAUSE SOME RIVERS AND STREAMS TO RISE TO NEAR OR ABOVE FLOOD STAGE BY LATE IN THE WEEK AND POSSIBLY CONTINUE THROUGH NEXT WEEKEND. IN THE MEANTIME...RIVER FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES ALONG THE CHOWAN BASIN AT SEBRELL. SEE WBCFLSAKQ FOR DETAILS. FINALLY...A MODERATE RISK FOR RIP CURRENTS CONTINUES ALONG THE MID ATLANTIC COASTS...RESULTING FROM CONTINUED SOUTHEASTERLY SWELLS. REFER TO WBCSPSAKQ AND WBCSRFAKQ FOR DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN... NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED. && HURLEY THIS PRODUCT...ALONG WITH OTHER WATCHES...WARNINGS...ADVISORIES...AND STATEMENTS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN WAKEFIELD, VA CAN BE FOUND ON THE INTERNET AT THE FOLLOWING (LOWER CASE): HTTP://WWW.ERH.NOAA.GOV/AKQ. HURLEY
In the hours before
Local storm report, Sep 8, 5:42 PM EDT, 1 hour 26 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
542 PM EDT WED SEP 08 2004
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0525 PM TSTM WND DMG PALMYRA 37.86N 78.26W
09/08/2004 FLUVANNA VA LAW ENFORCEMENT
TREES DOWN HAISLIP RD
&&
CYLocal storm report, Sep 8, 5:59 PM EDT, 1 hour 9 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
559 PM EDT WED SEP 08 2004
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0535 PM FUNNEL CLOUD PALMYRA 37.86N 78.26W
09/08/2004 FLUVANNA VA LAW ENFORCEMENT
SEVERAL CIIZEN REPORTS OF FUNNEL CLOUDS
&&
CYLocal storm report, Sep 8, 6:01 PM EDT, 1 hour 7 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
601 PM EDT WED SEP 08 2004
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0535 PM TORNADO PALMYRA 37.86N 78.26W
09/08/2004 FLUVANNA VA LAW ENFORCEMENT
POSSIBLE TORNADO DAMAGE TO HOME
&&
CYLocal storm report, Sep 8, 6:46 PM EDT, 22 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
646 PM EDT WED SEP 08 2004
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0626 PM TORNADO TRUXILLO 37.37N 78.04W
09/08/2004 AMELIA VA FIRE DEPT/RESCUE
POSSIBLE TORNADO...TREE TOPS TWISTED OFF AT INTERSECTON
OF ROUTES 639 AND 681.
&&
CYSpecial weather statement, Sep 8, 6:49 PM EDT, 19 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA 649 PM EDT WED SEP 8 2004 VAZ049-062-063-069-082315- GOOCHLAND VA-HANOVER VA-LOUISA VA-POWHATAN VA- 649 PM EDT WED SEP 8 2004 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORM MOVING INTO EASTERN GOOCHLAND COUNTY... AT 649 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 6 MILES SOUTHEAST OF GOOCHLAND...MOVING NORTH AT 35 MPH. THE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR OILVILLE...AND... JOHNSONS SPRINGS AT 655 PM EDT...VONTAY...AND...DABNEYS AT 705 PM EDT...MABELTON...AND...MONTPELIER AT 710 PM EDT...LOCUST CREEK AT 715 PM EDT. WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH AND FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. RAINFALL RATES OF 1 TO 2 INCHES PER HOUR WILL CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS AND POSSIBLE LOCALIZED FLOODING IN LOW LYING AREAS. MALOIT
Local storm report, Sep 8, 7:06 PM EDT, 2 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
706 PM EDT WED SEP 08 2004
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0650 PM TORNADO CHESTERFIELD 37.38N 77.51W
09/08/2004 CHESTERFIELD VA PUBLIC
POSSIBLE TORNADO WOODLAKE SUBDIVISION NEAR RTE 288 AND
RTE 360
&&
CYThe office that day
Everything else NWS Wakefield, VA issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 8, 9:01 AM EDT | Tornado Warning | AKQ | Greensville, Southampton, City of Emporia | 29 min |
| Sep 8, 10:18 AM EDT | Tornado Warning | AKQ | Dinwiddie | 12 min |
| Sep 8, 10:30 AM EDT | Tornado Warning | AKQ | Dinwiddie | 15 min |
| Sep 8, 2:05 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | AKQ | King William | 25 min |
| Sep 8, 2:23 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | AKQ | Hanover | 22 min |
| Sep 8, 3:23 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | AKQ | Caroline | 22 min |
| Sep 8, 5:23 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | AKQ | Amelia, Nottoway | 22 min |
| Sep 8, 5:32 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | AKQ | Fluvanna | 28 min |
| Sep 8, 5:45 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | AKQ | Amelia | 15 min |
| Sep 8, 5:55 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | AKQ | Louisa | 35 min |
| Sep 8, 6:14 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | AKQ | Amelia, Chesterfield | 16 min |
| Sep 8, 6:26 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | AKQ | Amelia, Powhatan | 34 min |
| Sep 8, 6:33 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | AKQ | Chesterfield | 42 min |
| Sep 8, 7:10 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | AKQ | Dinwiddie | 35 min |
| Sep 8, 7:42 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | AKQ | Chesterfield | 33 min |
Nearby
Tornado Warnings in Virginia, 2004Every tornado warning in 2004Tornadoes in 2004
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.