Alert archive / West Virginia / Tornado Warnings in 2004

Tornado Warning 59, NWS Baltimore/Washington

September 17, 2004Berkeley County, Morgan County, West Virginia

NWS Baltimore/Washington issued this tornado warning at Sep 17, 2004, 6:06 PM EDT for Berkeley County, Morgan County, West Virginia. It was in force for 54 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 17, 2004, 6:06 PM EDT (22:06 UTC)
Expired: Sep 17, 2004, 7:00 PM EDT
In force: 54 min
Issued by: NWS Baltimore/Washington
Area: Counties, with a storm outline in the text

Counties Berkeley County, WV, Morgan County, WV

The radar

The Sterling radar (KLWX), 87 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:08 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 17, 3:50 PM EDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	4 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Washington/Dulle, VA (KIAD), launched 12:00Z, 10.1 hours before the alert went out and 95 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: 105 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -89 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 687 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 49 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 74 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 150 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 
WFUS51 KLWX 172206
TORLWX
WVC003-065-172300-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
606 PM EDT FRI SEP 17 2004

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STERLING VIRGINIA HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  BERKELEY COUNTY IN THE PANHANDLE OF WEST VIRGINIA
  MORGAN COUNTY IN THE PANHANDLE OF WEST VIRGINIA

* UNTIL 700 PM EDT

* AT 603 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WITH
  STRONG ROTATION 13 MILES SOUTHWEST OF INWOOD...MOVING NORTH AT 25
  MPH.

* SOME LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...INWOOD.

TORNADOES IN HILLY OR MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN ARE ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS -
TAKE COVER NOW YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO SEE OR HEAR THE TORNADO
COMING.

LAT...LON 3950 7840 3931 7808 3959 7792 3963 7838

$$

MANNING

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 17, 4:06 PM EDT, 2 hours earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 17, 4:06 PM EDT, 2 hours before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
406 PM EDT FRI SEP 17 2004

HONESTLY THIS HAS BEEN AN XTRMLY REACTIONARY SHIFT - HV SPENT MOST
OF DAY ISSUING PRODUCTS/GIVING BRIEFINGS/DOING INTERVIEWS. HVG BEEN
ON FOR THE PAST SVRL DAYS I HV AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE SYNOPTICS
BEHIND WHAT IS HAPPENING ATTM. XPCT WELL BE ISSUING MR TORS DURG
THE NEXT SVRL HRS. ALTHO WE HV NOT RCVD MUCH RAFL SO FAR STILL BLV
THAT IN TRPCL ENVIRONMENT LARGE AMTS OF RA COULD FALL IN SHORT AMT
OF TIME. WE HV DROPPED THE PSBL TOTALS TO 3-5.

IT LOOKS LK PCPN THREAT SHOULD BEGIN TO WANE IN THE NW SXN OF CWA
DURG SAT AFTN...BCMG BRZY AS WIND TURNS NRLY.

WOODY
&&

.LONG TERM (SAT NIGHT-FRI)

THERE WILL BE A TASTE OF FALL IN THE AIR EARLY NEXT WEEK AS CANADIAN
HIGH BUILDS IN. OVERNIGHT TEMPS EARLY NEXT WEEK WILL DROP INTO THE
40S IN SOME SPOTS OUT WEST WITH 50S MORE COMMON EAST. SKIES EXPECTED
TO CLEAR RAPIDLY SAT NIGHT AS MUCH DRIER AIR ADVECTS IN GUSTY NRLY
WINDS. DONT HAVE ANY MENTION OF PRECIP IN THE EXTENDED. WILL ONLY
HAVE TO DEAL WITH ANY RIVER FLOODING THAT MAY BE ONGOING.

ROSA
&&

.LWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
DC...FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 800 PM EDT SATURDAY FOR ZONE DCZ001.

TORNADO WATCH UNTIL 800 PM EDT FRIDAY FOR ZONE DCC001.

MD...FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 800 PM EDT SATURDAY FOR ZONES MDZ002>007...
MDZ009>011...MDZ013>014...MDZ016>018.

TORNADO WATCH UNTIL 800 PM EDT FRIDAY FOR ZONES MDC003...MDC009...
MDC017...MDC031...MDC033...MDC037.

TORNADO WATCH UNTIL 800 PM EDT FRIDAY FOR ZONES MDC005...MDC013...
MDC021...MDC025...MDC027...MDC043.

VA...TORNADO WARNING UNTIL 415 PM EDT FRIDAY FOR ZONES VAC113...
VAC157.

FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 800 PM EDT SATURDAY FOR ZONES
VAZ021...VAZ025>031...VAZ036>042...VAZ050>057.

WV...FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 800 PM EDT SATURDAY FOR ZONES WVZ048>055.

&&

Hazardous weather outlook, Sep 17, 11:29 AM EDT, 6 hours 37 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
1129 AM EDT FRI SEP 17 2004

DCZ001-MDZ002>007-009>011-013-014-016>018-VAZ021-025>031-036>042-
050>057-WVZ048>055-180800-
ALBEMARLE VA-ALLEGANY MD-ANNE ARUNDEL MD-
ARLINGTON/FALLS CHURCH/ALEXANDRIA VA-AUGUSTA VA-BERKELEY WV-
CALVERT MD-CARROLL MD-CHARLES MD-CLARKE VA-CULPEPER VA-
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA DC-FAIRFAX VA-FAUQUIER VA-FREDERICK VA-
FREDERICK MD-GRANT WV-GREENE VA-HAMPSHIRE WV-HARDY WV-HARFORD MD-
HIGHLAND VA-HOWARD MD-JEFFERSON WV-KING GEORGE VA-LOUDOUN VA-
MADISON VA-MINERAL WV-MONTGOMERY MD-MORGAN WV-NELSON VA-
NORTHERN BALTIMORE MD-ORANGE VA-PAGE VA-PENDLETON WV-
PRINCE GEORGES MD-PRINCE WILLIAM/MANASSAS/MANASSAS PARK VA-
RAPPAHANNOCK VA-ROCKINGHAM VA-SHENANDOAH VA-SOUTHERN BALTIMORE MD-
SPOTSYLVANIA VA-ST. MARYS MD-STAFFORD VA-WARREN VA-WASHINGTON MD-
1129 AM EDT FRI SEP 17 2004

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR MARYLAND WEST OF THE CHESAPEAKE
BAY AND EAST OF GARRETT COUNTY...EASTERN WEST VIRGINIA...NORTHERN AND
CENTRAL VIRGINIA AND WASHINGTON DC.

.DAY ONE...
A FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR NORTHERN VIRGINIA...MARYLAND...THE
PANHANDLE OF WEST VIRGINIA...AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. RAINFALL
ASSOCIATED WITH THE REMNANTS OF IVAN WILL MOVE INTO THE AREA
THROUGH SATURDAY. TOTAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 3 TO 5 INCHES WILL BE
POSSIBLE. THIS COULD LEAD TO THE FLOODING OF LOW LYING AREAS...SMALL
STREAMS AND CREEKS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...
THE FLOOD WATCH WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT THROUGH SATURDAY. AS THE
RAIN CONTINUES...SIGNIFICANT RISES ON THE POTOMAC RIVER WILL BE
POSSIBLE...WITH SEVERAL LOCATIONS EXCEEDING FLOOD STAGE ON SUNDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Sep 17, 5:41 PM EDT, 25 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
541 PM EDT FRI SEP 17 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0540 PM     TORNADO          2 S MANASSAS            38.72N 77.49W
09/17/2004                   PRINCE WILLIAM     VA   AMATEUR RADIO

&&

CS

Local storm report, Sep 17, 5:45 PM EDT, 21 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
545 PM EDT FRI SEP 17 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0544 PM     TORNADO          2 S MANASSAS            38.72N 77.49W
09/17/2004                   PRINCE WILLIAM     VA   AMATEUR RADIO

&&

CS

Local storm report, Sep 17, 5:46 PM EDT, 20 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
546 PM EDT FRI SEP 17 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0546 PM     TORNADO          MIDDLETOWN              39.03N 78.28W
09/17/2004                   FREDERICK          VA   EMERGENCY MNGR

            WAYSTATION WAS HIT.

&&

CS

Local storm report, Sep 17, 5:52 PM EDT, 14 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
552 PM EDT FRI SEP 17 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0552 PM     TORNADO          HAMILTON                39.13N 77.66W
09/17/2004                   LOUDOUN            VA   EMERGENCY MNGR

            DAMAGE IN HAMILTON AND PURCELLVILLE.

&&

CS

Local storm report, Sep 17, 5:56 PM EDT, 10 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
556 PM EDT FRI SEP 17 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0556 PM     TORNADO          UNIONVILLE              38.26N 77.97W
09/17/2004                   ORANGE             VA   AMATEUR RADIO

            HUNDEREDS OF TREES DOWN. STRUCTURE DAMAGE.

&&

CS

Local storm report, Sep 17, 5:58 PM EDT, 8 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
558 PM EDT FRI SEP 17 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0555 PM     TORNADO          CENTREVILLE             38.85N 77.44W
09/17/2004                   FAIRFAX            VA   EMERGENCY MNGR

            1-66 AND ROUTE 28.

&&

CS

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Sep 17, 4:54 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LWX	Morgan	51 min
Sep 17, 5:04 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LWX	Berkeley	41 min
Sep 17, 5:19 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	LWX	Berkeley	41 min
Sep 17, 6:36 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	LWX	Hampshire	3 hr
Sep 17, 7:00 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	LWX	Jefferson	60 min
Sep 17, 7:03 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	LWX	Berkeley, Jefferson, Morgan	3 hr
Sep 17, 7:47 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	LWX	Berkeley	43 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in West Virginia, 2004 Every tornado warning in 2004 Tornadoes 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.