Alert archive / Virginia / Tornado Warnings in 2008

Tornado Warning 9, NWS Blacksburg, VA

May 8, 2008Franklin County, Henry County, Patrick County, Virginia

NWS Blacksburg, VA issued this tornado warning at May 8, 2008, 8:45 PM EDT for Franklin County, Henry County, Patrick County, Virginia. It was in force for 30 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 8, 2008, 8:45 PM EDT (00:45 UTC)
Expired
May 8, 2008, 9:15 PM EDT
In force
30 min
Issued by
NWS Blacksburg, VA
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Franklin County, VA, Henry County, VA, Patrick County, VA

The radar

The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 31 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:47 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.

The watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
May 8, 6:48 PM EDTTornado WatchSPC9 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Roanoke, VA (KRNK), launched 00:00Z, 0.8 hours before the alert went out and 75 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, Roanoke, VA at 00:00Z on 2008-05-09Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 196 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Roanoke, VA at 00:00Z on 2008-05-09The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 98 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
196 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-10 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1306 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
38 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
98 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
288 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.2
Supercell composite
1.6

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WFUS51 KRNK 090046
TORRNK
VAC067-089-141-090115-
/O.NEW.KRNK.TO.W.0009.080509T0046Z-080509T0115Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
845 PM EDT THU MAY 8 2008

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BLACKSBURG HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  EASTERN PATRICK COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA
  SOUTHWESTERN FRANKLIN COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL VIRGINIA
  NORTHWESTERN HENRY COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL VIRGINIA

* UNTIL 915 PM EDT.

* AT 843 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO NEAR STUART...
  MOVING NORTHEAST AT 24 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  STUART...
  BUFFALO RIDGE...
  CRITZ...
  SANVILLE...
  PHILPOTT DAM...

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.

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

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 100 AM EDT FRIDAY MORNING FOR
NORTHWESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND SOUTHWESTERN VIRGINIA AND SOUTHEAST
WEST VIRGINIA.

LAT...LON 3693 8005 3672 7990 3655 8031 3671 8042
TIME...MOT...LOC 0046Z 242DEG 21KT 3668 8026

$$

JDS
1 follow-up statement
000 
WWUS51 KRNK 090109
SVSRNK

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
908 PM EDT THU MAY 8 2008

VAC067-089-141-090115-
/O.CON.KRNK.TO.W.0009.000000T0000Z-080509T0115Z/
PATRICK VA-FRANKLIN VA-HENRY VA-
908 PM EDT THU MAY 8 2008

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 915 PM EDT FOR
NORTHWESTERN HENRY...SOUTHWESTERN FRANKLIN AND EASTERN PATRICK
COUNTIES...

AT 904 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR SANVILLE...OR 9
MILES SOUTHEAST OF WOOLWINE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 24 MPH.

OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO FAIRY
STONE STATE PARK...PHILPOTT DAM...STANLEYTOWN...COLLINSVILLE AND
BASSETT.

A SECOND WEAKER ROTATING STORM WAS LOCATED ABOUT 2 MILES SOUTH OF 
STUART MOVING NORTHEAST AT 24 MPH. THIS STORM COULD STRENGTHEN OVER 
THE NEXT FEW MINUTES.

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.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 100 AM EDT FRIDAY MORNING FOR
NORTHWESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND SOUTHWESTERN VIRGINIA AND SOUTHEAST
WEST VIRGINIA.

LAT...LON 3693 8005 3672 7990 3655 8031 3671 8042
TIME...MOT...LOC 0108Z 242DEG 21KT 3674 8012

$$

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 8, 8:03 PM EDTTornado WarningRNKCarroll, Floyd, Patrick42 min
May 8, 8:07 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKCraig30 min
May 8, 8:20 PM EDTTornado WarningRNKPatrick40 min
May 8, 8:44 PM EDTTornado WarningRNKBedford, Campbell, Franklin, Pittsylvania46 min
May 8, 9:02 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKAmherst, Bedford, Botetourt, Roanoke, Rockbridge, City of Buena Vista and 2 more58 min
May 8, 9:16 PM EDTTornado WarningRNKCampbell, Charlotte, Halifax, Pittsylvania59 min
May 8, 9:25 PM EDTTornado WarningRNKFranklin, Henry, Pittsylvania50 min
May 8, 9:45 PM EDTTornado WarningRNKHenry, Patrick, City of Martinsville45 min
May 8, 9:48 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKPatrick57 min
May 8, 9:56 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKAmherst23 min
May 8, 10:14 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKPittsylvania61 min
May 8, 10:15 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRNKHenry, City of Martinsville6 hr
May 8, 10:22 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKHenry53 min
May 8, 10:30 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKHenry, City of Martinsville23 min
May 8, 10:42 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRNKCampbell, Pittsylvania6 hr
May 8, 11:05 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKCampbell, Charlotte, Halifax55 min
May 8, 11:15 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKCharlotte, Halifax, Pittsylvania90 min
May 9, 12:22 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningRNKFranklin, Henry, Pittsylvania6 hr
May 9, 12:39 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningRNKAppomattox, Campbell6 hr
May 9, 12:50 AM EDTFlash Flood WatchRNKAmherst, Appomattox, Bedford, Buckingham, Campbell, Charlotte and 8 more4 hr
May 9, 1:14 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningRNKHenry, Patrick6 hr
May 9, 1:54 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKCharlotte, Halifax61 min
May 9, 2:00 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningRNKHenry, Pittsylvania, City of Danville6 hr
May 9, 3:55 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningRNKHenry, City of Martinsville6 hr
May 9, 5:15 AM EDTAreal Flood WarningRNKCampbell, Pittsylvania5 hr
May 9, 6:09 AM EDTAreal Flood WarningRNKFranklin, Henry, Pittsylvania4 hr
May 9, 6:15 AM EDTAreal Flood WarningRNKAppomattox, Campbell4 hr
May 9, 6:45 AM EDTAreal Flood WarningRNKHenry, Patrick6 hr
May 9, 7:10 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningRNKHenry, Pittsylvania, City of Danville6 hr
May 9, 10:04 AM EDTRiver Flood WarningRNKPittsylvania, City of Danville26 hr
May 9, 10:04 AM EDTRiver Flood WarningRNKHalifax36 hr
May 9, 10:04 AM EDTRiver Flood WarningRNKHalifax54 hr
May 9, 6:14 PM EDTRiver Flood WarningRNKCharlotte, Halifax10 hr

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Virginia, 2008Every tornado warning in 2008Tornadoes in 2008

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.