Alert archive / Virginia / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2011

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 241, NWS Wakefield, VA

December 7, 2011City of Chesapeake, City of Norfolk, City of Virginia Beach, Virginia

NWS Wakefield, VA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Dec 7, 2011, 8:31 PM EST for City of Chesapeake, City of Norfolk, City of Virginia Beach, 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 counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Dec 7, 2011, 8:31 PM EST (01:31 UTC)
Expired
Dec 7, 2011, 9:00 PM EST
In force
29 min
Issued by
NWS Wakefield, VA
Area
Storm-based polygon
Hail
0.75 in
Wind
70.0 mph

Counties City of Chesapeake, VA, City of Norfolk, VA, City of Virginia Beach, VA

The radar

The Norfolk radar (KAKQ), 76 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 01:34 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
Dec 7, 5:56 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC4 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Wallops Is Stn, VA (KWAL), launched 00:00Z, 1.5 hours before the alert went out and 147 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, Wallops Is Stn, VA at 00:00Z on 2011-12-08Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Wallops Is Stn, VA at 00:00Z on 2011-12-08The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 197 square meters per square second.1939587897117136Sfc1 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
1074 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
88 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
197 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
210 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

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 Wakefield, VA wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at Dec 7, 4:04 PM EST, 4 hours 27 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 7, 4:04 PM EST, 4 hours 27 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
404 PM EST WED DEC 7 2011

.SYNOPSIS...
A COLD FRONT WILL SLOWLY PUSH THROUGH THE REGION THIS EVENING AND
OVERNIGHT. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD IN FROM THE WEST ON THURSDAY
AND SETTLE TO THE NORTH OF THE AREA ON FRIDAY. A WEAK FRONT WILL
PUSH THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT...WITH HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING BACK INTO
THE MID ATLANTIC STATES OVER THE WEEKEND. THIS PATTERN WILL
MAINTAIN COOL AND DRY CONDITIONS ACROSS THE AREA.

&&

.NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM THURSDAY MORNING/...
LATEST WX ANALYSIS SHOWING SFC BOUNDARY/COLD FRONT NOW FINALLY
MAKING HEADWAY INTO NW PORTIONS OF THE CWA (WHERE TEMPERATURES
HAVE DROPPED INTO THE 50S). FARTHER SE IT REMAINS VERY WARM...PARTICULARLY
IN FAR SE VA/NE NC WHERE ITS IN THE MID 70S.

FOR THIS EVENING...LATEST FCST WILL CONTINUE THE TRENDS OF LESS
QPF FOR SE SECTIONS OF THE CWA...AMTS TONIGHT SHOULD BE 1-1.5' FAR
NW...TO LESS THAN .25" SE. NOT EVEN CONVINCED IT RAINS AT ALL ACRS
PORTIONS OF NE NC/EXTREME SE VA WITH THIS EVENT BUT WILL MAINTAIN
LIKELY POPS DURING A NARROW WINDOW OF 70% POPS LATER THIS EVENING.
LOOKING AT REGIONAL RADAR...A NARROW LINE OF CONVECTION IS PUSHING
THROUGH CENTRAL SC/NC...AND IF IT WERE TO HOLD TOGETHER IT WOULD
POTENTIALLY KEEP A LOW CHC FOR TSTMS ACRS FAR SE VA/NE NC THIS
EVENING. MORE LIKELY...WILL JUST SEE A BRIEF PERIOD OF STRONG
WINDS WITH THE WIND SHIFT FROM THE SSW TO N/NNW AS THE BOUNDARY
PUSHES THROUGH LATER THIS EVENING. HAVE ISSUED A WIND ADSY FOR THE
MD ZONES AS STRONG WINDS ALOFT WILL MIX DOWN AS THE SFC LOW
DEEPENS OFF THE COAST. ELSEWHERE DO NOT ANTICIPATE A LONG ENOUGH
PERIOD OF STRONG WINDS FOR AN ADSY...BUT WILL HIGHLIGHT WIND GUSTS
TO 40 MPH IN THE HWO...WITH A FEW SPS' POSSIBLY NEEDED LATER THIS
EVENING.

WHILE LATEST BUFR SOUNDINGS SHOW COLDER AIR RUSHING IN FROM THE
NW...AFTER ABOUT 04Z. THIS SYSTEM IS NOW WEAKER THAN PREVIOUSLY
ADVERTISED THOUGH SO SHOULD ONLY SEE A BRIEF POSSIBILITY FOR RA/SN
MIX OVER THE FAR NW PTNS OF THE FCST AREA TOWARDS MIDNIGHT. GIVEN
THE WARM BNDRY LAYER TEMPS (SFC TEMPS MID TO UPPER 30S)...WARM
GROUND...AND A FAIRLY QUICK DEPARTURE WITH THE DEEP LAYER
MSTR...DO NOT EXPECT MUCH MORE THAN THE FIRST FEW WET SNOWFLAKES
OF THE SEASON. MINS...LWR 30S NW...LWR 40S FAR SE. SKIES CLEAR LATE.

&&

.SHORT TERM /6 AM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH SATURDAY/...
SFC HIGH WILL BUILD IN RAPIDLY FROM THE WEST ON THU...LEADING TO
DIMINISHING WINDS AND SUNNY SKIES. COOL...WITH HIGHS IN THE MID-
UPR 40S N TO LWR 50S S. COLD AND CLEAR THU NIGHT...WITH LOWS IN
THE 20S TO LWR 30S. HIGHS FRI MAINLY LWR-MID 50S/UPR 50S S...WITH
SOME HIGH CLOUDS (AVERAGING OUT PARTLY CLOUDY). WEAK FRONT
REINFORCES COLDER AIR FOR SAT...BUT REMAINING DRY WITH HIGHS IN
THE MID-UPR 40S.

&&

.LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
MODIFIED ARCTIC AIRMASS OVERHEAD SUNDAY MOVES NE INTO NEW ENGLAND
EARLY NEXT WEEK. RESULT WILL BE DRY/COOL WX. BLO NRML TMPS TO
START THEN A SLOW WRMG TREND. LOWS SAT/SUN NITE IN THE 20S TO
L30S SERN CSTL SCTNS. HIGHS SUN M-U40S. HIGHS MON U40S-M50S.

HIGH PRS BUILDS INTO THE SRN US TUE. WEAK CDFRNT PROGGED TO CROSS
RGN TUE NITE WITH HIGH PRS RETURNING WED. LIMITED MOISTURE SEEN IN
MODELS ATTM...SO WILL KEEP A DRY FCST THRU PRD BUT INDCT SOME CLOUDS
ON TUE ALONG/AHEAD OF BNDRY. HIGHS TUE/WED 50-55. LOWS U20-M30S.

&&

.AVIATION /21Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/...
QUICK CHANGES IN FLYING CONDITIONS EXPECTED NEXT 18 HRS. GUSTY
S-SW WINDS BTWN 15-25KT IS BRINGING IN ENUF MSTR FOR MVFR CIGS
(BTWN 2-3K FT) THIS AFTRN. WDSPRD RAIN TO THE W IS SLOW TO APPRCH
AND HAVE PUSHED BACK THE STARTING TIME OF MOST PCPN UNTIL AFTR
00Z. EXCEPTION BEING AT RIC WHERE PCPN WILL OVRSPRD THE AIRFIELD
ARND 21Z...WITH A SVRL HR PRD OF IFR CNDTNS AND MDT RAIN ARND 00Z.
PCPN MORE CONVECTIVE IN NATURE ALONG COASTAL TAF SITES THIS EVE.
LEFT OUT CB AS CONFIDENCE RATHR LOW THAT ANY THUNDER WILL DVLP.
EVENT SHAPING UP TO BE ONE OF SHWRS WITH GUSTY WINDS IVOF FRONTAL
BNDRY.

NXT CONCERN WILL BE GUSTY W-NW WINDS BEHIND FROPA. LATEST 950MB WNDS/
LAPSE RATES ALONG WITH THE BOSTON TECHNIQUE SUGGESTS WIND GUSTS BTWN
30-35 KTS MOST AREAS...35-40 KTS ALONG THE ERN SHORE INCLUDING SBY.
THUS HAVE BUMPED UP THE GUSTS FOR A SVRL HR PRD FROM LATE THIS EVE
INTO THE ERLY AM HRS. NOT A WIND SHEAR CONCERN BUT MAYBE A CROSS WIND
ISSUE AT SOME AIRPORTS.

COLUMN RAPIDLY DRYS OUT RESULTING IN CLRG SKIES LATE TONITE BUT STILL
WITH GUSTY WINDS ALONG THE COAST. LIGHTER WINDS WITH SKC EXPECTED
AFTR 12Z. HIGH PRES PROVIDES VFR CONDITIONS THRU THE WEEKEND.

&&

.MARINE...
LTST DATA CONTINUES TO SPRT GUSTY WINDS AHEAD OF CDFRNT THIS EVENING
WITH EVEN STRONGER NW GUSTS FROM LATE EVENING THRU PRE-DWAN HRS. 950
MB WINDS/STEEPENING LAPSE RATES AND BOSTON TECHNIQUE ALL SPRT GUSTS
BTWN 35-40 KTS WITH GUSTS UP TO 45 KTS FOR A FEW HR PRD TONIGHT IVOF
BUOY 44009. THUS...GALE WRNGS WILL BE THE MAIN HEADLINE WITH THIS
FCST PACKAGE. WAVES/SEAS QUICKLY BUILD IN RESPONSE TO THE GUSTY WNDS.

CONDITIONS RAPIDLY IMPROVE THURSDAY. PRS GRDNT RELAXES AS HIGH PRS
BUILDS INTO THE AREA. MAY NEED A SVRL HR PRD OF "RAMP DOWN" SCA
HEADLINES THU MORN BEFORE CONDITIONS FALL BLO SCA LVLS.

NXT CHC FOR SCA HEADLINES COMES SAT AS ANTHR REINFORCING CAA SURGE
MOVES ACROSS THE WTRS.

&&

.HYDROLOGY...
LATEST TRENDS SUGGEST MINOR FLOODING MAY DEVELOP AT A FEW
SITES...INCLUDING RICHMOND WESTHAM BY LATE THU-FRI.

&&

.AKQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MD...WIND ADVISORY FROM 9 PM THIS EVENING TO 4 AM EST THURSDAY FOR
     MDZ021>025.
NC...NONE.
VA...WIND ADVISORY FROM 9 PM THIS EVENING TO 4 AM EST THURSDAY FOR
     VAZ099-100.
MARINE...GALE WARNING UNTIL 7 AM EST THURSDAY FOR ANZ630>634.
     GALE WARNING UNTIL 10 AM EST THURSDAY FOR ANZ650-652-654-656-
     658.

&&

SYNOPSIS...LKB
NEAR TERM...LKB
SHORT TERM...LKB
LONG TERM...MPR
AVIATION...MPR
MARINE...MPR
HYDROLOGY...AKQ
Hazardous weather outlook, Dec 7, 8:15 PM EST, 16 minutes before
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In the hours before

Special weather statement, Dec 7, 7:35 PM EST, 56 minutes before
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Local storm report, Dec 7, 7:43 PM EST, 48 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Dec 7, 7:58 PM EST, 33 minutes before
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Local storm report, Dec 7, 8:08 PM EST, 23 minutes before
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Local storm report, Dec 7, 8:20 PM EST, 11 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Dec 7, 8:20 PM EST, 11 minutes before
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The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Dec 7, 7:01 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQCharles City, Chesterfield, Hanover, Henrico, New Kent, Prince George and 2 more30 min
Dec 7, 7:05 PM ESTSpecial Weather StatementAKQPrince George, Southampton, Sussex, City of Emporia, City of Franklin, City of Petersburg25 min
Dec 7, 7:09 PM ESTAreal Flood AdvisoryAKQCaroline, Charles City, Chesterfield, Dinwiddie, Greensville, Hanover and 12 more51 min
Dec 7, 7:28 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQCharles City, Gloucester, James City, King and Queen, King William, Middlesex and 2 more47 min
Dec 7, 7:29 PM ESTSpecial Marine WarningAKQ91 min
Dec 7, 7:35 PM ESTSpecial Weather StatementAKQIsle of Wight, James City, Southampton, Surry, City of Franklin, City of Suffolk and 1 more25 min
Dec 7, 7:58 PM ESTSpecial Weather StatementAKQIsle of Wight, York, City of Chesapeake, City of Hampton, City of Newport News, City of Norfolk and 4 more32 min
Dec 7, 8:20 PM ESTSpecial Weather StatementAKQAccomack, Northampton40 min
Dec 7, 8:27 PM ESTSpecial Marine WarningAKQ63 min
Dec 7, 10:39 PM ESTRiver Flood WarningAKQFluvanna17 hr
Dec 8, 5:06 AM ESTRiver Flood WarningAKQChesterfield, Henrico, City of Richmond63 hr
Dec 8, 5:41 AM ESTSmall Craft AdvisoryAKQ13 hr
Dec 8, 12:51 PM ESTRiver Flood WarningAKQCity of Richmond46 hr

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Virginia, 2011Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2011

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.