Alert archive / Virginia / Tornado Warnings in 2011

Tornado Warning 21, NWS Wakefield, VA

April 16, 20115 counties in Virginia

NWS Wakefield, VA issued this tornado warning at Apr 16, 2011, 7:25 PM EDT for 5 counties in Virginia. It was in force for 35 min. 2 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Apr 16, 2011, 7:25 PM EDT (23:25 UTC)
Expired
Apr 16, 2011, 8:00 PM EDT
In force
35 min
Issued by
NWS Wakefield, VA
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties City of Hampton, VA, City of Newport News, VA, City of Poquoson, VA, Isle of Wight County, VA, York County, VA

The radar

The Norfolk radar (KAKQ), 36 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:27 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.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Apr 16, 7:27 PM EDTTORNADO1 Sw Isle Of Wight, VANWS STORM SURVEY DETERMINED DAMAGE CONSISTENT WITH AN EF-2 TORNADO IN ISLE OF WIGHT COUNTY. THE TORNADO DAMAGE WAS ALONG A NEARLY CONTINUOUS DAMAGE PATH FROM EAST OF WALTERS TO JUST WEST-NORTHWEST OF WINDSOR. A PRELIMINARY PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT...INCLUD
Apr 16, 7:30 PM EDTTORNADOSmithfield, VAHOUSE DAMAGED...TREES KNOCKED DOWN PARTIALLY DEFOLIATED.

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

The watch it was issued in

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

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Apr 16, 12:02 PM EDTTornado Watch PDSSPC11 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Wallops Is Stn, VA (KWAL), launched 12:00Z, 11.4 hours before the alert went out and 151 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 12:00Z on 2011-04-16Temperature 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°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Wallops Is Stn, VA at 12:00Z on 2011-04-16The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 286 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
676 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
60 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
286 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
351 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.

627 
WFUS51 KAKQ 162325
TORAKQ
VAC093-199-650-700-735-170000-
/O.NEW.KAKQ.TO.W.0021.110416T2325Z-110417T0000Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
725 PM EDT SAT APR 16 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WAKEFIELD HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  ISLE OF WIGHT COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST VIRGINIA...
  SOUTHEASTERN YORK COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST VIRGINIA...
  WESTERN CITY OF HAMPTON IN SOUTHEAST VIRGINIA...
  CITY OF NEWPORT NEWS IN VIRGINIA...
  CITY OF POQUOSON IN VIRGINIA...

* UNTIL 800 PM EDT

* AT 723 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO. THIS DANGEROUS
  STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR ISLE OF WIGHT...OR NEAR WINDSOR...AND MOVING
  NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH.

* THIS DANGEROUS STORM WILL BE NEAR...
  SMITHFIELD AROUND 735 PM EDT.
  RESCUE AROUND 740 PM EDT.
  NEWPORT NEWS...BEACONSDALE AND FORT EUSTIS AROUND 745 PM EDT.
  TABB...PATRICK HENRY FIELD...DENBIGH AND NORTHAMPTON AROUND 750 PM
  EDT.
  GRAFTON...POQUOSON AND LANGLEY AFB AROUND 755 PM EDT.

OTHER LOCATIONS IMPACTED BY THIS DANGEROUS STORM INCLUDE LONGVIEW...
COMET...BENNS CHURCH...LAWSON...CARROLLTON...MOGARTS BEACH...
MENCHVILLE...HILTON VILLAGE...ORIANA AND OYSTER POINT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW. MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A
STURDY BUILDING. AVOID WINDOWS. IF IN A MOBILE HOME...A VEHICLE... OR
OUTDOORS...MOVE TO THE CLOSEST SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER AND PROTECT
YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.

MOTORISTS SHOULD NOT TAKE SHELTER UNDER HIGHWAY OVERPASSES. AS A LAST
RESORT...EITHER PARK YOUR VEHICLE AND STAY PUT...OR ABANDON YOUR
VEHICLE AND LIE DOWN IN A LOW LYING AREA.

HEAVY RAINFALL MAY OBSCURE THIS TORNADO. DO NOT WAIT TO SEE OR HEAR
THE TORNADO. TAKE COVER NOW.

&&

LAT...LON 3679 7670 3692 7683 3723 7651 3712 7628
TIME...MOT...LOC 2325Z 220DEG 43KT 3689 7672

$$

ALBRIGHT
1 follow-up statement
759 
WWUS51 KAKQ 162343
SVSAKQ

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
743 PM EDT SAT APR 16 2011

VAC650-162353-
/O.CAN.KAKQ.TO.W.0021.000000T0000Z-110417T0000Z/
CITY OF HAMPTON VA-
743 PM EDT SAT APR 16 2011

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR WESTERN CITY OF HAMPTON COUNTY IS
CANCELLED...

THE STORM WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS MOVED OUT OF THE WARNED 
AREA.

LAT...LON 3701 7660 3708 7666 3723 7651 3715 7635
TIME...MOT...LOC 2343Z 220DEG 43KT 3705 7655

$$

VAC093-199-700-735-170000-
/O.CON.KAKQ.TO.W.0021.000000T0000Z-110417T0000Z/
CITY OF POQUOSON VA-YORK VA-ISLE OF WIGHT VA-CITY OF NEWPORT NEWS VA-
743 PM EDT SAT APR 16 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR NORTHWESTERN CITY OF
NEWPORT NEWS...NORTHEASTERN ISLE OF WIGHT...SOUTHEASTERN YORK AND
NORTHWESTERN CITY OF POQUOSON COUNTIES UNTIL 800 PM EDT...

AT 740 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO.  THIS DANGEROUS
STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR RESCUE...OR NEAR SMITHFIELD...MOVING NORTHEAST
AT 50 MPH.

THIS DANGEROUS STORM WILL BE NEAR...
  TABB...PATRICK HENRY FIELD AND DENBIGH AROUND 750 PM EDT.
  GRAFTON AROUND 755 PM EDT.

OTHER LOCATIONS IMPACTED BY THIS DANGEROUS STORM INCLUDE ORIANA...
OYSTER POINT...NEWPORT NEWS GOLF COURSE...HARRIS GROVE...DARE AND
HORNSBYVILLE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW. MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A
STURDY BUILDING. AVOID WINDOWS. IF IN A MOBILE HOME...A VEHICLE OR
OUTDOORS...MOVE TO THE CLOSEST SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER AND PROTECT
YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.

MOTORISTS SHOULD NOT TAKE SHELTER UNDER HIGHWAY OVERPASSES. AS A LAST
RESORT... EITHER PARK YOUR VEHICLE AND STAY PUT...OR ABANDON YOUR
VEHICLE AND LIE DOWN IN A LOW LYING AREA.

HEAVY RAINFALL MAY OBSCURE THIS TORNADO. DO NOT WAIT TO SEE OR HEAR
THE TORNADO. TAKE COVER NOW.

&&

LAT...LON 3701 7660 3708 7666 3723 7651 3715 7635
TIME...MOT...LOC 2343Z 220DEG 43KT 3705 7655

$$

ALBRIGHT

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 15, 10:55 PM EDTCoastal Flood WatchAKQAccomack, Lancaster, Middlesex, Northumberland, Richmond, Westmoreland16 hr
Apr 16, 4:32 AM EDTHigh Surf AdvisoryAKQAccomack, Northampton19 hr
Apr 16, 7:05 AM EDTCoastal Flood AdvisoryAKQAccomack, Lancaster, Middlesex, Northumberland, Richmond, Westmoreland23 hr
Apr 16, 2:33 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementAKQLunenburg, Mecklenburg, Nottoway, Prince Edward42 min
Apr 16, 3:08 PM EDTTornado WarningAKQLunenburg, Mecklenburg37 min
Apr 16, 3:22 PM EDTTornado WarningAKQLunenburg, Mecklenburg23 min
Apr 16, 3:26 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQAmelia, Cumberland, Lunenburg, Nottoway, Powhatan, Prince Edward49 min
Apr 16, 3:43 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQAmelia, Brunswick, Dinwiddie, Lunenburg, Mecklenburg, Nottoway47 min
Apr 16, 3:44 PM EDTTornado WarningAKQBrunswick, Lunenburg, Nottoway31 min
Apr 16, 4:03 PM EDTTornado WarningAKQAmelia, Brunswick, Dinwiddie, Lunenburg, Nottoway27 min
Apr 16, 4:12 PM EDTTornado WarningAKQBrunswick, Lunenburg, Mecklenburg33 min
Apr 16, 4:23 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQAmelia, Brunswick, Chesterfield, Dinwiddie, Hanover, Henrico and 6 more52 min
Apr 16, 4:25 PM EDTTornado WarningAKQBrunswick, Mecklenburg35 min
Apr 16, 4:32 PM EDTTornado WarningAKQFluvanna, Goochland, Louisa28 min
Apr 16, 4:36 PM EDTTornado WarningAKQCharles City, Chesterfield, Dinwiddie, Henrico, Prince George, City of Colonial Heights and 2 more24 min
Apr 16, 4:48 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQLunenburg, Mecklenburg15 min
Apr 16, 4:56 PM EDTTornado WarningAKQCharles City, Chesterfield, Dinwiddie, Henrico, New Kent, Prince George and 3 more34 min
Apr 16, 5:01 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQBrunswick, Dinwiddie, Greensville, Sussex17 min
Apr 16, 5:12 PM EDTTornado WarningAKQBrunswick, Greensville33 min
Apr 16, 5:32 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQChesterfield, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico, Louisa, Powhatan28 min
Apr 16, 5:38 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQGreensville, Southampton, Sussex, City of Emporia22 min
Apr 16, 5:43 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQCharles City, Essex, Gloucester, James City, King and Queen, King William and 6 more47 min
Apr 16, 5:54 PM EDTTornado WarningAKQSouthampton, Sussex25 min
Apr 16, 5:55 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQCaroline, Hanover, Louisa14 min
Apr 16, 6:09 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQIsle of Wight, Southampton, Surry, Sussex37 min
Apr 16, 6:11 PM EDTTornado WarningAKQIsle of Wight, Southampton, Surry, Sussex34 min
Apr 16, 6:35 PM EDTTornado WarningAKQIsle of Wight, Southampton, City of Franklin, City of Suffolk25 min
Apr 16, 6:39 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQCharles City, Gloucester, Isle of Wight, James City, King and Queen, New Kent and 4 more36 min
Apr 16, 6:41 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQLancaster, Northumberland49 min
Apr 16, 6:54 PM EDTTornado WarningAKQGloucester, James City, Surry, York, City of Newport News24 min
Apr 16, 7:03 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQIsle of Wight, Southampton, York, City of Franklin, City of Hampton, City of Newport News and 1 more42 min
Apr 16, 7:12 PM EDTTornado WarningAKQGloucester, Lancaster, Mathews, Middlesex33 min
Apr 16, 7:17 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningAKQ43 min
Apr 16, 7:29 PM EDTTornado WarningAKQCity of Chesapeake, City of Suffolk31 min
Apr 16, 7:47 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQIsle of Wight, Southampton, City of Franklin, City of Suffolk28 min
Apr 16, 7:50 PM EDTTornado WarningAKQCity of Chesapeake, City of Norfolk, City of Virginia Beach25 min
Apr 16, 7:55 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningAKQ65 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Virginia, 2011Every tornado warning in 2011Tornadoes 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; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.