Alert archive / Virginia / Tornado Warnings in 2011

Tornado Warning 71, NWS Wakefield, VA

September 7, 20115 counties in Virginia

NWS Wakefield, VA issued this tornado warning at Sep 7, 2011, 5:56 PM EDT for 5 counties in Virginia. It was in force for 34 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 7, 2011, 5:56 PM EDT (21:56 UTC)
Expired
Sep 7, 2011, 6:30 PM EDT
In force
34 min
Issued by
NWS Wakefield, VA
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Essex County, VA, King and Queen County, VA, Lancaster County, VA, Middlesex County, VA, Richmond County, VA

The radar

The Norfolk radar (KAKQ), 104 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:57 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 nearest sounding before it

Wallops Is Stn, VA (KWAL), launched 12:00Z, 9.9 hours before the alert went out and 110 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 2011-09-07Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 482 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, Wallops Is Stn, VA at 12:00Z on 2011-09-07The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 26 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
482 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-78 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
779 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
12 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
26 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
22 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.

209 
WFUS51 KAKQ 072156
TORAKQ
VAC057-097-103-119-159-072230-
/O.NEW.KAKQ.TO.W.0071.110907T2156Z-110907T2230Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
556 PM EDT WED SEP 7 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WAKEFIELD HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHEASTERN ESSEX COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL VIRGINIA...
  CENTRAL KING AND QUEEN COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL VIRGINIA...
  EXTREME NORTHWESTERN LANCASTER COUNTY IN EASTERN VIRGINIA...
  NORTHWESTERN MIDDLESEX COUNTY IN EASTERN VIRGINIA...
  SOUTHEASTERN RICHMOND COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL VIRGINIA...

* UNTIL 630 PM EDT

* AT 552 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO. THIS DANGEROUS
  STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR MONTAGUE...OR 8 MILES WEST OF MORATTICO...
  AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

* THIS DANGEROUS STORM WILL BE NEAR...
  SHARPS AROUND 610 PM EDT.
  ROBLEY AROUND 615 PM EDT.
  FARNHAM AROUND 620 PM EDT.
  HAYNESVILLE AROUND 630 PM EDT.

OTHER LOCATIONS IMPACTED BY THIS DANGEROUS STORM INCLUDE BOWLERS
WHARF...TIDEWATER...DOWNING...WELLFORD...KENNARD...EMMERTON AND
MULCH.

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.

&&

LAT...LON 3793 7655 3790 7654 3772 7669 3776 7683
      3799 7675
TIME...MOT...LOC 2155Z 204DEG 20KT 3777 7674

$$

ZIMMERMAN
2 follow-up statements
163 
WWUS51 KAKQ 072209
SVSAKQ

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
609 PM EDT WED SEP 7 2011

VAC057-097-119-072219-
/O.CAN.KAKQ.TO.W.0071.000000T0000Z-110907T2230Z/
KING AND QUEEN VA-ESSEX VA-MIDDLESEX VA-
609 PM EDT WED SEP 7 2011

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHWESTERN MIDDLESEX...SOUTHEASTERN
ESSEX AND CENTRAL KING AND QUEEN COUNTIES IS CANCELLED...

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

LAT...LON 3793 7656 3790 7654 3780 7662 3779 7664
      3782 7673 3787 7677 3799 7675
TIME...MOT...LOC 2209Z 204DEG 20KT 3784 7670

$$

VAC159-072230-
/O.CON.KAKQ.TO.W.0071.000000T0000Z-110907T2230Z/
RICHMOND VA-
609 PM EDT WED SEP 7 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHEASTERN RICHMOND
COUNTY UNTIL 630 PM EDT...

AT 606 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO.  THIS DANGEROUS
STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR SHARPS...OR 6 MILES WEST OF MORATTICO...MOVING
NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

THIS DANGEROUS STORM WILL BE NEAR...
  ROBLEY AROUND 615 PM EDT.
  FARNHAM AROUND 620 PM EDT.
  HAYNESVILLE AROUND 630 PM EDT.

OTHER LOCATIONS IMPACTED BY THIS DANGEROUS STORM INCLUDE WELLFORD...
KENNARD...EMMERTON AND MULCH.

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.

&&

LAT...LON 3793 7656 3790 7654 3780 7662 3779 7664
      3782 7673 3787 7677 3799 7675
TIME...MOT...LOC 2209Z 204DEG 20KT 3784 7670

$$

ZIMMERMAN
693 
WWUS51 KAKQ 072227
SVSAKQ

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
627 PM EDT WED SEP 7 2011

VAC159-072237-
/O.EXP.KAKQ.TO.W.0071.000000T0000Z-110907T2230Z/
RICHMOND VA-
627 PM EDT WED SEP 7 2011

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN RICHMOND COUNTY WILL EXPIRE
AT 630 PM EDT...

THE STORM WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS WEAKENED BELOW SEVERE
LIMITS...AND NO LONGER POSES AN IMMEDIATE THREAT TO LIFE OR PROPERTY
FROM HAIL OR DAMAGING WINDS.

LAT...LON 3793 7656 3790 7654 3780 7662 3779 7664
      3782 7673 3787 7677 3799 7675
TIME...MOT...LOC 2227Z 204DEG 20KT 3793 7665

$$

ZIMMERMAN

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Sep 6, 8:07 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementAKQGloucester, Lancaster, Mathews, Middlesex, Northumberland, York and 3 more53 min
Sep 6, 8:16 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementAKQSouthampton, City of Franklin44 min
Sep 7, 7:26 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementAKQSussex, City of Colonial Heights, City of Hopewell, City of Petersburg, City of Richmond34 min
Sep 7, 9:07 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementAKQHenrico23 min
Sep 7, 9:09 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementAKQBrunswick, Dinwiddie, Greensville36 min
Sep 7, 9:28 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementAKQSouthampton, City of Franklin32 min
Sep 7, 10:27 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementAKQCharles City, Hanover, Henrico, Prince George, Southampton, Sussex and 5 more33 min
Sep 7, 10:47 AM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryAKQCaroline, Charles City, Chesterfield, Dinwiddie, Essex, Greensville and 13 more103 min
Sep 7, 12:42 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryAKQEssex, Gloucester, King and Queen, Lancaster, Middlesex, Northumberland and 2 more78 min
Sep 7, 4:03 PM EDTCoastal Flood AdvisoryAKQNorthumberland12 hr
Sep 7, 4:48 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementAKQDinwiddie42 min
Sep 7, 5:04 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementAKQEssex, King and Queen, King William, New Kent, Richmond56 min
Sep 7, 5:37 PM EDTTornado WarningAKQEssex, King and Queen, Middlesex, Richmond23 min
Sep 7, 6:30 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementAKQRichmond30 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.