Alert archive / Virginia / Tornado Warnings in 2011

Tornado Warning 10, NWS Blacksburg, VA

April 9, 2011Smyth County, Virginia

NWS Blacksburg, VA issued this tornado warning at Apr 9, 2011, 2:56 PM EDT for Smyth County, Virginia. It was in force for 34 min. 5 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 9, 2011, 2:56 PM EDT (18:56 UTC)
Expired
Apr 9, 2011, 3:30 PM EDT
In force
34 min
Issued by
NWS Blacksburg, VA
Area
Storm-based polygon

County Smyth County, VA

The radar

The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 121 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 18:57 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.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Apr 9, 3:10 PM EDTHAIL 13 Ene Chilhowie, VA
Apr 9, 3:15 PM EDTHAIL 1.55 E Chilhowie, VA
Apr 9, 3:20 PM EDTHAIL 1Marion, VABEGAN FALLING 320 PM...STILL FALLING AT 325 PM
Apr 9, 3:25 PM EDTHAIL 15 Sw Marion, VA
Apr 9, 3:30 PM EDTHAIL 1Marion, VANEAR INTERSECTION OF HWY 16 AND I-81

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 9, 12:34 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC4 hr
Apr 9, 2:00 PM EDTTornado WatchSPC7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC (KGSO), launched 12:00Z, 6.9 hours before the alert went out and 173 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, Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC at 12:00Z on 2011-04-09Temperature 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, Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC at 12:00Z on 2011-04-09The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 169 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
704 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
55 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
169 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
256 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.

136 
WFUS51 KRNK 091856
TORRNK
VAC173-091930-
/O.NEW.KRNK.TO.W.0010.110409T1856Z-110409T1930Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
256 PM EDT SAT APR 9 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BLACKSBURG HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  WESTERN SMYTH COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA

* UNTIL 330 PM EDT.

* AT 252 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 8 MILES
  SOUTHWEST OF QUARRY...OR 8 MILES NORTHEAST OF ABINGDON...MOVING
  EAST AT 40 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  CHILHOWIE...
  ADWOLF...
  MARION...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

WHEN A TORNADO WARNING IS ISSUED BASED ON DOPPLER RADAR...IT MEANS
THAT STRONG ROTATION HAS BEEN DETECTED IN THE STORM. A TORNADO MAY
ALREADY BE ON THE GROUND...OR IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP SHORTLY. IF YOU
ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS DANGEROUS STORM...MOVE INDOORS AND TO THE
LOWEST LEVEL OF THE BUILDING. STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. IF DRIVING...DO
NOT SEEK SHELTER UNDER A HIGHWAY OVERPASS.

WHEN IT IS SAFE TO DO SO...PLEASE RELAY YOUR SEVERE WEATHER REPORTS
TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BY CALLING TOLL FREE AT...1...8 6
6...2 1 5...4 3 2 4.

&&

LAT...LON 3692 8146 3672 8146 3671 8151 3671 8167
      3679 8170 3687 8179 3688 8179
TIME...MOT...LOC 1856Z 267DEG 36KT 3680 8183

$$

DS
2 follow-up statements
763 
WWUS51 KRNK 091905
SVSRNK

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
305 PM EDT SAT APR 9 2011

VAC173-091930-
/O.CON.KRNK.TO.W.0010.000000T0000Z-110409T1930Z/
SMYTH VA-
305 PM EDT SAT APR 9 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 330 PM EDT FOR CENTRAL
SMYTH COUNTY...

AT 301 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR QUARRY...OR NEAR
CHILHOWIE...MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  QUARRY...
  CHILHOWIE...
  ADWOLF...
  MARION...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

IF YOU ARE CAUGHT OUTSIDE...SEEK SHELTER IN A NEARBY REINFORCED
BUILDING. AS A LAST RESORT...SEEK SHELTER IN A CULVERT...DITCH OR LOW
SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

&&

LAT...LON 3692 8146 3672 8146 3671 8151 3671 8167
      3679 8170 3687 8179 3688 8179
TIME...MOT...LOC 1905Z 269DEG 38KT 3679 8172

$$

DS
588 
WWUS51 KRNK 091923
SVSRNK

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
323 PM EDT SAT APR 9 2011

VAC173-091930-
/O.CON.KRNK.TO.W.0010.000000T0000Z-110409T1930Z/
SMYTH VA-
323 PM EDT SAT APR 9 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 330 PM EDT FOR CENTRAL
SMYTH COUNTY...

AT 320 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR THOMAS BRIDGE...OR
NEAR MARION...MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  MARION...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

IF YOU ARE CAUGHT OUTSIDE...SEEK SHELTER IN A NEARBY REINFORCED
BUILDING. AS A LAST RESORT...SEEK SHELTER IN A CULVERT...DITCH OR LOW
SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

&&

LAT...LON 3672 8158 3678 8160 3685 8156 3688 8146
      3672 8146 3671 8151
TIME...MOT...LOC 1923Z 269DEG 38KT 3679 8148

$$

DS

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 8, 8:03 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKPittsylvania27 min
Apr 8, 8:29 PM EDTTornado WarningRNKPatrick31 min
Apr 8, 8:30 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKHenry, Patrick30 min
Apr 8, 9:00 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKHenry41 min
Apr 8, 9:29 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKBland, Giles31 min
Apr 8, 9:50 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKGiles, Montgomery, Pulaski, City of Radford25 min
Apr 8, 9:58 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKBland, Pulaski, Wythe32 min
Apr 8, 10:00 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKBland30 min
Apr 8, 10:15 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKFloyd, Montgomery, Pulaski30 min
Apr 8, 10:29 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKBland, Wythe14 min
Apr 8, 10:37 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKCarroll, Floyd, Pulaski23 min
Apr 8, 10:52 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKHenry, City of Martinsville38 min
Apr 8, 10:59 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKCarroll, Floyd, Patrick31 min
Apr 8, 11:11 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKBland, Smyth, Tazewell, Wythe49 min
Apr 8, 11:24 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKHenry36 min
Apr 9, 12:00 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKBland, Carroll, Grayson, Smyth, Wythe30 min
Apr 9, 12:27 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKCarroll, Grayson, Wythe, City of Galax48 min
Apr 9, 12:56 AM EDTTornado WarningRNKCarroll, Grayson34 min
Apr 9, 2:22 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKSmyth53 min
Apr 9, 2:34 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKGrayson, Smyth41 min
Apr 9, 2:50 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKCarroll, Grayson, Smyth, Wythe85 min
Apr 9, 3:18 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKBland, Smyth, Tazewell, Wythe57 min
Apr 9, 3:23 PM EDTTornado WarningRNKGrayson, Smyth22 min
Apr 9, 3:42 PM EDTTornado WarningRNKGrayson33 min
Apr 9, 3:47 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKCarroll, Patrick58 min
Apr 9, 4:15 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKCarroll, Floyd, Patrick, City of Galax35 min
Apr 9, 4:29 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKBland, Tazewell61 min
Apr 9, 4:58 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKGrayson, Smyth, Wythe32 min
Apr 9, 5:09 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKGiles, Pulaski, City of Radford66 min
Apr 9, 5:11 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKGrayson, Smyth49 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.