Alert archive / Virginia / Tornado Warnings in 2011

Tornado Warning 21, NWS Blacksburg, VA

April 26, 2011Franklin County, Virginia

NWS Blacksburg, VA issued this tornado warning at Apr 26, 2011, 7:08 PM EDT for Franklin County, 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 outline as issued.

The facts

Issued: Apr 26, 2011, 7:08 PM EDT (23:08 UTC)
Expired: Apr 26, 2011, 7:37 PM EDT
In force: 29 min
Issued by: NWS Blacksburg, VA
Area: Storm-based polygon

County Franklin County, VA

The radar

The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 29 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:12 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.

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
Apr 26, 2:09 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Roanoke, VA (KRNK), launched 12:00Z, 11.1 hours before the alert went out and 58 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 106 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -20 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 720 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 29 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 171 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 211 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.6

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

409 
WFUS51 KRNK 262308
TORRNK
VAC067-270000-
/O.NEW.KRNK.TO.W.0021.110426T2308Z-110427T0000Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
708 PM EDT TUE APR 26 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BLACKSBURG HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHWESTERN FRANKLIN COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL VIRGINIA

* UNTIL 800 PM EDT.

* AT 703 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 6 MILES
  SOUTHWEST OF FERRUM...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  FERRUM...
  SYDNORSVILLE...
  ROCKY MOUNT...
  SONTAG...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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.

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 3683 8008 3684 8007 3685 8010 3689 8013
      3703 7983 3688 7974 3682 8007
TIME...MOT...LOC 2308Z 243DEG 17KT 3686 8005

$$

16

2 follow-up statements

250 
WWUS51 KRNK 262321
SVSRNK

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
721 PM EDT TUE APR 26 2011

VAC067-270000-
/O.CON.KRNK.TO.W.0021.000000T0000Z-110427T0000Z/
FRANKLIN VA-
721 PM EDT TUE APR 26 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM EDT FOR CENTRAL
FRANKLIN COUNTY...

AT 720 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR FERRUM...MOVING
NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  FERRUM...
  SONTAG...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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.

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER...PLEASE CONTACT THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE IN BLACKSBURG AT...1...8 6 6...2 1 5...4 3 2 4...WHEN YOU CAN
DO SO SAFELY.

&&

LAT...LON 3687 8000 3693 8003 3698 7995 3703 7983
      3691 7976
TIME...MOT...LOC 2321Z 240DEG 21KT 3690 7996

$$

16

414 
WWUS51 KRNK 262337
SVSRNK

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
737 PM EDT TUE APR 26 2011

VAC067-262346-
/O.CAN.KRNK.TO.W.0021.000000T0000Z-110427T0000Z/
FRANKLIN VA-
737 PM EDT TUE APR 26 2011

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR CENTRAL FRANKLIN COUNTY IS CANCELLED...

THE TORNADO THREAT FOR THE WARNED AREA HAS ENDED AS ROTATION IN THE 
THUNDERSTORM WHICH TRIGGERED THE WARNING HAS DIMINISHED 
SIGNIFICANTLY.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...TV OR YOUR LOCAL NEW SOURCE FOR
THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION. REPORT ANY SEVERE WEATHER OR STORM
RELATED DAMAGE TO LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS AND ASK THEM TO
IMMEDIATELY RELAY THE REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN
BLACKSBURG.

LAT...LON 3687 8000 3693 8003 3698 7995 3703 7983
      3691 7976
TIME...MOT...LOC 2336Z 240DEG 21KT 3692 7985

$$

16

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Apr 26, 2:23 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	City of Buena Vista	37 min
Apr 26, 2:30 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Amherst, Bedford, Botetourt, Rockbridge, City of Buena Vista, City of Lexington	60 min
Apr 26, 3:46 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Halifax	29 min
Apr 26, 4:11 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Charlotte, Halifax	49 min
Apr 26, 5:02 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Carroll, Grayson	43 min
Apr 26, 5:19 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Amherst	41 min
Apr 26, 5:29 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Amherst	21 min
Apr 26, 5:32 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Floyd	58 min
Apr 26, 5:55 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Floyd	65 min
Apr 26, 6:04 PM EDT	Areal Flood Advisory	RNK	Floyd, Franklin, Montgomery, Roanoke, City of Roanoke, City of Salem	3 hr
Apr 26, 6:07 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	City of Danville	38 min
Apr 26, 6:31 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Carroll, Patrick	44 min
Apr 26, 6:38 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Campbell	67 min
Apr 26, 6:43 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Campbell, Pittsylvania, City of Lynchburg	47 min
Apr 26, 6:46 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Franklin	44 min
Apr 26, 6:56 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Franklin, Patrick	49 min
Apr 26, 7:04 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Amherst, Appomattox, Buckingham, Campbell, City of Lynchburg	41 min
Apr 26, 7:14 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Floyd	46 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Virginia, 2011 Every tornado warning in 2011 Tornadoes 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.