Alert archive / Virginia / Tornado Warnings in 2011

Tornado Warning 23, NWS Blacksburg, VA

April 27, 2011Rockingham County, North Carolina; Henry County, Pittsylvania County, City of Martinsville, Virginia

NWS Blacksburg, VA issued this tornado warning at Apr 27, 2011, 6:09 PM EDT for Rockingham County, North Carolina; Henry County, Pittsylvania County, City of Martinsville, Virginia. It was in force for 36 min. 1 report 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 27, 2011, 6:09 PM EDT (22:09 UTC)
Expired
Apr 27, 2011, 6:45 PM EDT
In force
36 min
Issued by
NWS Blacksburg, VA
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Rockingham County, NC, City of Martinsville, VA, Henry County, VA, Pittsylvania County, VA

The radar

The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 62 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:09 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 27, 6:20 PM EDTHAIL 1.75Axton, VA

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 27, 1:23 PM EDTTornado WatchSPC5 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Roanoke, VA (KRNK), launched 12:00Z, 10.2 hours before the alert went out and 64 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, Roanoke, VA at 12:00Z on 2011-04-27Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 190 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, Roanoke, VA at 12:00Z on 2011-04-27The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 203 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
190 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-25 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
678 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
45 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
203 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
275 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.1
Supercell composite
1.3

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

735 
WFUS51 KRNK 272209
TORRNK
NCC157-VAC089-143-690-272245-
/O.NEW.KRNK.TO.W.0023.110427T2209Z-110427T2245Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
609 PM EDT WED APR 27 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BLACKSBURG HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  NORTHERN ROCKINGHAM COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA
  SOUTHWESTERN PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL VIRGINIA
  SOUTHEASTERN CITY OF MARTINSVILLE IN SOUTH CENTRAL VIRGINIA
  EASTERN HENRY COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL VIRGINIA

* UNTIL 645 PM EDT.

* AT 605 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO NEAR RIDGEWAY...
  MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  AXTON...
  SANDY RIVER...
  SWANSONVILLE...

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 3656 7995 3683 7967 3683 7966 3669 7946
      3648 7984
TIME...MOT...LOC 2210Z 227DEG 30KT 3662 7979

$$

16
1 follow-up statement
636 
WWUS51 KRNK 272223
SVSRNK

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
623 PM EDT WED APR 27 2011

VAC089-143-272245-
/O.CON.KRNK.TO.W.0023.000000T0000Z-110427T2245Z/
PITTSYLVANIA VA-HENRY VA-
623 PM EDT WED APR 27 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 645 PM EDT FOR
SOUTHEASTERN HENRY AND SOUTHWESTERN PITTSYLVANIA COUNTIES...

AT 622 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR AIKEN SUMMIT...OR
NEAR AXTON...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  AIKEN SUMMIT...
  SANDY RIVER...
  SWANSONVILLE...

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.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 200 AM EDT THURSDAY MORNING
FOR NORTH CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA AND SOUTHWESTERN VIRGINIA. A TORNADO
WATCH ALSO REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 100 AM EDT THURSDAY MORNING FOR
SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA.

&&

LAT...LON 3654 7974 3662 7982 3681 7964 3669 7946
      3660 7962
TIME...MOT...LOC 2223Z 232DEG 29KT 3663 7970

$$

16

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 27, 1:27 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKRockingham, Stokes, Surry, Yadkin63 min
Apr 27, 5:22 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKRockingham, Stokes53 min
Apr 27, 6:05 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKRockingham, Stokes40 min
Apr 27, 6:07 PM EDTTornado WarningRNKRockingham, Stokes23 min
Apr 27, 6:30 PM EDTTornado WarningRNKRockingham30 min
Apr 27, 6:55 PM EDTTornado WarningRNKRockingham50 min
Apr 27, 7:08 PM EDTTornado WarningRNKRockingham, Stokes37 min
Apr 27, 7:29 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKCaswell, Rockingham46 min
Apr 27, 7:35 PM EDTTornado WarningRNKRockingham40 min
Apr 27, 3:37 AM EDTWind AdvisoryRNKBland, Smyth, Tazewell20 hr
Apr 27, 2:07 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKBedford, Franklin, Henry, Pittsylvania, City of Martinsville38 min
Apr 27, 2:30 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKAmherst, City of Lynchburg45 min
Apr 27, 3:06 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKNelson24 min
Apr 27, 3:36 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKBuckingham24 min
Apr 27, 4:49 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKPittsylvania41 min
Apr 27, 4:56 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKBedford, Franklin, Henry, Pittsylvania49 min
Apr 27, 5:24 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKBuckingham, Charlotte35 min
Apr 27, 5:30 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKCharlotte, Halifax30 min
Apr 27, 5:39 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKAppomattox, Campbell51 min
Apr 27, 5:41 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKPittsylvania34 min
Apr 27, 5:46 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKCharlotte, Halifax34 min
Apr 27, 5:53 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKAmherst, Appomattox, Campbell, City of Lynchburg37 min
Apr 27, 6:30 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKAppomattox, Buckingham60 min
Apr 27, 6:39 PM EDTTornado WarningRNKPittsylvania51 min
Apr 27, 6:57 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKBuckingham29 min
Apr 27, 6:59 PM EDTTornado WarningRNKHenry, Pittsylvania46 min
Apr 27, 7:24 PM EDTTornado WarningRNKCampbell, Charlotte, Halifax, Pittsylvania51 min
Apr 27, 7:44 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKCampbell, Charlotte, Halifax, Pittsylvania46 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Virginia, 2011Tornado Warnings in North Carolina, 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.