Alert archive / Virginia / Tornado Warnings in 2011

Tornado Warning 25, NWS Blacksburg, VA

April 27, 2011Pittsylvania County, Virginia

NWS Blacksburg, VA issued this tornado warning at Apr 27, 2011, 6:39 PM EDT for Pittsylvania County, Virginia. It was in force for 51 min. 4 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 27, 2011, 6:39 PM EDT (22:39 UTC)
Expired: Apr 27, 2011, 7:30 PM EDT
In force: 51 min
Issued by: NWS Blacksburg, VA
Area: Storm-based polygon

County Pittsylvania County, VA

The radar

The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 76 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:39 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

Time	Report	Where	Remark
Apr 27, 7:00 PM EDT	HAIL 1	Chatham, VA	ONE INCH HAIL
Apr 27, 7:13 PM EDT	HAIL 1	3 Ese Swansonville, VA	AT 541 WHITMELL SCHOOL ROAD
Apr 27, 7:25 PM EDT	HAIL 2	Dry Fork, VA
Apr 27, 7:30 PM EDT	HAIL 1	Chatham, 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.

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
Apr 27, 6:15 PM EDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Roanoke, VA (KRNK), launched 12:00Z, 10.7 hours before the alert went out and 44 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: 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.

600 
WFUS51 KRNK 272239
TORRNK
VAC143-272330-
/O.NEW.KRNK.TO.W.0025.110427T2239Z-110427T2330Z/

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

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BLACKSBURG HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL VIRGINIA

* UNTIL 730 PM EDT.

* AT 635 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO NEAR
  SWANSONVILLE...OR 7 MILES SOUTH OF CALLANDS...MOVING NORTHEAST AT
  40 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  SWANSONVILLE...
  CHATHAM...
  CHALK LEVEL...
  MT AIRY...

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 3671 7968 3675 7967 3709 7932 3691 7913
      3683 7915 3663 7959
TIME...MOT...LOC 2240Z 228DEG 34KT 3675 7954

$$

16

1 follow-up statement

371 
WWUS51 KRNK 272250
SVSRNK

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

VAC143-272330-
/O.CON.KRNK.TO.W.0025.000000T0000Z-110427T2330Z/
PITTSYLVANIA VA-
650 PM EDT WED APR 27 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 730 PM EDT FOR NORTHERN
PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY...

AT 648 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR CHATHAM...MOVING
NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  DRY FORK...
  CHATHAM...
  GRETNA...
  CHALK LEVEL...
  MT AIRY...

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 3672 7948 3681 7960 3709 7932 3691 7913
      3683 7915
TIME...MOT...LOC 2250Z 228DEG 34KT 3681 7945

$$

16

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Apr 27, 3:37 AM EDT	Wind Advisory	RNK	Bland, Smyth, Tazewell	20 hr
Apr 27, 1:27 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Henry, Patrick	63 min
Apr 27, 2:07 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Bedford, Franklin, Henry, Pittsylvania, City of Martinsville	38 min
Apr 27, 2:30 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Amherst, City of Lynchburg	45 min
Apr 27, 3:06 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Nelson	24 min
Apr 27, 3:36 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Buckingham	24 min
Apr 27, 4:49 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Pittsylvania	41 min
Apr 27, 4:56 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Bedford, Franklin, Henry, Pittsylvania	49 min
Apr 27, 5:22 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Henry, Patrick, City of Martinsville	53 min
Apr 27, 5:24 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Buckingham, Charlotte	35 min
Apr 27, 5:30 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Charlotte, Halifax	30 min
Apr 27, 5:39 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Appomattox, Campbell	51 min
Apr 27, 5:41 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Pittsylvania	34 min
Apr 27, 5:46 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Charlotte, Halifax	34 min
Apr 27, 5:53 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Amherst, Appomattox, Campbell, City of Lynchburg	37 min
Apr 27, 6:05 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Henry	40 min
Apr 27, 6:09 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	RNK	Henry, Pittsylvania, City of Martinsville	36 min
Apr 27, 6:30 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Appomattox, Buckingham	60 min
Apr 27, 6:30 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	RNK	Henry, Pittsylvania	30 min
Apr 27, 6:57 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Buckingham	29 min
Apr 27, 6:59 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	RNK	Henry, Pittsylvania	46 min
Apr 27, 7:24 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	RNK	Campbell, Charlotte, Halifax, Pittsylvania	51 min
Apr 27, 7:29 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Halifax, Pittsylvania, City of Danville	46 min
Apr 27, 7:35 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	RNK	Henry, Pittsylvania	40 min
Apr 27, 7:44 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Campbell, Charlotte, Halifax, Pittsylvania	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; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.