Alert archive / Virginia / Tornado Warnings in 2011

Tornado Warning 27, NWS Blacksburg, VA

April 27, 2011Henry County, Pittsylvania County, Virginia

NWS Blacksburg, VA issued this tornado warning at Apr 27, 2011, 6:59 PM EDT for Henry County, Pittsylvania County, Virginia. It was in force for 46 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 27, 2011, 6:59 PM EDT (22:59 UTC)
Expired
Apr 27, 2011, 7:45 PM EDT
In force
46 min
Issued by
NWS Blacksburg, VA
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Henry County, VA, Pittsylvania County, VA

The radar

The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 72 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:00 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, 7:00 PM EDTHAIL 1Chatham, VAONE INCH HAIL
Apr 27, 7:13 PM EDTHAIL 13 Ese Swansonville, VAAT 541 WHITMELL SCHOOL ROAD
Apr 27, 7:25 PM EDTHAIL 2Dry Fork, VA
Apr 27, 7:30 PM EDTHAIL 1Chatham, VA
Apr 27, 7:50 PM EDTHAIL 15 Ene Axton, 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, 6:15 PM EDTTornado WatchSPC6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Roanoke, VA (KRNK), launched 12:00Z, 11.0 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-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.

435 
WFUS51 KRNK 272259
TORRNK
VAC089-143-272345-
/O.NEW.KRNK.TO.W.0027.110427T2259Z-110427T2345Z/

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

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BLACKSBURG HAS ISSUED A

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

* UNTIL 745 PM EDT.

* AT 656 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO NEAR AIKEN
  SUMMIT...OR NEAR AXTON...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  SWANSONVILLE...
  CHATHAM...

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 3700 7949 3684 7921 3655 7964 3662 7976
TIME...MOT...LOC 2259Z 219DEG 37KT 3663 7965

$$

16
1 follow-up statement
413 
WWUS51 KRNK 272337
SVSRNK

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

VAC143-272345-
/O.CON.KRNK.TO.W.0027.000000T0000Z-110427T2345Z/
PITTSYLVANIA VA-
737 PM EDT WED APR 27 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 745 PM EDT FOR CENTRAL
PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY...

AT 735 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED 7 MILES NORTH OF
CHATHAM...OR NEAR GRETNA...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...

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 3674 7940 3679 7952 3697 7943 3684 7921
TIME...MOT...LOC 2338Z 219DEG 37KT 3694 7933

$$

NF

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 27, 3:37 AM EDTWind AdvisoryRNKBland, Smyth, Tazewell20 hr
Apr 27, 1:27 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKHenry, Patrick63 min
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, 5:22 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKHenry, Patrick, City of Martinsville53 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, 6:05 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKHenry40 min
Apr 27, 6:09 PM EDTTornado WarningRNKHenry, Pittsylvania, City of Martinsville36 min
Apr 27, 6:30 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKAppomattox, Buckingham60 min
Apr 27, 6:30 PM EDTTornado WarningRNKHenry, Pittsylvania30 min
Apr 27, 6:39 PM EDTTornado WarningRNKPittsylvania51 min
Apr 27, 6:57 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKBuckingham29 min
Apr 27, 7:24 PM EDTTornado WarningRNKCampbell, Charlotte, Halifax, Pittsylvania51 min
Apr 27, 7:29 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKHalifax, Pittsylvania, City of Danville46 min
Apr 27, 7:35 PM EDTTornado WarningRNKHenry, Pittsylvania40 min
Apr 27, 7:44 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKCampbell, Charlotte, Halifax, Pittsylvania46 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.