Alert archive / Virginia / Tornado Warnings in 2011

Tornado Warning 6, NWS Blacksburg, VA

April 8, 2011Carroll County, Floyd County, Pulaski County, Virginia

NWS Blacksburg, VA issued this tornado warning at Apr 8, 2011, 7:32 PM EDT for Carroll County, Floyd County, Pulaski County, Virginia. It was in force for 28 min. 7 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 8, 2011, 7:32 PM EDT (23:32 UTC)
Expired
Apr 8, 2011, 8:00 PM EDT
In force
28 min
Issued by
NWS Blacksburg, VA
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Carroll County, VA, Floyd County, VA, Pulaski County, VA

The radar

The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 40 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:33 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 8, 7:35 PM EDTTSTM WND DMGPulaski, VALARGE OAK TREE UPROOTED AND FELL ON TOP OF HOUSE AND VEHICLE ON BETH SCOTT DRIVE...SOME LARGE LIMBS DOWN AS WELL.
Apr 8, 7:35 PM EDTHAIL 1.25Pulaski, VA
Apr 8, 7:35 PM EDTTORNADO1 Sw Pulaski, VA*** 6 INJ *** SEVERE DAMAGE...TOWN OF PULASKI VIRGINIA...DAMAGE PATH EXTENDS SE ACROSS INTERSTATE 81 AT THE EXIT 92 INTERCHANGE VNTY OF DRAPER VIRGINIA PULASKI COUNTY. VDEM INITIAL REPORTS ARE THAT 5 TO 6 BLOCKS IN THE TOWN OF PULASKI ARE SEVERELY DAMAGED. THE
Apr 8, 7:35 PM EDTTORNADO1 W Pulaski, VAPOSSIBLE TORNADO. HEAVY DAMAGAGE REPORTED FROM MT. OLIVET AREA OF SOUTHWEST SIDE OF PULASKI TO DRAPER. ROOF OFF A HOME ON MARTIN STREET. LAW ENFORCEMENT BLOCKING OFF STREETS.
Apr 8, 7:37 PM EDTHAIL 1Pulaski, VA
Apr 8, 7:42 PM EDTTORNADO5 N Allisonia, VABP GAS STATION NEAR INTERSTATE 81 DRAPER INTERCHANGE SUSTAINED HEAVY DAMAGE...MOBILE HOME OVERTURNED. TREES DOWN.
Apr 8, 8:02 PM EDTHAIL 1Indian Valley, 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 8, 6:15 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Roanoke, VA (KRNK), launched 12:00Z, 11.5 hours before the alert went out and 111 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 2011-04-08Temperature 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°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Roanoke, VA at 12:00Z on 2011-04-08The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 284 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
1372 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
74 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
284 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
369 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.

567 
WFUS51 KRNK 082332
TORRNK
VAC035-063-155-090000-
/O.NEW.KRNK.TO.W.0006.110408T2332Z-110409T0000Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
732 PM EDT FRI APR 8 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BLACKSBURG HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHERN PULASKI COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA
  WESTERN FLOYD COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA
  NORTHERN CARROLL COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA

* UNTIL 800 PM EDT.

* AT 728 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO NEAR PULASKI...
  MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 40 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  PULASKI...
  DRAPER...
  ALLISONIA...
  INDIAN VALLEY...
  DUGSPUR...

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.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT
SATURDAY MORNING FOR NORTHWESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND SOUTHWEST
VIRGINIA AND SOUTHEAST WEST VIRGINIA.

&&

LAT...LON 3712 8083 3695 8046 3680 8061 3707 8091
TIME...MOT...LOC 2332Z 310DEG 35KT 3706 8080

$$

DS
2 follow-up statements
241 
WWUS51 KRNK 082339
SVSRNK

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
739 PM EDT FRI APR 8 2011

VAC035-063-155-090000-
/O.CON.KRNK.TO.W.0006.000000T0000Z-110409T0000Z/
PULASKI VA-FLOYD VA-CARROLL VA-
739 PM EDT FRI APR 8 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM EDT FOR NORTHERN
CARROLL...WESTERN FLOYD AND SOUTHERN PULASKI COUNTIES...

AT 733 PM EDT...WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO INDICATE A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WITH EXTREMELY STRONG ROTATION.  THIS TORNADO 
WAS LOCATED NEAR PULASKI...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 40 MPH. THIS IS A 
VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  DRAPER...
  ALLISONIA...
  INDIAN VALLEY...
  DUGSPUR...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND LIFE THREATENING SITUATION. THIS
STORM IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING STRONG TO VIOLENT TORNADOES. IF YOU ARE
IN THE PATH OF THIS TORNADO...TAKE COVER IMMEDIATELY!

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT
SATURDAY MORNING FOR NORTHWESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND SOUTHWEST
VIRGINIA AND SOUTHEAST WEST VIRGINIA.

&&

LAT...LON 3712 8083 3695 8046 3680 8061 3707 8091
TIME...MOT...LOC 2338Z 310DEG 35KT 3702 8074

$$

DS
719 
WWUS51 KRNK 082346
SVSRNK

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
746 PM EDT FRI APR 8 2011

VAC035-063-155-090000-
/O.CON.KRNK.TO.W.0006.000000T0000Z-110409T0000Z/
PULASKI VA-FLOYD VA-CARROLL VA-
746 PM EDT FRI APR 8 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM EDT FOR NORTHERN
CARROLL...WESTERN FLOYD AND SOUTHEASTERN PULASKI COUNTIES...

AT 742 PM EDT...WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO INDICATE A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WITH STRONG ROTATION. THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED 
NEAR DRAPER...OR NEAR ALLISONIA...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 40 MPH. 
ANOTHER AREA OF ROTATION...THUS A POTENTIAL TORNADO...WAS FORMING 
ABOUT 2 MILES NORTHWEST OF THE MAIN CIRCULATION...NEAR DRAPER. THIS 
IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  DRAPER...
  INDIAN VALLEY...
  DUGSPUR...

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.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT
SATURDAY MORNING FOR NORTHWESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND SOUTHWEST
VIRGINIA AND SOUTHEAST WEST VIRGINIA.

&&

LAT...LON 3700 8078 3706 8071 3695 8046 3680 8061
TIME...MOT...LOC 2344Z 310DEG 35KT 3699 8069

$$

DS

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 8, 5:53 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKGiles37 min
Apr 8, 6:26 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKCraig, Giles, Montgomery, Roanoke20 min
Apr 8, 6:29 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKBland, Giles, Pulaski61 min
Apr 8, 7:17 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKBland, Pulaski, Wythe28 min
Apr 8, 7:55 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKGrayson, Smyth24 min
Apr 8, 7:59 PM EDTTornado WarningRNKFloyd, Patrick31 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.