Alert archive / Virginia / Special Weather Statements in 2012

Special Weather Statement, NWS Wakefield, VA

July 3, 2012Prince Edward County, Virginia

NWS Wakefield, VA issued this special weather statement at Jul 3, 2012, 5:36 PM EDT for Prince Edward County, Virginia. It was in force for 54 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
Jul 3, 2012, 5:36 PM EDT (21:36 UTC)
Expired
Jul 3, 2012, 6:30 PM EDT
In force
54 min
Issued by
NWS Wakefield, VA

County Prince Edward County, VA

The radar

The Norfolk radar (KAKQ), 139 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:37 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 nearest sounding before it

Roanoke, VA (KRNK), launched 12:00Z, 9.6 hours before the alert went out and 84 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 2012-07-03Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 870 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Roanoke, VA at 12:00Z on 2012-07-03The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 57 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
870 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-126 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1188 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
12 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
57 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
59 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.

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What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this special weather statement went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Wakefield, VA wrote its last area forecast discussion before this special weather statement went out at Jul 3, 3:38 PM EDT, 1 hour 58 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 3, 3:38 PM EDT, 1 hour 58 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
338 PM EDT TUE JUL 3 2012

.SYNOPSIS...
HIGH PRESSURE REMAINS OVER THE SOUTHEASTERN STATES THIS
WEEK...MAINTAINING ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES. AN ACTIVE NORTHWEST
FLOW PATTERN ALOFT ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY AND MID ATLANTIC WILL
BRING THE POSSIBILITY OF LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING THUNDERSTORMS.

&&

.NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/...
CONVECTION HAVING TROUBLE DEVELOPING OVER THE FA SO FAR THIS AFTN
AS SKIES HAVE REMAINED MSTLY SNY AND S/W ENERGY ALOFT IS WELL OFF
TO THE NW. DESPITE THIS...A WEAK LEE/THERMAL TROF OVER THE
PIEDMONT AND SEA-BREEZE BNDRYS WILL TRIGGER ISOLATED SHOWERS AND
STORMS LATE THIS AFTN INTO THE EVNG HRS. THE MAIN THREAT WOULD BE
STRONG WINDS AS LO-LVL LAPSE RATES ARE VERY STEEP AND DCAPE IS
~1000 J/KG. FAVORED STORM MODE WILL BE DISORGANIZED PULSE
CONVECTION.

LEE TROUGH SLIDES EASTWARD TONIGHT...AND WHILE AREAL CVG OF PCPN
SHOULD DIMINISH AFTER SUNSET...HAVE RETAINED A 20% POP INTO WED
MRNG (30% OVER NE AREAS CLOSER TO THE S/W ENERGY). ANOTHER WARM
AND MUGGY NGT WITH ERLY MRNG LOWS GENERALLY IN THE LOW TO MID 70S.

&&

.SHORT TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/...
NOT MUCH CHANGE IN THE PATTERN FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE WORK WEEK
AS ABOVE NORMAL TEMPS AND NW FLOW ALOFT CONTINUE. MID-LVL S/W
APPROACHES THE AREA WED AFTN AND IN TANDEM WITH A LEE TROUGH MAY
TRIGGER SHOWERS AND STORMS ACROSS THE FA. AGAIN ACTIVITY WILL
DIMINISH FOLLOWING SUNSET. EXPECT A PRTLY CLDY SKY AND HIGHS
GENERALLY IN THE MID 90S...UPR 90S POSSIBLE ALONG/WEST OF I-95.

UPR-LVL RIDGE BLDS EAST THU INTO FRI WITH HOTTER TEMPS EXPECTED.
HIGHS WILL BE IN THE MID TO UPR 90S BOTH DAYS...WITH HEAT INDICES
PEAKING IN THE 100-104 RANGE (FALLING JUST SHORT OF HEAT ADVSY
CRITERIA). CONTINUED WITH A SLGT CHC FOR RAIN THU AFTN/EVNG. LACK
OF FORCING AND DRY ENOUGH IN LOW/MID LVLS TO KEEP THE FORECAST
DRY FOR FRI.

&&

.LONG TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/...
WILL GO WITH A COMBINATION OF THE 12Z GFS AND ECMWF FOR THE EXTENDED
PERIOD. MAINTAINING A DRY FCST FOR FRI NGT AND SAT...AS BELIEVE HIER
500 MB HEIGHTS AND SFC HI PRES OVR THE AREA AND OFFSHR WILL INHIBIT
CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT. MAINLY SLGT CHC POPS INCRS TO CHC POPS ACRS
THE AREA FM LATER SAT NGT THRU MON...AS LWRING HEIGHTS AND THE
GRADUAL PUSH OF A FRNTL BNDRY AND AREAS OF LO PRES MOVE DWN THRU THE
AREA. THE FRNT WILL PUSH FARTHER S INTO THE CAROLINAS MON NGT THRU
TUE...WITH THE BEST CHCS FOR PCPN OVR EXTRM SRN VA INTO NRN/NE NC.
MIN TEMPS WILL MAINLY BE IN THE LWR TO MID 70S SAT...SUN AND MON
MORNGS...AND IN THE UPR 60S TO LWR 70S TUE MORNG. MAX TEMPS WILL BE
IN THE MID TO UPR 90S SAT...IN THE LWR TO MID 90S SUN...AND IN THE
MID 80S TO LWR 90S MON AND TUE.

&&

.AVIATION /19Z TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/...
ISOLATED SEA-BREEZE CONVECTION IS EXPECTED DURING THE
AFTERNOON...BUT AT THIS TIME IT IS NOT ANTICIPATED TO DIRECTLY
IMPACT ANY TERMINALS. ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS ARE DEVELOPING OVER
THE MOUNTAINS. THIS ACTIVITY SHOULD DRIFT SE DURING THE
AFTERNOON...BUT REMAIN WEST OF RIC. A THUNDERSTORM COMPLEX OVER
WESTERN PA IS PROGGED TO REMAIN NORTH OF THE REGION OVERNIGHT.
THIS COULD TRIGGER SOME CONVECTION THAT MAY AFFECT THE NORTHERN
PORTION OF THE AREA...BUT CONFIDENCE IS NOT HIGH ENOUGH TO INCLUDE
IN ANY TERMINAL AT THIS TIME. BY WEDNESDAY MORNING THERE COULD BE
SOME MVFR VISIBILITY...WITH THE HIGHEST CONFIDENCE AT SBY.

OUTLOOK...LITTLE CHANGE IS EXPECTED FROM THE CURRENT PATTERN.
PATCHY LOW VSBYS WILL BE PSBL NEAR SUNRISE...WITH A MINIMAL CHANCE
OF THUNDERSTORMS DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS.

&&

.MARINE...
BENIGN CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE MARINE AREA THROUGH
THROUGH THE WEEK AND INTO NEXT WEEKEND WITH WIND SPEEDS AOB 15KT. IN
GENERAL A S-SW WIND SHOULD PREVAIL THROUGH WEDNESDAY...BEFORE A WEAK
FRONT SHIFTS THE DIRECTION TO W-NW THURSDAY. ANOTHER WEAK BOUNDARY
DROPS THROUGH THE AREA LATE THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY AND THEN
DISSIPATES WITH SW FLOW RETURNING FOR THE EARLY PART OF NEXT
WEEKEND. SEAS SHOULD GENERALLY BE AROUND 2FT. THERE IS A MINIMAL
CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS LATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT
HOURS...MAINLY NORTH. THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE AGAIN WEDNESDAY
AFTERNOON AND EVENING...WITH DIMINISHING CHANCES THROUGH THE END OF
THE WEEK.

&&

.AKQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MD...NONE.
NC...NONE.
VA...NONE.
MARINE...NONE.

&&

SYNOPSIS...MAS
NEAR TERM...MAS
SHORT TERM...MAS
LONG TERM...TMG
AVIATION...AJZ
MARINE...AJZ
Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 3, 3:11 PM EDT, 2 hours 25 minutes before
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In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 3, 5:08 PM EDT, 28 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
508 PM EDT TUE JUL 3 2012

VAZ065-066-032205-
LUNENBURG VA-MECKLENBURG VA-
508 PM EDT TUE JUL 3 2012

...STRONG THUNDERSTORM MOVING INTO MECKLENBURG COUNTY...

AT 507 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER CHASE CITY...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 10 MPH. THE
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR FAIRVIEW AT 525 PM EDT...CHASE
CITY...AND...KELLS CORNER AT 535 PM EDT.

WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH AND SMALL HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.
EXPECT FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IN THE PATH OF THIS
STORM. IF YOU HEAR THUNDER...YOU ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE STRUCK BY
LIGHTNING. MOVE INTO A SAFE SHELTER BEFORE THIS STORM REACHES YOUR
AREA. REMAIN INDOORS UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED.

HEAVY DOWNPOURS WILL CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS...AND
POSSIBLE LOCALIZED FLOODING IN LOW LYING AND FLOOD PRONE AREAS.

LAT...LON 3688 7850 3693 7849 3694 7848 3691 7823
      3663 7843 3679 7859

GINGRICH
Special weather statement, Jul 3, 5:36 PM EDT, 0 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
536 PM EDT TUE JUL 3 2012

VAZ060-061-066-067-032230-
CUMBERLAND VA-LUNENBURG VA-NOTTOWAY VA-PRINCE EDWARD VA-
536 PM EDT TUE JUL 3 2012

...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT NORTHWESTERN
LUNENBURG...NORTHWESTERN NOTTOWAY...PRINCE EDWARD AND SOUTHWESTERN
CUMBERLAND COUNTIES...

AT 531 PM EDT...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS LOCATED FROM
HIXBURG TO RED HOUSE...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 15 MPH.

WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS. VERY HEAVY RAIN
WILL FALL FROM THESE STORMS...AND WILL CAUSE WATER TO POND ON ROADS
AND FILL POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. THESE STORMS WILL BE NEAR PROSPECT
AROUND 550 PM...TUGGLE AROUND 600 PM...REEDS AROUND 610
PM...FARMVILLE AROUND 620 PM AND BRIERY AROUND 630 PM.

LAT...LON 3726 7869 3734 7861 3738 7861 3740 7858
      3738 7858 3734 7851 3736 7845 3729 7821
      3695 7845 3696 7848 3708 7846 3709 7850
      3713 7853 3714 7859 3719 7865 3720 7870

ALBRIGHT

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 2, 8:00 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementAKQMecklenburg60 min
Jul 2, 9:20 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementAKQMecklenburg25 min
Jul 2, 9:23 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementAKQMecklenburg22 min
Jul 3, 10:29 AM EDTSpecial Marine WarningAKQ46 min
Jul 3, 4:04 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningAKQ101 min
Jul 3, 4:22 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningAKQ53 min
Jul 3, 5:08 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementAKQMecklenburg57 min
Jul 3, 6:07 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQAmelia, Lunenburg, Nottoway, Prince Edward41 min
Jul 3, 6:43 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementAKQNottoway32 min
Jul 3, 4:45 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementAKQPerquimans30 min

Nearby

Special Weather Statements in Virginia, 2012Every special weather statement in 2012

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.