Alert archive / Virginia / Tornado Warnings in 2012
Tornado Warning 37, NWS Baltimore/Washington
NWS Baltimore/Washington issued this tornado warning at Sep 8, 2012, 2:28 PM EDT for Frederick County, Shenandoah County, Warren County, Virginia. It was in force for 20 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
- Sep 8, 2012, 2:28 PM EDT (18:28 UTC)
- Expired
- Sep 8, 2012, 2:48 PM EDT
- In force
- 20 min
- Issued by
- NWS Baltimore/Washington
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
Counties Frederick County, VA, Shenandoah County, VA, Warren County, VA
The radar
The Sterling radar (KLWX), 70 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 18:29 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 8, 2:45 PM EDT | TSTM WND DMG | 2 Wnw Buckton, VA | SEVERAL TREES DOWN ALONG RT 55. |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 8, 12:15 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | 9 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Washington/Dulle, VA (KIAD), launched 12:00Z, 6.5 hours before the alert went out and 78 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 252 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -81 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 638 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 39 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 150 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 140 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.1
- Supercell composite
- 1.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
531 WFUS51 KLWX 081828 TORLWX VAC069-171-187-081900- /O.NEW.KLWX.TO.W.0037.120908T1828Z-120908T1900Z/ BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED TORNADO WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC 228 PM EDT SAT SEP 8 2012 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STERLING VIRGINIA HAS ISSUED A * TORNADO WARNING FOR... NORTHEASTERN SHENANDOAH COUNTY IN NORTHWEST VIRGINIA... NORTHWESTERN WARREN COUNTY IN NORTHWEST VIRGINIA... SOUTHERN FREDERICK COUNTY IN NORTHWEST VIRGINIA... * UNTIL 300 PM EDT * AT 225 PM EDT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO WAS NEAR STRASBURG...AND WAS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH. * LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... STEPHENS CITY... FISHERS HILL... STRASBURG... MIDDLETOWN... PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... TAKE COVER NOW. MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A STURDY BUILDING AND AVOID WINDOWS. IF OUTDOORS OR IN A MOBILE HOME OR VEHICLE...MOVE TO THE CLOSEST SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER AND PROTECT YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS. MOTORISTS SHOULD NOT TAKE SHELTER UNDER HIGHWAY OVERPASSES. AS A LAST RESORT...EITHER PARK AND STAY IN YOUR VEHICLE...OR ABANDON YOUR VEHICLE AND LAY FLAT IN A LOW SPOT. THIS TORNADO MAY BE WRAPPED IN RAIN AND HARD TO SEE. TAKE COVER NOW. TORNADOES IN HILLY OR MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN ARE ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS BECAUSE YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO SEE OR HEAR THE TORNADO APPROACH. TAKE COVER NOW. && LAT...LON 3913 7820 3899 7815 3894 7843 3901 7847 TIME...MOT...LOC 1828Z 244DEG 22KT 3899 7838 $$ GMS
2 follow-up statements
019 WWUS51 KLWX 081838 SVSLWX SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC 238 PM EDT SAT SEP 8 2012 VAC069-171-187-081900- /O.CON.KLWX.TO.W.0037.000000T0000Z-120908T1900Z/ SHENANDOAH VA-WARREN VA-FREDERICK VA- 238 PM EDT SAT SEP 8 2012 ...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 300 PM EDT FOR FREDERICK...WARREN AND SHENANDOAH COUNTIES... AT 233 PM EDT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR STRASBURG...AND WAS MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH. LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... NINEVEH... STEPHENS CITY... MIDDLETOWN... RELIANCE... TAKE COVER NOW. MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A STURDY BUILDING AND AVOID WINDOWS. IF OUTDOORS OR IN A MOBILE HOME OR VEHICLE...MOVE TO THE CLOSEST SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER AND PROTECT YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS. MOTORISTS SHOULD NOT TAKE SHELTER UNDER HIGHWAY OVERPASSES. AS A LAST RESORT...EITHER PARK AND STAY IN YOUR VEHICLE...OR ABANDON YOUR VEHICLE AND LAY FLAT IN A LOW SPOT. THIS TORNADO MAY BE WRAPPED IN RAIN AND HARD TO SEE. DO NOT WAIT TO SEE OR HEAR THE TORNADO. TAKE COVER NOW. TORNADOES IN HILLY OR MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN ARE ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS BECAUSE YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO SEE OR HEAR THE TORNADO APPROACH. TAKE COVER NOW. && LAT...LON 3913 7820 3899 7815 3897 7835 3902 7838 TIME...MOT...LOC 1837Z 250DEG 26KT 3901 7829 $$ GMS
159 WWUS51 KLWX 081848 SVSLWX SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC 248 PM EDT SAT SEP 8 2012 VAC069-171-187-081858- /O.CAN.KLWX.TO.W.0037.000000T0000Z-120908T1900Z/ SHENANDOAH VA-WARREN VA-FREDERICK VA- 248 PM EDT SAT SEP 8 2012 ...THE TORNADO WARNING IS CANCELLED FOR FREDERICK...WARREN AND SHENANDOAH COUNTIES... THE THUNDERSTORM THAT PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS WEAKENED. THUS THE TORNADO WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELLED. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE WARNED AREA. LAT...LON 3913 7820 3899 7815 3897 7835 3902 7838 TIME...MOT...LOC 1848Z 250DEG 26KT 3904 7819 $$ GMS
The office that day
Everything else NWS Baltimore/Washington issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 7, 10:42 PM EDT | Small Craft Advisory | LWX | 23 hr | |
| Sep 8, 11:51 AM EDT | Special Weather Statement | LWX | Frederick | 24 min |
| Sep 8, 12:02 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LWX | Clarke, Frederick, City of Winchester | 43 min |
| Sep 8, 12:43 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | LWX | Clarke, Frederick, City of Winchester | 47 min |
| Sep 8, 1:22 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | LWX | Clarke | 23 min |
| Sep 8, 1:49 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | LWX | Loudoun | 26 min |
| Sep 8, 1:52 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | LWX | Clarke, Shenandoah, City of Winchester | 23 min |
| Sep 8, 2:04 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | LWX | Augusta | 26 min |
| Sep 8, 2:16 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LWX | Clarke, Frederick, Page, Rockingham, Shenandoah, Warren and 1 more | 46 min |
| Sep 8, 2:19 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | LWX | Loudoun | 26 min |
| Sep 8, 2:32 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | LWX | Augusta, Rockingham, City of Harrisonburg, City of Staunton, City of Waynesboro | 28 min |
| Sep 8, 2:47 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LWX | Clarke, Culpeper, Fauquier, Loudoun, Madison, Page and 3 more | 58 min |
| Sep 8, 2:51 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | LWX | Culpeper, Greene, Madison | 39 min |
| Sep 8, 3:10 PM EDT | Special Marine Warning | LWX | 2 hr | |
| Sep 8, 3:16 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LWX | Albemarle, City of Charlottesville | 32 min |
| Sep 8, 3:17 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | LWX | Greene, Madison, Nelson, City of Waynesboro | 28 min |
| Sep 8, 3:18 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | LWX | Arlington, Fairfax, City of Alexandria, City of Fairfax, City of Falls Church, City of Manassas and 1 more | 87 min |
| Sep 8, 3:22 PM EDT | Special Marine Warning | LWX | 98 min | |
| Sep 8, 3:22 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LWX | Arlington, Culpeper, Fairfax, Fauquier, Loudoun, Prince William and 6 more | 68 min |
| Sep 8, 3:29 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | LWX | Fairfax, City of Fairfax | 20 min |
| Sep 8, 3:44 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | LWX | Arlington, Fairfax, City of Alexandria, City of Falls Church | 15 min |
| Sep 8, 3:55 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | LWX | Albemarle, Culpeper, Madison, Nelson, Orange, Spotsylvania and 3 more | 80 min |
| Sep 8, 3:58 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LWX | Arlington, Fairfax, Prince William, Stafford, City of Alexandria, City of Falls Church | 55 min |
| Sep 8, 4:06 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LWX | Culpeper, Fauquier, Orange, Spotsylvania, Stafford, City of Fredericksburg | 39 min |
| Sep 8, 4:20 PM EDT | Special Marine Warning | LWX | 85 min | |
| Sep 8, 4:47 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | LWX | King George, Spotsylvania, Stafford, City of Fredericksburg | 28 min |
| Sep 8, 4:56 PM EDT | Special Marine Warning | LWX | 72 min | |
| Sep 8, 5:41 PM EDT | Special Marine Warning | LWX | 67 min | |
| Sep 8, 5:58 PM EDT | Special Marine Warning | LWX | 83 min |
Nearby
Tornado Warnings in Virginia, 2012Every tornado warning in 2012Tornadoes 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; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.