Alert archive / North Carolina / Tornado Warnings in 2016

Tornado Warning 33, NWS Wakefield, VA

February 24, 20166 counties in North Carolina; 4 counties in Virginia

NWS Wakefield, VA issued this tornado warning at Feb 24, 2016, 7:40 PM EST for 6 counties in North Carolina; 4 counties in Virginia. It was in force for 35 min. 2 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: Feb 24, 2016, 7:40 PM EST (00:40 UTC)
Expired: Feb 24, 2016, 8:15 PM EST
In force: 35 min
Issued by: NWS Wakefield, VA
Area: Storm-based polygon

Counties Bertie County, NC, Camden County, NC, Gates County, NC, Hertford County, NC, Northampton County, NC, Pasquotank County, NC, City of Chesapeake, VA, City of Portsmouth, VA, City of Suffolk, VA, Southampton County, VA

The radar

The Norfolk radar (KAKQ), 81 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:42 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
Feb 24, 8:10 PM EST	TSTM WND DMG	Suffolk, VA	NUMEROUS TREES DOWN ACROSS SUFFOLK
Feb 24, 8:15 PM EST	HAIL 1	Nansemond Square, VA	QUARTER SIZE HAIL

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
Feb 24, 1:46 PM EST	Tornado Watch	SPC	9 hr
Feb 24, 6:50 PM EST	Tornado Watch	SPC	4 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Newport, NC (KMHX), launched 00:00Z, 0.7 hours before the alert went out and 166 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: 1276 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -22 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 644 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 73 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 604 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 689 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 5.2
Supercell composite: 22.3

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

593 
WFUS51 KAKQ 250040
TORAKQ
NCC015-029-073-091-131-139-VAC175-550-740-800-250115-
/O.NEW.KAKQ.TO.W.0033.160225T0040Z-160225T0115Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
740 PM EST WED FEB 24 2016

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WAKEFIELD HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  NORTHWESTERN PASQUOTANK COUNTY IN NORTHEASTERN NORTH CAROLINA...
  HERTFORD COUNTY IN NORTHEASTERN NORTH CAROLINA...
  NORTHWESTERN BERTIE COUNTY IN NORTHEASTERN NORTH CAROLINA...
  SOUTHEASTERN NORTHAMPTON COUNTY IN NORTHEASTERN NORTH CAROLINA...
  GATES COUNTY IN NORTHEASTERN NORTH CAROLINA...
  NORTHWESTERN CAMDEN COUNTY IN NORTHEASTERN NORTH CAROLINA...
  SOUTHEASTERN SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY IN SOUTHEASTERN VIRGINIA...
  THE SOUTHWESTERN CITY OF PORTSMOUTH IN SOUTHEASTERN VIRGINIA...
  THE CITY OF SUFFOLK IN SOUTHEASTERN VIRGINIA...
  THE WESTERN CITY OF CHESAPEAKE IN SOUTHEASTERN VIRGINIA...

* UNTIL 815 PM EST
    
* AT 739 PM EST...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF SEVERE
  THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO. THESE DANGEROUS
  STORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM NEAR WINTON TO
  AULANDER TO 6 MILES SOUTHEAST OF SCOTLAND NECK...AND MOVING
  NORTHEAST AT 75 MPH.

  IN ADDITION...LARGE HAIL OF 1.00 INCH DIAMETER OR LARGER IS
POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS. 

* THESE DANGEROUS STORMS WILL BE NEAR...
  POWELLSVILLE AROUND 745 PM EST. 
  GATES AND RODUCO AROUND 750 PM EST. 
  HARRELLSVILLE AND WHALEYVILLE AROUND 755 PM EST. 
  AHOSKIE AND GATESVILLE AROUND 800 PM EST. 
  DOWNTOWN SUFFOLK...SUNBURY...WINTON AND COFIELD AROUND 805 PM EST. 
  CORAPEAKE AND DRIVER AROUND 810 PM EST. 
  CHESAPEAKE...BOWERS HILL AND WESTERN BRANCH AROUND 815 PM EST. 

OTHER LOCATIONS IMPACTED BY THESE TORNADIC STORMS INCLUDE WYANOKE...
PROCTORS CORNER...POOR TOWN...CARTER...DRUM HILL...RIDDICKSVILLE...
MILLENNIUM...SANDY CROSS...NURNEY AND ACORN HILL.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW. MOVE TO A BASEMENT OR AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST
FLOOR OF A STURDY BUILDING. AVOID WINDOWS. IF YOU ARE IN A MOBILE
HOME OR OUTDOORS...MOVE TO THE CLOSEST SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER AND
PROTECT YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.

&&

LAT...LON 3605 7732 3606 7732 3609 7731 3611 7723
      3616 7726 3617 7731 3619 7733 3621 7739
      3655 7702 3665 7689 3690 7641 3648 7629
      3603 7727
TIME...MOT...LOC 0039Z 228DEG 64KT 3636 7696 3622 7710 3605 7735 

$$

DEROSA

2 follow-up statements

603 
WWUS51 KAKQ 250100
SVSAKQ

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
800 PM EST WED FEB 24 2016

NCC015-131-139-250110-
/O.CAN.KAKQ.TO.W.0033.000000T0000Z-160225T0115Z/
PASQUOTANK NC-BERTIE NC-NORTHAMPTON NC-
800 PM EST WED FEB 24 2016

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHWESTERN PASQUOTANK...NORTHWESTERN
BERTIE AND SOUTHEASTERN NORTHAMPTON COUNTIES IS CANCELLED...

THE STORMS WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAVE MOVED OUT OF THE WARNED
AREA. THEREFORE THE WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

LAT...LON 3638 7715 3645 7713 3647 7711 3647 7708
      3648 7707 3650 7708 3665 7689 3690 7641
      3655 7631 3649 7647 3651 7649 3648 7649
      3626 7709
TIME...MOT...LOC 0100Z 228DEG 64KT 3660 7663 3646 7677 3629 7702 

$$

NCC029-073-091-VAC175-550-740-800-250115-
/O.CON.KAKQ.TO.W.0033.000000T0000Z-160225T0115Z/
HERTFORD NC-GATES NC-CAMDEN NC-SOUTHAMPTON VA-CITY OF PORTSMOUTH VA-
CITY OF SUFFOLK VA-CITY OF CHESAPEAKE VA-
800 PM EST WED FEB 24 2016

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 815 PM EST FOR CENTRAL
HERTFORD...GATES...NORTHWESTERN CAMDEN...AND SOUTHEASTERN SOUTHAMPTON
COUNTIES...THE SOUTHWESTERN CITY OF PORTSMOUTH...THE CITY OF SUFFOLK
AND THE WESTERN CITY OF CHESAPEAKE...
    
AT 800 PM EST...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE
OF PRODUCING TORNADOES. THESE DANGEROUS STORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG A
LINE EXTENDING FROM NEAR WHALEYVILLE TO NEAR RODUCO TO NEAR AHOSKIE...
MOVING NORTHEAST AT 75 MPH.

THESE DANGEROUS STORMS WILL BE NEAR...
  DOWNTOWN SUFFOLK AND SUNBURY AROUND 805 PM EST. 
  CORAPEAKE AND WHALEYVILLE AROUND 810 PM EST. 
  GATESVILLE...CHESAPEAKE...BOWERS HILL...WESTERN BRANCH AND DRIVER 
  AROUND 815 PM EST. 

OTHER LOCATIONS IMPACTED BY THESE TORNADIC STORMS INCLUDE HAZELTON...
EURE...SUFFOLK AIRPORT...BARTONSVILLE...WYANOKE...SAINT JOHN...CHOWAN
BEACH...RAYS BEACH...DRUM HILL AND RIDDICKSVILLE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! MOVE TO A BASEMENT OR AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST
FLOOR OF A STURDY BUILDING. AVOID WINDOWS. IF YOU ARE IN A MOBILE
HOME OR OUTDOORS...MOVE TO THE CLOSEST SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER AND PROTECT
YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.

&&

LAT...LON 3638 7715 3645 7713 3647 7711 3647 7708
      3648 7707 3650 7708 3665 7689 3690 7641
      3655 7631 3649 7647 3651 7649 3648 7649
      3626 7709
TIME...MOT...LOC 0100Z 228DEG 64KT 3660 7663 3646 7677 3629 7702 

$$

DEROSA

449 
WWUS51 KAKQ 250116
SVSAKQ

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
816 PM EST WED FEB 24 2016

NCC029-073-091-VAC175-550-740-800-250125-
/O.EXP.KAKQ.TO.W.0033.000000T0000Z-160225T0115Z/
HERTFORD NC-GATES NC-CAMDEN NC-SOUTHAMPTON VA-CITY OF PORTSMOUTH VA-
CITY OF SUFFOLK VA-CITY OF CHESAPEAKE VA-
816 PM EST WED FEB 24 2016

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR CENTRAL HERTFORD...GATES...NORTHWESTERN
CAMDEN...AND SOUTHEASTERN SOUTHAMPTON COUNTIES...THE SOUTHWESTERN
CITY OF PORTSMOUTH...THE CITY OF SUFFOLK AND THE WESTERN CITY OF
CHESAPEAKE HAS EXPIRED...

THE STORMS WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAVE SHIFTED PARTIALLY OUT OF
THE WARNED AREA AND A NEW WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED. THEREFORE THE
WARNING HAS BEEN ALLOWED TO EXPIRE.

LAT...LON 3638 7715 3645 7713 3647 7711 3647 7708
      3648 7707 3650 7708 3665 7689 3690 7641
      3655 7631 3649 7647 3651 7649 3648 7649
      3626 7709
TIME...MOT...LOC 0115Z 228DEG 64KT 3660 7663 3646 7677 3629 7702 

$$

DEROSA

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Feb 24, 7:09 PM EST	Tornado Warning	AKQ	Bertie, Gates, Hertford, Northampton	36 min
Feb 24, 7:29 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	AKQ	Hertford, Northampton	31 min
Feb 24, 8:13 PM EST	Tornado Warning	AKQ	Gates	32 min
Feb 24, 8:45 PM EST	Tornado Warning	AKQ	Gates, Hertford	30 min
Feb 24, 9:16 PM EST	Special Weather Statement	AKQ	Gates, Hertford	44 min
Feb 24, 7:01 PM EST	Tornado Warning	AKQ	Essex, King and Queen, King William, Lancaster, Middlesex, New Kent and 3 more	44 min
Feb 24, 7:06 PM EST	Tornado Warning	AKQ	Charles City, Prince George, City of Hopewell, City of Petersburg	39 min
Feb 24, 7:15 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	AKQ	Dinwiddie, Greensville, Prince George, Sussex, City of Colonial Heights, City of Petersburg	30 min
Feb 24, 7:24 PM EST	Tornado Warning	AKQ	Charles City, Henrico, King William, New Kent	36 min
Feb 24, 7:40 PM EST	Tornado Warning	AKQ	Charles City, Henrico, James City, King and Queen, King William, New Kent and 2 more	35 min
Feb 24, 7:52 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	AKQ	Essex, King and Queen, Lancaster, Middlesex, Northumberland, Richmond and 1 more	53 min
Feb 24, 8:05 PM EST	Tornado Warning	AKQ	Northumberland, Richmond, Westmoreland	25 min
Feb 24, 8:08 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	AKQ	Essex, King and Queen, King William, Lancaster, Middlesex, Richmond	37 min
Feb 24, 8:13 PM EST	Tornado Warning	AKQ	Essex, King and Queen, King William, Lancaster, Middlesex, New Kent and 1 more	32 min
Feb 24, 8:23 PM EST	Tornado Warning	AKQ	Essex, Lancaster, Middlesex, Northumberland, Richmond, Westmoreland	37 min
Feb 24, 8:28 PM EST	Special Marine Warning	AKQ		32 min
Feb 24, 8:30 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	AKQ	City of Hampton, City of Newport News, City of Poquoson	15 min
Feb 24, 8:44 PM EST	Special Marine Warning	AKQ		91 min
Feb 24, 8:44 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	AKQ	Gloucester, Lancaster, Mathews, Middlesex	11 min
Feb 24, 8:49 PM EST	Special Weather Statement	AKQ	City of Hampton, City of Poquoson	26 min
Feb 24, 9:54 PM EST	Special Weather Statement	AKQ	Accomack	36 min
Feb 24, 10:07 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	AKQ	Accomack, Northampton	23 min
Feb 25, 12:59 AM EST	Small Craft Advisory	AKQ		51 hr
Feb 25, 10:00 AM EST	Gale Warning	AKQ		3 hr
Feb 25, 1:00 PM EST	Gale Warning	AKQ		15 hr

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in North Carolina, 2016 Tornado Warnings in Virginia, 2016 Every tornado warning in 2016 Tornadoes in 2016

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.