Alert archive / Virginia / Tornado Warnings in 2017

Tornado Warning 3, NWS Wakefield, VA

March 31, 2017City of Chesapeake, City of Suffolk, Virginia

NWS Wakefield, VA issued this tornado warning at Mar 31, 2017, 5:34 PM EDT for City of Chesapeake, City of Suffolk, Virginia. It was in force for 26 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
Mar 31, 2017, 5:34 PM EDT (21:34 UTC)
Expired
Mar 31, 2017, 6:00 PM EDT
In force
26 min
Issued by
NWS Wakefield, VA
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Radar indicated
Hail
1.5 in

Counties City of Chesapeake, VA, City of Suffolk, VA

The radar

The Norfolk radar (KAKQ), 54 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:33 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
Mar 31, 5:47 PM EDTHAIL 1Bowers Hill, VA.
Mar 31, 5:56 PM EDTHAIL 1.75Bowers Hill, 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
Mar 31, 3:54 PM EDTTornado WatchSPC6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Wallops Is Stn, VA (KWAL), launched 12:00Z, 9.6 hours before the alert went out and 171 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, Wallops Is Stn, VA at 12:00Z on 2017-03-31Temperature 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, Wallops Is Stn, VA at 12:00Z on 2017-03-31The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 178 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
856 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
38 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
178 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
208 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

381 
WFUS51 KAKQ 312134
TORAKQ
VAC550-800-312200-
/O.NEW.KAKQ.TO.W.0003.170331T2134Z-170331T2200Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Wakefield VA
534 PM EDT FRI MAR 31 2017

The National Weather Service in Wakefield has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  The northwestern City of Chesapeake in southeastern Virginia...
  The southeastern City of Suffolk in southeastern Virginia...

* Until 600 PM EDT
    
* At 533 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located over Downtown Suffolk, moving east at 35 mph.

  HAZARD...Tornado and ping pong ball size hail. 

  SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation. 

  IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without 
           shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. 
           Damage to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur.  Tree 
           damage is likely. 

* This dangerous storm will be near...
  Bowers Hill around 550 PM EDT. 
  Chesapeake around 555 PM EDT. 

Other locations impacted by this tornadic thunderstorm include
Suffolk Airport, Saunders, Magnolia, Nurney, Chesapeake Airport and
Kilby.

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 outdoors, in a
mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.

Please send your reports of hail and or wind damage...including
trees or large limbs downed...by calling NOAA'S National Weather
Service in Wakefield at
...7 5 7...8 9 9...2 4 1 5.
&&

LAT...LON 3661 7662 3674 7666 3682 7642 3664 7630
TIME...MOT...LOC 2133Z 255DEG 29KT 3669 7656 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...1.50IN

$$

MRD
1 follow-up statement
253 
WWUS51 KAKQ 312143
SVSAKQ

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Wakefield VA
543 PM EDT FRI MAR 31 2017

VAC550-800-312200-
/O.CON.KAKQ.TO.W.0003.000000T0000Z-170331T2200Z/
City of Chesapeake VA-City of Suffolk VA-
543 PM EDT FRI MAR 31 2017

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 600 PM EDT FOR ...THE
NORTHWESTERN CITY OF CHESAPEAKE AND THE SOUTHEASTERN CITY OF
SUFFOLK...
        
At 541 PM EDT, a confirmed large and extremely dangerous tornado was
located near Downtown Suffolk, moving east at 25 mph.

This is a PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. TAKE COVER NOW!

HAZARD...Damaging tornado. 

SOURCE...Radar confirmed tornado. 

IMPACT...You are in a life-threatening situation. Flying debris may 
         be deadly to those caught without shelter. Mobile homes 
         will be destroyed. Considerable damage to homes, 
         businesses, and vehicles is likely and complete destruction 
         is possible. 

The tornado will be near...
  Bowers Hill around 555 PM EDT. 
  Chesapeake around 600 PM EDT. 

Other locations impacted by this tornadic thunderstorm include
Suffolk Airport, Saunders, Magnolia, Nurney, Chesapeake Airport and
Kilby.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

To repeat, a large, extremely dangerous and potentially deadly
tornado is on the ground. To protect your life, TAKE COVER NOW! Move
to a basement or an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy
building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a mobile home, or in
a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter and protect
yourself from flying debris.

Please send your reports of hail and or wind damage...including
trees or large limbs downed...by calling NOAA'S National Weather
Service in Wakefield at
...7 5 7...8 9 9...2 4 1 5.&&

LAT...LON 3661 7662 3674 7666 3682 7642 3664 7630
TIME...MOT...LOC 2141Z 255DEG 23KT 3670 7650 

TORNADO...OBSERVED
TORNADO DAMAGE THREAT...CONSIDERABLE
HAIL...1.50IN

$$

MRD

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 31, 8:14 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementAKQAmelia, Cumberland, Dinwiddie, Fluvanna, Lunenburg, Nottoway and 2 more46 min
Mar 31, 9:08 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementAKQAmelia, Brunswick, Lunenburg, Mecklenburg, Nottoway, Prince Edward22 min
Mar 31, 9:36 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementAKQAmelia, Brunswick, Chesterfield, Dinwiddie, Lunenburg, Mecklenburg and 1 more24 min
Mar 31, 10:24 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementAKQBrunswick, Chesterfield, Dinwiddie, Greensville, Henrico, Prince George and 4 more51 min
Mar 31, 11:09 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementAKQIsle of Wight, Southampton, Sussex, City of Franklin51 min
Mar 31, 12:08 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningAKQ82 min
Mar 31, 12:19 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQCity of Chesapeake, City of Suffolk41 min
Mar 31, 12:24 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementAKQGloucester, Isle of Wight, Mathews, Northampton, York, City of Hampton and 5 more66 min
Mar 31, 12:52 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementAKQCity of Norfolk, City of Virginia Beach38 min
Mar 31, 2:23 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementAKQMecklenburg52 min
Mar 31, 3:15 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementAKQGreensville, City of Emporia45 min
Mar 31, 3:19 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementAKQBrunswick, Greensville41 min
Mar 31, 3:35 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQGreensville, City of Emporia40 min
Mar 31, 4:06 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQLunenburg, Mecklenburg, Nottoway39 min
Mar 31, 4:07 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQSouthampton38 min
Mar 31, 4:14 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQGreensville30 min
Mar 31, 4:17 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementAKQMecklenburg43 min
Mar 31, 4:39 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQIsle of Wight, Southampton, City of Franklin, City of Suffolk51 min
Mar 31, 4:40 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQLunenburg, Mecklenburg, Nottoway50 min
Mar 31, 5:06 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQIsle of Wight, City of Suffolk54 min
Mar 31, 5:09 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQBrunswick, Dinwiddie, Greensville, Lunenburg, Mecklenburg, Nottoway51 min
Mar 31, 5:41 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQSouthampton, City of Suffolk49 min
Mar 31, 5:45 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQBrunswick, Dinwiddie, Greensville, Prince George, Southampton, Sussex and 1 more45 min
Mar 31, 5:54 PM EDTTornado WarningAKQCity of Chesapeake, City of Portsmouth36 min
Mar 31, 5:55 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningAKQ80 min
Mar 31, 6:04 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQCity of Chesapeake, City of Norfolk, City of Portsmouth, City of Virginia Beach41 min
Mar 31, 6:10 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQDinwiddie, Greensville, Isle of Wight, Southampton, Surry, Sussex and 1 more50 min
Mar 31, 6:13 PM EDTTornado WarningAKQCity of Chesapeake, City of Virginia Beach47 min
Mar 31, 6:14 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQCity of Chesapeake, City of Suffolk46 min
Mar 31, 6:31 PM EDTTornado WarningAKQCity of Chesapeake, City of Suffolk21 min
Mar 31, 6:38 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningAKQCity of Chesapeake, City of Norfolk, City of Portsmouth, City of Suffolk, City of Virginia Beach5 hr
Mar 31, 6:42 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQIsle of Wight, Southampton, Surry, Sussex, City of Franklin, City of Suffolk48 min
Mar 31, 6:52 PM EDTTornado WarningAKQIsle of Wight, City of Chesapeake, City of Suffolk23 min
Mar 31, 7:08 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningAKQ112 min
Mar 31, 7:08 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQCity of Chesapeake, City of Suffolk37 min
Mar 31, 7:11 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementAKQGloucester, James City, Mathews, Surry, York, City of Williamsburg64 min
Mar 31, 7:13 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementAKQIsle of Wight, City of Hampton, City of Newport News, City of Norfolk, City of Poquoson, City of Portsmouth62 min
Mar 31, 7:13 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQCity of Chesapeake, City of Suffolk47 min
Mar 31, 7:38 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQCity of Chesapeake, City of Portsmouth, City of Virginia Beach67 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Virginia, 2017Every tornado warning in 2017Tornadoes in 2017

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.