Alert archive / Virginia / Tornado Warnings in 2017

Tornado Warning 4, NWS Wakefield, VA

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

NWS Wakefield, VA issued this tornado warning at Mar 31, 2017, 5:54 PM EDT for City of Chesapeake, City of Portsmouth, Virginia. It was in force for 36 min. 5 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, 5:54 PM EDT (21:54 UTC)
Expired
Mar 31, 2017, 6:30 PM EDT
In force
36 min
Issued by
NWS Wakefield, VA
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Radar indicated
Hail
1.5 in

Counties City of Chesapeake, VA, City of Portsmouth, VA

The radar

The Norfolk radar (KAKQ), 66 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:58 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, 5:56 PM EDTHAIL 1.75Bowers Hill, VA.
Mar 31, 5:57 PM EDTTORNADO1 Ssw Deep Creek, VALAST POINT AT WHICH TORNADO DAMAGE WAS EVIDENT FROM TORNADO THAT ORIGINATED IN SUFFOLK, WEST OF THE GREAT DISMAL SWAMP. SOME TREE DAMAGE EVIDENT NEAR GEORGE WASHINGTON HWY.
Mar 31, 6:04 PM EDTHAIL 1.75Deep Creek, VA.
Mar 31, 6:17 PM EDTHAIL 12 S Portlock, VA.
Mar 31, 6:38 PM EDTHAIL 1.52 Ssw Greenbrier, VAWIND GUST TO 55 MPH.

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, 9.9 hours before the alert went out and 152 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.

775 
WFUS51 KAKQ 312154
TORAKQ
VAC550-740-312230-
/O.NEW.KAKQ.TO.W.0004.170331T2154Z-170331T2230Z/

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

The National Weather Service in Wakefield has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  The central City of Chesapeake in southeastern Virginia...
  The southern City of Portsmouth in southeastern Virginia...

* Until 630 PM EDT
    
* At 553 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located near Deep Creek, moving east at 25 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...
  Deep Creek and Chesapeake around 600 PM EDT. 
  Cradock around 605 PM EDT. 
  Great Bridge around 610 PM EDT. 
  Fentress around 620 PM EDT. 

Other locations impacted by this tornadic thunderstorm include South
Norfolk, Herberts Corner, Portlock, Hickory and Chesapeake Airport.

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 3680 7644 3683 7629 3682 7629 3683 7627
      3682 7626 3666 7615 3665 7637
TIME...MOT...LOC 2153Z 256DEG 23KT 3672 7640 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
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, 5:34 PM EDTTornado WarningAKQCity of Chesapeake, City of Suffolk26 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, 5:55 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.