Alert archive / Virginia / Tornado Warnings in 2018

Tornado Warning 5, NWS Blacksburg, VA

April 15, 2018Bedford County, Campbell County, Pittsylvania County, Virginia

NWS Blacksburg, VA issued this tornado warning at Apr 15, 2018, 6:23 PM EDT for Bedford County, Campbell County, Pittsylvania County, Virginia. It was in force for 26 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: Apr 15, 2018, 6:23 PM EDT (22:23 UTC)
Expired: Apr 15, 2018, 6:49 PM EDT
In force: 26 min
Issued by: NWS Blacksburg, VA
Area: Storm-based polygon
Tornado: Radar indicated
Hail: 1.0 in

Counties Bedford County, VA, Campbell County, VA, Pittsylvania County, VA

The radar

The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 96 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:24 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
Apr 15, 6:35 PM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	2 Ne Gretna, VA	STRAIGHT LINE WINDS PRODUCED ISOLATED POCKETS OF DAMAGE FROM BURKE ROAD TO JUST NORTHEAST OF BLUE RIDGE DRIVE, 2 MILES NORTHEAST OF GRETNA, VIRGINIA. THREE HOMES SUSTAINED SIGNIFICANT ROOF DAMAGE AND SEVERAL OUTBUILDINGS WERE DESTROYED. WIND SPEEDS WERE ESTIMA

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
Apr 15, 3:02 PM EDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	8 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Roanoke, VA (KRNK), launched 12:00Z, 10.4 hours before the alert went out and 29 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: 0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL: 881 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 44 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 143 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 148 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

130 
WFUS51 KRNK 152223
TORRNK
VAC019-031-143-152315-
/O.NEW.KRNK.TO.W.0005.180415T2223Z-180415T2315Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service BLACKSBURG VA
623 PM EDT SUN APR 15 2018

The National Weather Service in BLACKSBURG has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Campbell County in central Virginia...
  Northern Pittsylvania County in south central Virginia...
  Southeastern Bedford County in south central Virginia...

* Until 715 PM EDT
    
* At 623 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located near Chatham, moving north at 45 mph.

  HAZARD...Tornado and quarter 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. 

* Locations impacted include...
  Altavista...
  Hurt...
  Gretna...
  Huddleston...
  and Rustburg.

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.

If on or near Smith Mountain Lake, get away from the water and move 
to safe shelter immediately. If you can hear thunder, you are close 
enough to be struck by lightning. Severe thunderstorms can produce 
large capsizing waves, even on small bodies of water. Move into dock 
and seek safe shelter now! Do not be caught on the water in a 
thunderstorm.

When it is safe to do so, please send your reports of hail of any
size, as well as reports of any wind damage, including downed trees
or large limbs, to the National Weather Service by calling toll free
at 1...8 6 6...2 1 5...4 3 2 4. Reports and pictures can also be
shared on the National Weather Service Blacksburg Facebook page and
on Twitter.

&&

LAT...LON 3705 7907 3706 7909 3692 7913 3693 7954
      3704 7960 3734 7938 3731 7895 3729 7894
TIME...MOT...LOC 2223Z 200DEG 39KT 3687 7937 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...1.00IN

$$

PW

2 follow-up statements

273 
WWUS51 KRNK 152241
SVSRNK

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service BLACKSBURG VA
641 PM EDT SUN APR 15 2018

VAC019-031-143-152315-
/O.CON.KRNK.TO.W.0005.000000T0000Z-180415T2315Z/
Campbell VA-Pittsylvania VA-Bedford VA-
641 PM EDT SUN APR 15 2018

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 715 PM EDT FOR 
CAMPBELL...NORTHEASTERN PITTSYLVANIA AND SOUTHEASTERN BEDFORD
COUNTIES...
    
At 640 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located over Hurt, moving north at 60 mph.

HAZARD...Tornado and quarter 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. 

Locations impacted include...
Altavista...
Hurt...
Huddleston...
Rustburg...
and Evington.

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.

When it is safe to do so, please send your reports of hail of any
size, as well as reports of any wind damage, including downed trees
or large limbs, to the National Weather Service by calling toll free
at 1...8 6 6...2 1 5...4 3 2 4. Reports and pictures can also be
shared on the National Weather Service Blacksburg Facebook page and
on Twitter.

&&

LAT...LON 3692 7913 3697 7939 3715 7952 3716 7951
      3734 7937 3731 7895 3729 7894 3705 7907
      3706 7909
TIME...MOT...LOC 2240Z 197DEG 53KT 3708 7929 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...1.00IN

$$

PW

896 
WWUS51 KRNK 152249
SVSRNK

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service BLACKSBURG VA
649 PM EDT SUN APR 15 2018

VAC019-031-143-152259-
/O.CAN.KRNK.TO.W.0005.000000T0000Z-180415T2315Z/
Campbell VA-Pittsylvania VA-Bedford VA-
649 PM EDT SUN APR 15 2018

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR 
CAMPBELL...NORTHEASTERN PITTSYLVANIA AND SOUTHEASTERN BEDFORD
COUNTIES IS CANCELLED...
    
The tornado threat has diminished and the Tornado Warning has been
cancelled. However, large hail and damaging winds remain likely and a
Severe Thunderstorm Warning remains in effect for the area.

A tornado watch remains in effect until 1100 PM EDT for central,
south central and west central Virginia.

When it is safe to do so, please send your reports of hail of any
size, as well as reports of any wind damage, including downed trees
or large limbs, to the National Weather Service by calling toll free
at 1...8 6 6...2 1 5...4 3 2 4. Reports and pictures can also be
shared on the National Weather Service Blacksburg Facebook page and
on Twitter.

LAT...LON 3692 7913 3697 7939 3715 7952 3716 7951
      3734 7937 3731 7895 3729 7894 3705 7907
      3706 7909
TIME...MOT...LOC 2249Z 200DEG 39KT 3718 7925 

$$

PW

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Apr 15, 3:57 AM EDT	Flash Flood Watch	RNK	Alleghany, Bath, Bland, Botetourt, Carroll, Craig and 21 more	20 hr
Apr 15, 1:07 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Grayson, Smyth	38 min
Apr 15, 1:36 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Grayson	69 min
Apr 15, 1:45 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Tazewell	30 min
Apr 15, 2:12 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Carroll, Patrick	63 min
Apr 15, 2:34 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Bland, Wythe	56 min
Apr 15, 2:41 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Bland, Carroll, Grayson, Pulaski, Wythe, City of Galax and 1 more	64 min
Apr 15, 2:48 PM EDT	Areal Flood Advisory	RNK	Carroll, Grayson, City of Galax	3 hr
Apr 15, 3:33 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Carroll, Floyd, Franklin, Patrick, Pulaski	57 min
Apr 15, 3:43 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Giles, Montgomery, City of Radford	62 min
Apr 15, 3:57 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Botetourt, Craig, Floyd, Franklin, Giles, Montgomery and 5 more	63 min
Apr 15, 4:08 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Floyd, Henry, Patrick, City of Martinsville	67 min
Apr 15, 4:17 PM EDT	Areal Flood Advisory	RNK	Carroll	3 hr
Apr 15, 4:37 PM EDT	Areal Flood Advisory	RNK	Floyd, Montgomery, Pulaski, City of Radford	3 hr
Apr 15, 5:12 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Bedford, Botetourt, Floyd, Franklin, Henry, Patrick and 4 more	63 min
Apr 15, 5:45 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	RNK	Pittsylvania, City of Danville	45 min
Apr 15, 6:04 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Charlotte, Halifax, City of Danville	56 min
Apr 15, 6:12 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Amherst, Bedford, Botetourt, Rockbridge, City of Buena Vista, City of Lexington	78 min
Apr 15, 6:47 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford, Buckingham, Campbell, Charlotte and 3 more	88 min
Apr 15, 7:07 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	RNK	Amherst, Bedford, Campbell, City of Lynchburg	38 min
Apr 15, 7:34 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	RNK	Buckingham	26 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Virginia, 2018 Every tornado warning in 2018 Tornadoes in 2018

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.