Alert archive / North Carolina / Tornado Warnings in 2021

Tornado Warning 12, NWS Blacksburg, VA

August 17, 2021Caswell County, North Carolina

NWS Blacksburg, VA issued this tornado warning at Aug 17, 2021, 2:18 PM EDT for Caswell County, North Carolina. It was in force for 32 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
Aug 17, 2021, 2:18 PM EDT (18:18 UTC)
Expired
Aug 17, 2021, 2:50 PM EDT
In force
32 min
Issued by
NWS Blacksburg, VA
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Radar indicated
Hail
0.0 in

County Caswell County, NC

The radar

The Raleigh/Durham radar (KRAX), 109 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 18:23 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
Aug 17, 2:18 PM EDTTSTM WND DMG2 Sw Topnot, NCONE TREE AND SEVERAL BRANCHES DOWN ON BURTON CHAPEL ROAD.

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

The nearest sounding before it

Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC (KGSO), launched 12:00Z, 6.3 hours before the alert went out and 63 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, Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC at 12:00Z on 2021-08-17Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 522 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 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, Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC at 12:00Z on 2021-08-17The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 77 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
522 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-5 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
593 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
26 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
77 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
99 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.1
Supercell composite
0.9

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

630 
WFUS51 KRNK 171818
TORRNK
NCC033-171900-
/O.NEW.KRNK.TO.W.0012.210817T1818Z-210817T1900Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service BLACKSBURG VA
218 PM EDT Tue Aug 17 2021

The National Weather Service in BLACKSBURG has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Caswell County in north central North Carolina...

* Until 300 PM EDT.
    
* At 218 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located over Hightowers, or near Jericho, moving northwest at
  25 mph.

  HAZARD...Tornado.

  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...
  Yanceyville...
  Bethel...
  Providence...
  Prospect Hill...
  Blanch...
  Leasburg...
  and Hamer.

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.

Heavy rainfall may hide this tornado. Do not wait to see or hear the
tornado. TAKE COVER NOW!

Locally heavy rain will quickly reduce visibility and result in
ponding of water on roadways, standing water in low lying areas, and
minor flooding of creeks, streams, and areas of poor drainage.
Drivers are urged to slow down and use extra caution to avoid
hydroplaning.

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 3625 7933 3653 7951 3654 7951 3654 7923
      3635 7914 3624 7915
TIME...MOT...LOC 1818Z 146DEG 23KT 3633 7928 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN

$$

RAB
2 follow-up statements
897 
WWUS51 KRNK 171835
SVSRNK

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service BLACKSBURG VA
235 PM EDT Tue Aug 17 2021

NCC033-171900-
/O.CON.KRNK.TO.W.0012.000000T0000Z-210817T1900Z/
Caswell NC-
235 PM EDT Tue Aug 17 2021

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 300 PM EDT FOR 
NORTHERN CASWELL COUNTY...
    
At 234 PM EDT, a shower capable of producing a tornado was located 
over Hamer, or over Yanceyville, moving north at 25 mph.

HAZARD...Tornado.

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...
Yanceyville...
Bethel...
Providence...
Gatewood...
Blanch...
Hamer...
and Pelham.

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.

Heavy rainfall may hide this tornado. Do not wait to see or hear the
tornado. TAKE COVER NOW!

Locally heavy rain will quickly reduce visibility and result in
ponding of water on roadways, standing water in low lying areas, and
minor flooding of creeks, streams, and areas of poor drainage.
Drivers are urged to slow down and use extra caution to avoid
hydroplaning.

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 3634 7935 3653 7951 3654 7951 3654 7923
      3637 7918 3633 7924
TIME...MOT...LOC 1834Z 158DEG 23KT 3643 7931 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN

$$

RR
700 
WWUS51 KRNK 171850
SVSRNK

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service BLACKSBURG VA
250 PM EDT Tue Aug 17 2021

NCC033-171859-
/O.CAN.KRNK.TO.W.0012.000000T0000Z-210817T1900Z/
Caswell NC-
250 PM EDT Tue Aug 17 2021

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR 
NORTHERN CASWELL COUNTY IS CANCELLED...
        
The storm which prompted the warning has moved out of the area.
Therefore, the warning has been cancelled.

A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 700 PM EDT for north central
North Carolina...and south central and west central Virginia.

LAT...LON 3634 7935 3653 7951 3654 7951 3654 7923
      3637 7918 3633 7924
TIME...MOT...LOC 1849Z 146DEG 23KT 3651 7938 

$$

RR

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 17, 3:37 AM EDTFlash Flood WatchRNKAlleghany, Ashe, Surry, Watauga, Wilkes24 hr
Aug 17, 11:48 AM EDTTornado Warning Tornado observedRNKWilkes42 min
Aug 17, 12:35 PM EDTTornado Warning Tornado observedRNKWilkes, Yadkin40 min
Aug 17, 12:46 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKWilkes44 min
Aug 17, 1:19 PM EDTTornado WarningRNKWilkes41 min
Aug 17, 1:48 PM EDTTornado WarningRNKAlleghany, Wilkes42 min
Aug 17, 1:58 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKAlleghany, Caswell, Rockingham, Stokes, Surry, Yadkin32 min
Aug 17, 2:43 PM EDTTornado WarningRNKRockingham, Stokes32 min
Aug 17, 4:35 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKSurry25 min
Aug 17, 5:05 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKAlleghany40 min
Aug 17, 6:50 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKWatauga25 min
Aug 17, 7:13 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRNKWatauga8 hr
Aug 17, 7:54 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKAshe36 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in North Carolina, 2021Every tornado warning in 2021Tornadoes in 2021

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.