Tornado Watch 480

Issued

Aug 31, 2021, 7:36 PM EDT (23:36 UTC)

Expired

Sep 1, 2021, 3:00 AM EDT

In force

7 hr

Issued by

the Storm Prediction Center

Strongest gust expected

60 kt

The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 105 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:36 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.

Two or more tornadoes

40%

One or more EF2 to EF5 tornadoes

20%

Ten or more severe wind reports

20%

One or more gusts of 65 knots or more

10%

Ten or more severe hail reports

5%

One or more hailstones of 2 inches or more

5%

Six or more combined severe hail and wind reports

30%

• Mesoscale Discussion 1663 Severe potential...watch possibleAug 31, 6:57 PM EDT
• Mesoscale Discussion 1665 Tornado watch 480Aug 31, 11:01 PM EDT
• Mesoscale Discussion 1666 Severe potential...watch possibleSep 1, 12:19 AM EDT

462 
WWUS20 KWNS 312333
SEL0  
SPC WW 312333
NCZ000-VAZ000-010700-

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Tornado Watch Number 480
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
735 PM EDT Tue Aug 31 2021

The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a

* Tornado Watch for portions of 
  Extreme north-central North Carolina
  Western and central Virginia

* Effective this Tuesday night and Wednesday morning from 735 PM
  until 300 AM EDT.

* Primary threats include...
  A couple tornadoes possible
  Isolated damaging wind gusts to 70 mph possible

SUMMARY...One supercell formed and quickly became tornadic in the
Blacksburg area in the past hour, and overall tornado potential
should increase through the evening.  The threat should spread
northeastward over the watch area, as additional thunderstorms
develop in a favorably unstable air mass and interact with a
warm-frontal zone, where low-level shear is maximized.

The tornado watch area is approximately along and 40 statute miles
either side of a line from 30 miles southwest of Roanoke VA to 40
miles east northeast of Charlottesville VA. For a complete depiction
of the watch see the associated watch outline update (WOUS64 KWNS
WOU0).

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

REMEMBER...A Tornado Watch means conditions are favorable for
tornadoes and severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch
area. Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for
threatening weather conditions and listen for later statements
and possible warnings.

&&

AVIATION...Tornadoes and a few severe thunderstorms with hail
surface and aloft to 0 inches. Extreme turbulence and surface wind
gusts to 60 knots. A few cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 500. Mean
storm motion vector 23025.

...Edwards

Tornado Watches in Virginia, 2021Every tornado watch in 2021

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.