Alert archive / Virginia / Tornado Warnings in 2024

Tornado Warning 13, NWS Blacksburg, VA

May 17, 2024Henry County, Patrick County, Virginia

NWS Blacksburg, VA issued this tornado warning at May 17, 2024, 6:29 PM EDT for Henry County, Patrick County, Virginia. It was in force for 18 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
May 17, 2024, 6:29 PM EDT (22:29 UTC)
Expired
May 17, 2024, 6:47 PM EDT
In force
18 min
Issued by
NWS Blacksburg, VA
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Radar indicated
Hail
0.75 in

Counties Henry County, VA, Patrick County, VA

The radar

The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 46 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:31 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.

The nearest sounding before it

Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC (KGSO), launched 12:00Z, 10.5 hours before the alert went out and 65 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 2024-05-17Temperature 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, Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC at 12:00Z on 2024-05-17The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 38 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
1194 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
30 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
38 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
41 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

339 
WFUS51 KRNK 172229
TORRNK
VAC089-141-172300-
/O.NEW.KRNK.TO.W.0013.240517T2229Z-240517T2300Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service BLACKSBURG VA
629 PM EDT Fri May 17 2024

The National Weather Service in BLACKSBURG has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Southwestern Henry County in south central Virginia...
  Southeastern Patrick County in southwestern Virginia...

* Until 700 PM EDT.

* At 629 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located over Critz, or near Spencer, moving northeast at 15
  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...
  Spencer...
  Sanville...
  Patrick Springs...
  Penns Store...
  Critz...
  and Horse Pasture.

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 3658 8015 3664 8021 3677 8006 3662 7995
TIME...MOT...LOC 2229Z 238DEG 11KT 3662 8013 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...<.75 IN

$$

BMG
2 follow-up statements
578 
WWUS51 KRNK 172237
SVSRNK

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service BLACKSBURG VA
637 PM EDT Fri May 17 2024

VAC089-141-172300-
/O.CON.KRNK.TO.W.0013.000000T0000Z-240517T2300Z/
Henry VA-Patrick VA-
637 PM EDT Fri May 17 2024

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM EDT FOR 
SOUTHWESTERN HENRY AND EAST CENTRAL PATRICK COUNTIES...

At 637 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located over Critz, or near Spencer, moving northeast at 15 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...
Spencer...
Penns Store...
Critz...
and Horse Pasture.

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 3659 8011 3662 8014 3665 8015 3673 8003
      3662 7995
TIME...MOT...LOC 2237Z 238DEG 11KT 3663 8010 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...<.75 IN

$$

BMG
291 
WWUS51 KRNK 172247
SVSRNK

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service BLACKSBURG VA
647 PM EDT Fri May 17 2024

VAC089-141-172257-
/O.CAN.KRNK.TO.W.0013.000000T0000Z-240517T2300Z/
Henry VA-Patrick VA-
647 PM EDT Fri May 17 2024

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHWESTERN HENRY AND EAST CENTRAL 
PATRICK COUNTIES IS CANCELLED...

The storm which prompted the warning has weakened below severe
limits, and no longer appears capable of producing a tornado.
Therefore, the warning has been cancelled.

&&

LAT...LON 3659 8011 3662 8014 3665 8015 3673 8003
      3662 7995
TIME...MOT...LOC 2246Z 238DEG 11KT 3665 8007 

$$

BMG

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 17, 4:23 AM EDTFlood WatchRNKAlleghany, Amherst, Appomattox, Bath, Bedford, Botetourt and 11 more28 hr
May 17, 4:44 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryRNKMontgomery2 hr
May 17, 6:14 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKHenry16 min
May 17, 6:55 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKHenry, City of Martinsville35 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Virginia, 2024Every tornado warning in 2024Tornadoes in 2024

Sources

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.