Alert archive / Virginia / Tornado Warnings in 2026

Tornado Warning 2, NWS Blacksburg, VA

March 16, 20264 counties in Virginia

NWS Blacksburg, VA issued this tornado warning at Mar 16, 2026, 10:14 AM EDT for 4 counties in Virginia. It was in force for 31 min. 6 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 16, 2026, 10:14 AM EDT (14:14 UTC)
Expired: Mar 16, 2026, 10:45 AM EDT
In force: 31 min
Issued by: NWS Blacksburg, VA
Area: Storm-based polygon
Tornado: Radar indicated
Hail: 0.75 in

Counties City of Martinsville, VA, Franklin County, VA, Henry County, VA, Patrick County, VA

The radar

The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 49 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 14:14 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
Mar 16, 10:42 AM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	1 Nne Martinsville City, VA	Corrects previous tstm wnd dmg report from 1 NNE Martinsville City. Tree blown down onto power line on Fairy Street Extension. Time estimated from radar.
Mar 16, 10:42 AM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	1 Nne Martinsville City, VA	Tree blown down onto power line on Fairy Street Extension. Time estimated from radar.
Mar 16, 10:42 AM EDT	TORNADO	1 Nne Martinsville City, VA	An EF0 tornado was confirmed to have touched down near the intersection of Commonwealth Blvd and Fairy St. The tornado tracked approximately 0.5 miles east and lifted near the intersection of Chatham Heights Rd and Bob Gregory St. Maximum estimated winds of 80
Mar 16, 10:43 AM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	1 Nne Martinsville City, VA	Large power pole down on Stuart Street. Time estimated from radar.
Mar 16, 10:45 AM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	Martinsville City, VA	Roof shingles, some tree limbs and other debris reported around the City of Martinsville. Time estimated from radar.
Mar 16, 10:47 AM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	2 Nw Chatmoss, VA	Tree down blocking Chatham Road near its intersection with Philpott Highway. Time estimated from radar.

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
Mar 16, 8:54 AM EDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	5 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Roanoke, VA (KRNK), launched 12:00Z, 2.2 hours before the alert went out and 67 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: 139 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -14 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 902 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 47 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 232 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 233 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.2
Supercell composite: 4.7

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

882 
WFUS51 KRNK 161414
TORRNK
VAC067-089-141-690-161445-
/O.NEW.KRNK.TO.W.0002.260316T1414Z-260316T1445Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service BLACKSBURG VA
1014 AM EDT Mon Mar 16 2026

The National Weather Service in BLACKSBURG has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  The City of Martinsville in south central Virginia...
  Henry County in south central Virginia...
  Southeastern Patrick County in southwestern Virginia...
  Southeastern Franklin County in west central Virginia...

* Until 1045 AM EDT.

* At 1014 AM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a
  tornado was located over Critz, or 7 miles east of Stuart, moving
  east at 55 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...
  Martinsville...
  Spencer...
  Bassett...
  Axton...
  Snow Creek...
  Leatherwood...
  and Critz.

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 X.

&&

LAT...LON 3672 8021 3689 7974 3670 7967 3663 7969
      3663 7970 3658 8016
TIME...MOT...LOC 1414Z 253DEG 48KT 3667 8014 

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

$$

DS

1 follow-up statement

017 
WWUS51 KRNK 161433
SVSRNK

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service BLACKSBURG VA
1033 AM EDT Mon Mar 16 2026

VAC067-141-161442-
/O.CAN.KRNK.TO.W.0002.000000T0000Z-260316T1445Z/
Patrick VA-Franklin VA-
1033 AM EDT Mon Mar 16 2026

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR 
SOUTHEASTERN PATRICK AND SOUTHEASTERN FRANKLIN COUNTIES IS
CANCELLED...

The tornadic thunderstorm which prompted the warning has moved out 
of the warned area. Therefore, the warning has been cancelled.

A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 200 PM EDT for north central
North Carolina...and south central, southwestern and west central
Virginia.

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 1100 AM EDT for
southwestern Virginia.

&&

LAT...LON 3663 8002 3670 8002 3675 8003 3681 7987
      3680 7985 3674 7976 3663 7978
TIME...MOT...LOC 1432Z 256DEG 27KT 3671 7996 

$$

VAC089-690-161445-
/O.CON.KRNK.TO.W.0002.000000T0000Z-260316T1445Z/
City of Martinsville VA-Henry VA-
1033 AM EDT Mon Mar 16 2026

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1045 AM EDT FOR 
CENTRAL HENRY COUNTY AND THE CITY OF MARTINSVILLE...

At 1032 AM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located over Fieldale, or near Bassett, moving east at 30 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...
Martinsville...
Bassett...
Stanleytown...
Villa Heights...
Chatmoss...
Collinsville...
and Fieldale.

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 X.

&&

LAT...LON 3663 8002 3670 8002 3675 8003 3681 7987
      3680 7985 3674 7976 3663 7978
TIME...MOT...LOC 1432Z 256DEG 27KT 3671 7996 

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

$$

DS

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Mar 15, 9:59 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Patrick	31 min
Mar 16, 2:24 AM EDT	Winter Weather Advisory	RNK	Bland, Grayson, Smyth, Tazewell	39 hr
Mar 16, 5:46 AM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Tazewell	44 min
Mar 16, 6:14 AM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Halifax	46 min
Mar 16, 6:25 AM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Carroll, City of Galax	50 min
Mar 16, 6:39 AM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Bland, Smyth, Tazewell	36 min
Mar 16, 7:16 AM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Bland, Wythe	29 min
Mar 16, 7:19 AM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Carroll, Floyd, Henry, Patrick	41 min
Mar 16, 7:47 AM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Giles, Pulaski, City of Radford	28 min
Mar 16, 7:59 AM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Bedford, Floyd, Franklin, Henry, Patrick, City of Martinsville	61 min
Mar 16, 8:39 AM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford, Campbell, Halifax, Pittsylvania and 5 more	66 min
Mar 16, 9:27 AM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Carroll, Floyd, Patrick	63 min
Mar 16, 9:46 AM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	City of Lynchburg	29 min
Mar 16, 9:56 AM EDT	Tornado Warning	RNK	Patrick	34 min
Mar 16, 10:04 AM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Franklin, Henry, Patrick, City of Martinsville	41 min
Mar 16, 10:44 AM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Franklin, Henry, Pittsylvania, City of Martinsville	46 min
Mar 16, 10:48 AM EDT	Tornado Warning	RNK	Henry, Pittsylvania, City of Martinsville	27 min
Mar 16, 11:11 AM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford, Campbell, Halifax, Pittsylvania and 2 more	64 min
Mar 16, 11:15 AM EDT	Tornado Warning	RNK	Halifax, Pittsylvania, City of Danville	30 min
Mar 16, 11:56 AM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Appomattox, Buckingham, Campbell, Charlotte, Halifax	64 min
Mar 16, 4:40 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Amherst, Bedford, Botetourt, Floyd, Franklin, Henry and 8 more	80 min
Mar 16, 5:12 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Bedford, Floyd, Franklin, Henry, Patrick, Pittsylvania and 2 more	63 min
Mar 16, 5:54 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RNK	Appomattox, Buckingham, Campbell, Charlotte, Halifax, Pittsylvania and 1 more	96 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Virginia, 2026 Every tornado warning in 2026 Tornadoes in 2026

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.