Tornadoes and Hail in Virginia, August 9, 2000

A cold front moved across the region on the evening of the 9th. Thunderstorms that developed ahead and along the front produced winds in excess of 55 MPH, hail, frequent lightning, and isolated tornadoes. In Highland County, trees were downed in Monterey and across the county. A lightning fire destroyed a barn on Route 637 near Blue Grass. In Augusta County, several trees were downed and structures were damaged by high wind. A wind gust of 65 MPH was recorded in Staunton. Eight trees were downed onto city roads and seven trees were downed onto a golf course. One downed tree damaged a brick wall at the Woodrow Wilson Birthplace. Windows were blown out on two buildings and the roof of an apartment building was damaged. In Stuarts Draft, a downed tree damaged a house and a tractor and high wind removed the aluminum roof from a barn. In Waynesboro, trees and power lines were downed. In Rockingham County, trees and power lines were downed in Timberville, Elkton, Keezletown, and Rawley Springs. Some trees were felled across roads and one tree fell onto a car in Keezletown. Hail fell in Timberville. In Shenandoah County, an F0 tornado briefly touched down on property adjacent to Red Bank Road near Bowman's Crossing. The 15 yard wide twister started by sucking up water on the banks of the North Fork of the Shenandoah River. Next, it moved onshore and traveled north for two tenths of a mile. It downed or snapped five trees and flattened part of a corn field before dissipating. Straight line winds downed trees and power lines near New Market and Mt. Jackson. A wind gust of 42 MPH was recorded in Edinburg and hail fell in New Market. In Rappahannock County, trees were downed in Sperryville. In Page County, downed trees and power lines blocked roads in Stanley. A wind gust of 41 MPH was recorded in Luray where a downed tree punctures the roof of a house. In Albemarle County, several trees were downed. In Greene County, trees were downed in Standardsville. In Culpeper, trees were downed in Culpeper. In Madison County, an F1 tornado touched down just east of Madison. The 50 yard wide twister was on the ground for one half mile and caused nearly $15,000 in damage. It downed trees onto houses and one tree punched a hole into a roof. Two cars were hit by fallen trees and a barn was damaged. Straight line winds downed trees in Etlan and Madison. In Orange County, a wind gust of 45 MPH was recorded at the Orange County Airport. Trees and power lines were downed in Orange. In Frederick County, several trees and 20 power lines were downed from Hayfield to Shawneeland. Several roads were blocked by felled trees. Two houses were damaged by downed trees in Shawneeland. A barn roof and side were blown apart near Hayfield. Dime sized hail fell in Stephenson and Winchester. A tree was downed onto a power line on Amherst Street and lightning started an attic fire in Winchester where a wind gust of 40 MPH was recorded. Abrams Creek overflowed its banks in Winchester after one half inch of rain fell in 20 minutes. In Warren County, trees and power lines were downed in Warrenton and at the Warren County Airport. In Loudoun County, a wind gust of 66 MPH was recorded at the National Weather Service office on the north grounds of Dulles International Airport. In Fairfax County, downed trees were concentrated in the Centreville and Clifton areas. In Manassas, trees and power lines were downed and picnic tables and concession tents were damaged at an amusement park. In Stafford County, trees were downed in and near White Oak, Mountain View, and Widewater. A wind gust of 46 MPH was recorded at the Fredericksburg Airport.