1 tornado, as filed by the National Weather Service.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Wakefield, VA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Aug 7, 10:30 AM EST, 26 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA 1130 AM EDT THU AUG 7 2003 1ST VORT GETTING READY TO EXIT ERN SHORE...W/ NXT VORT ALNG VA/NC LINE S OF RNK...AND WILL MOVE A BIT SLOWER THAN 1ST VORT. RADAR SHOWS ALMOST CONTINUES STREAM OF SHRA W/ EMBEDDED TSTMS FROM ERN SHORE TO OFF SC COAST W/ LITTLE E-W MVNT. AS RSLT HAVE GONE CAT POPS FOR ERN 1/3 CWA...SCT POPS FOR SW 1/3 OF CWA AND LKLY POPS ELSEWHERE. FOR AREAS W/ LKLY AND AND CAT POPS KEPT TMPS IN 70S...XCPT IN SRN NC CNTS WHERE 80 IS STILL W/ IN REACH. IN SCT AREAS WILL RUN U70S-L80S. AS FOR CLD CVR UP CLD CVR IN CAT POP AREA TO CLDY. HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CONTINUE TO BE LIKE IT HAS BEEN THIS AM...A LOCALIZED ISSUE...SO WILL NOT GO W/ FFA...AND CONTINUE W/ SPS...FLS FOR URBAN/RURAL FLOODING....AND FFW IF NECESSARY. MARINE: MINOR CHNGS MALOIT PREV AFD BLW AFTER A BRIEF RESPITE...MORE RAIN IS ON THE WAY FOR THE REGION OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS. THIS AS THE UPPER TROUGH TO OUR WEST CONTINUES TO AMPLIFY (ONCE AGAIN) AS A RESULT OF THE BUILDING UPPER RIDGE OVER THE PLAINS/MS VLY. STLT WATER VAPOR IMAGERY SHOWS A WELL-DEFINED JET STREAK DROPPING INTO THE MID AND LOWER MS VLY. TODAY AND TONIGHT...GIVEN THE HIGH DEGREE OF MERIDIONAL FLOW...A BROAD AREA OF UPPER LEVEL DIVERGENCE/ QS VECTOR CONVERGENCE IS NOTED ACROSS THE MID ATLC REGION AS WE REMAIN E OF THE TROUGH AXIS. THE AMPLIFYING TROUGH WILL DEEPEN THE MOIST SOUTHERLY FLOW THROUGH THE MID AND UPPER LEVELS...TAPPING THE GULF STREAM AND MAKING FOR OPTIMAL PRECIPITATION EFFICIENCY AS PWAT INDICES CLIMB TO NEAR 2. DECIDED TO HOLD OFF ON FLOOD WATCHES AS THE MODELS SHOW BEST MOISTURE/THETA-E ADVECTION (AND THUS QPF) TO OUR WEST AND SOUTH. NEVERTHELESS WILL HAVE TO KEEP AN EYE ON GULF STREAM CONVECTION LIFTING N ALONG THE NC/VA COASTS...GIVEN THE TROPICAL NATURE OF THE RAIN (HIGHER EFFICIENCY/RAINFALL RATES). FRIDAY...BOTH THE GFS/ETA SHOW A BREAK IN THE ACTION EARLY...THEN WITH ANOTHER ROUND OF UPPER DIVERGENCE AND ASSOCIATED LOW/MID LEVEL LIFT BY AFTERNOON LIFTING FROM THE SOUTH. GFS AND ETA DIFFER AS TO WHERE THE BEST LIFT WILL BE (ALONG VA/NC COAST PER ETA...OVER NW VA AND NRN WV PER THE GFS)...NEVERTHELESS GIVEN THE ORIENTATION OF THE TROUGH CONFIDENCE REMAINS HIGH THAT SHOWERS/TSTMS WILL BECOME NUMEROUS OVER THE FCST AREA ONCE AGAIN. SATURDAY AND BEYOND...MADE NO CHANGES TO THE PREVIOUS FCST...WHICH MAINTAINS RAIN CHANCES THROUGH THE PERIOD. BASED ON THE MOST RECENT MEDIUM RANGE MODEL RUNS THE PATTERN SHOWS NO SIGNS OF CHANGING THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK AS THE ABNORMALLY MERIDIONAL UPPER FLOW PATTERN CONTINUES WITH THE UPPER TROUGH EXTENDING DOWN THROUGH THE CENTRAL GULF REGION. THE LATEST EXTENDED GFS RUN CONTINUES TO SHOW SIGNS OF WEAKENING FLOW ALOFT BY MIDWEEK AS THE BAROCLINIC ZONE/JET STREAM LIFTS NORTH INTO NRN NEW ENGLAND. .PRELIMINARY TEMPS/POPS... SBY 84 71 83 71 / 50 60 50 60 OXB 81 71 81 74 / 50 60 50 60 WAL 84 71 82 72 / 50 60 50 60 FVX 80 68 85 69 / 60 60 50 60 RIC 82 70 84 71 / 60 60 50 60 PTB 82 71 86 71 / 60 60 50 60 AKQ 83 72 85 72 / 60 60 50 60 PHF 84 73 85 73 / 60 60 50 60 ORF 84 73 84 74 / 60 60 60 60 ECG 84 74 86 74 / 60 60 60 60 .AKQ... .MD...NONE. .VA...NONE. .NC...NONE. HURLEY
MDZ021>025-NCZ012>017-030>032-102-VAZ048-049-060>100-071600- HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA 538 AM EDT THU AUG 07 2003 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL AND EASTERN VIRGINIA... NORTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA...AND THE LOWER MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE. .DAY ONE...TODAY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BRING POCKETS OF HEAVY RAIN ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE REGION TODAY AND THIS EVENING...POSSIBLY RESULTING IN LOCALIZED FLOODING NEAR SMALL STREAMS AND IN POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN... NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED. THIS PRODUCT...ALONG WITH OTHER WATCHES...WARNINGS...ADVISORIES... AND STATEMENTS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN WAKEFIELD, VA CAN BE FOUND ON THE INTERNET AT THE FOLLOWING (LOWER CASE): WEATHER.NOAA.GOV/AKQ. HURLEY
VAZ087-088-071315- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA 827 AM EDT THU AUG 7 2003 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORM MOVING FROM NEAR EMPORIA TO SOUTHERN SUSSEX COUNTY... AT 827 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER EMPORIA...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 10 MPH. THE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR EMPORIA AIRPORT AT 840 AM EDT... COWIE CORNER AT 845 AM EDT...SLAGLES LAKE AT 850 AM EDT...GRIZZARD AT 900 AM EDT...JARRATT AT 910 AM EDT. OTHER LOCATIONS TO BE AFFECTED BY THE STORMS INCLUDE PURDY AND RADIUM. WIND GUSTS TO 35 MPH AND FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. RAINFALL RATES OF 1 TO 1.5 INCHES PER HOUR WILL CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS AND POSSIBLE LOCALIZED FLOODING IN LOW LYING AREAS. MALOIT && LAT...LON 3669 7775 3657 7758 3680 7725 3697 7747
NCZ012-VAZ092-071345- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA 911 AM EDT THU AUG 7 2003 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORM MOVING INTO NORTHEAST NORTHAMPTON COUNTY IN NORTH CAROLINA...AND SOUTHWEST SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY... AT 911 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 6 MILES SOUTH OF BOYKINS...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH. THE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR SHILOH AT 920 AM EDT... NEWSOMS AT 925 AM EDT...HANDSOM AT 935 AM EDT...STORY...AND... COURTLAND AT 940 AM EDT. OTHER LOCATIONS TO BE AFFECTED BY THE STORMS INCLUDE CONWAY...FRANKLIN...HUNTERDALE AND SEDLEY. WIND GUSTS TO 35 MPH AND FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. RAINFALL RATES OF 1 INCH PER HOUR WILL CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS AND POSSIBLE LOCALIZED FLOODING IN LOW LYING AREAS. MALOIT && LAT...LON 3650 7737 3639 7720 3672 7684 3686 7706
VAZ092-071430- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA 953 AM EDT THU AUG 7 2003 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORM MOVING INTO NORTHERN AND EASTERN SOUTHAMPTON COUNY... AT 953 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER COURTLAND...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH. THE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR HUNTERDALE AT 1000 AM EDT...SEDLEY AT 1005 AM EDT...VICKSVILLE AT 1010 AM EDT...BURDETTE AT 1015 AM EDT...BERLIN AT 1020 AM EDT...IVOR AT 1030 AM EDT.. WIND GUSTS TO 35 MPH AND FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. RAINFALL RATES OF 1 TO 1.5 INCHES PER HOUR WILL CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS AND POSSIBLE LOCALIZED FLOODING IN LOW LYING AREAS. MALOIT && LAT...LON 3669 7723 3658 7706 3686 7674 3700 7696
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED LANGLEY WIND OBSERVATION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
257 PM EDT WED AUG 06 2003
TIME(EDT) .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
1034 PM NEWPORT NEWS VA 79 MPH TSTORM WIND
08/05/03 CITY OF NEWPORT NEWS FAF METAR
0108 AM HAMPTON VA 67 MPH TSTORM WIND
08/06/03 CITY OF HAMPTON MEASURED AT LANGLEY AFB
FOSTER/DHRVAZ092-071515- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA 1043 AM EDT THU AUG 7 2003 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORM MOVING INTO NORTHERN SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY... AT 1043 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER COURTLAND...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 5 MPH. THE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR SEDLEY AT 1055 AM EDT...VICKSVILLE AT 1100 AM EDT...DORY AT 1110 AM EDT...BERLIN AT 1115 AM EDT. OTHER LOCATIONS TO BE AFFECTED BY THE STORMS INCLUDE IVOR. WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH AND FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. RAINFALL RATES OF 1.5 TO 2 INCHES PER HOUR WILL CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS AND LOCALIZED FLOODING IN LOW LYING AREAS. MALOIT && LAT...LON 3676 7723 3665 7705 3685 7682 3699 7703
VAZ072>078-083>085-071615- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA 1100 AM EDT THU AUG 7 2003 AT 1050 AM...WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS INDICATING HEAVY RAIN SHOWERS WITH EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS FROM CENTRAL VIRGINIA TO THE NORTHERN NECK...MOVING SLOWLY TO THE NORTHEAST AROUND 10 MPH. THE HEAVY RAIN COVERED AN AREA FROM NEW KENT COUNTY TO WESTMORELAND AND GLOUCESTER COUNTIES. THE HEAVIEST RAIN WAS IN A BAND OF SHOWERS AND EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS THAT EXTENDED FROM NEAR MANQUIN IN KING AND QUEEN COUNTY...TO WARSAW IN RICHMOND COUNTY...TO MONTROSS IN WESTMORELAND COUNTY. THE HEAVY RAIN WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT THIS REGION THROUGH 12:15 PM. RAINFALL RATES OF 1.5 TO 2.5 INCHES PER HOUR...ESTIMATED BY DOPPLER RADAR...WILL CAUSE EXCESSIVE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS AND POSSIBLE LOCALIZED FLOODING IN LOW LYING AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO AND OTHER LOCAL MEDIA FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES. FOSTER
The Norfolk radar (KAKQ), 54 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 15:56 UTC.
1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
Tornado (F1) damage occurred near Victory Boulevard and Running Man Trail, with a dozen or so trees down. Also, damage to 4 houses occurred due to trees snapping off and falling on the homes.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Virginia in 2003Every state in 2003This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Virginia, 2003Warnings in Virginia, August 2003
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5337446.