Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Virginia, October 27, 2010

Name: Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Virginia, October 27, 2010
Start: 2010-10-27T02:00
End: 2010-10-27T23:20
Location: Virginia

October 27, 2010 · NWS AKQ · 9 events in 7 counties and zones

Scattered severe thunderstorms associated with a cold front produced damaging winds and three tornadoes across portions of central and eastern Virginia.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 1
Property damage: $1.6 million
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 9

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS AKQ wrote it up.

Scattered severe thunderstorms associated with a cold front produced damaging winds and three tornadoes across portions of central and eastern Virginia.

What forecasters said that day

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 Oct 27, 1:16 AM EST, 44 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Oct 27, 1:16 AM EST, 44 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Oct 27, 12:07 AM EST, 1 hour 53 minutes before

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In the hours before

Special weather statement, Oct 27, 1:33 AM EST, 27 minutes before

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The radar

The Raleigh/Durham radar (KRAX), 118 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 06:59 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 tornado, 3 thunderstorm wind, 1 funnel cloud. Local standard time, as filed.

Tornado, Mecklenburg

When: October 27, 2:00 AM EST to 2:15 AM EST
Where: Mecklenburg County, 2.31 mi E of Orgainville to 5 mi N of Skipwith
Rating: EF0
Path length: 1.25 mi
Path width: 100 yd
Property damage: $20,000
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey
Coordinates: 36.728, -78.538

National Weather Service Storm Survey confirmed a tornado occurred near the intersection of Skipwood Road and New Hope Road. Storm damage in the area was consistent with a high-end EF0 tornado with winds estimated at 70 to 80 mph. Numerous trees and power lines were knocked down, minor shed damage was incurred and several tree tops were twisted.

Thunderstorm Wind, Mecklenburg

When: October 27, 2:16 AM EST
Where: Mecklenburg County, 1.77 mi NE of Finchley
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: Amateur Radio
Coordinates: 36.670, -78.460

Large tree was downed and blocking the road on Route 58.

Funnel Cloud, Caroline

When: October 27, 3:42 PM EST
Where: Caroline County, 1.63 mi E of Farmers
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 38.070, -77.320

Funnel cloud was sighted just northeast of Bowling Green.

Thunderstorm Wind, Henrico

When: October 27, 4:00 PM EST
Where: Henrico County, 0.88 mi NW of Quioccasin
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: Fire Department/Rescue
Coordinates: 37.610, -77.590

Numerous trees and large branches were downed on Gaskins Road between Peppertree Drive and Della Drive. Large tree was downed on a house with structural damage on Della Drive. Two large trees were downed on Leewal Court with damage to a home and vehicle.

Tornado, Richmond (C)

When: October 27, 4:00 PM EST to 4:07 PM EST
Where: Richmond (C) County, 1.36 mi NNW of Richmond to 2.75 mi NE of Richmond
Rating: EF1
Path length: 2.36 mi
Path width: 200 yd
Continued into: Henrico, Va (AKQ)
Injuries: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $500,000
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey
Coordinates: 37.569, -77.455

Tornado downed trees and power lines, and produced some siding and roof damage to homes. Many structures sustained damage from the tornado, with the most significant damage occurring as a result of trees and/or large branches falling on homes. Several homes were declared uninhabitable as a result. Most of the damage was EF0 in intensity, with a few areas in the western half of the tornado path reaching low end EF1 intensity. Maximum wind speeds were estimated around 90 mph. The tornado moved from the City of Richmond into Henrico County.

Tornado, Henrico

When: October 27, 4:07 PM EST to 4:14 PM EST
Where: Henrico County, 0.87 mi NW of East Highland Park to 2.36 mi NE of East Highland Park
Rating: EF1
Path length: 2.77 mi
Path width: 200 yd
Continued into: Hanover, Va (AKQ)
Property damage: $500,000
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey
Coordinates: 37.577, -77.413

Tornado, Hanover

When: October 27, 4:14 PM EST to 4:20 PM EST
Where: Hanover County, 0.69 mi SSE of Mechanicsville to 2.21 mi WSW of Old Church
Rating: EF0
Path length: 6.23 mi
Path width: 200 yd
Property damage: $500,000
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey
Coordinates: 37.591, -77.366

Tornado downed trees and power lines, and produced some siding and roof damage to homes. Many structures sustained damage from the tornado, with the most significant damage occurring as a result of trees and/or large branches falling on homes. Several homes were declared uninhabitable as a result. Most of the damage was EF0 in intensity, with a few areas in the western half of the tornado path reaching low end EF1 intensity. Maximum wind speeds were estimated around 80 mph. The tornado moved into Hanover County from Henrico County.

Thunderstorm Wind, Northumberland

When: October 27, 5:55 PM EST
Where: Northumberland County, Wicomico Church
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $2,000
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 37.820, -76.380

Trees were downed.

Tornado, Southampton

When: October 27, 11:15 PM EST to 11:20 PM EST
Where: Southampton County, 1.83 mi N of Courtland to 1.87 mi NNE of Courtland
Rating: EF0
Path length: 0.25 mi
Path width: 50 yd
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 36.746, -77.065

An EF0 tornado destroyed a carport, overturned a shed and downed several trees. Debris was scattered toward the northeast about 100 yards.

What these are

Tornado: A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.
Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
Funnel Cloud: A rotating column of cloud extending from a thunderstorm that did not reach the ground.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Virginia in 2010 Every state in 2010 This day in weather history The tornado archive for Virginia, 2010 Warnings in Virginia, October 2010

Sources

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 266027, 265840, 265839, 265842, 266135, 266136, 266137, 265844, 266030.