Tornadoes · United States · Virginia · 2018

EF0 tornado, Lowesville to Woodson, Virginia, April 15, 2018

From Lowesville to Woodson, this EF0 tornado ran 1.5 miles across Amherst County on April 15, 2018, touching down at 7:38 PM EDT and reaching 75 yards wide. It killed nobody, and did $50,000 of property damage.

The rating scale

Tracks are drawn in the color of the rating. The Enhanced Fujita scale rates the damage rather than measuring the wind: the speeds are what that damage is taken to imply.

  1. EF065 to 85 mphthis tornado

    Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.

  2. EF186 to 110 mph

    Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.

  3. EF2111 to 135 mph

    Considerable damage. Roofs torn off well-built houses, frame homes shifted on their foundations, mobile homes destroyed, large trees snapped or uprooted, cars lifted off the ground.

  4. EF3136 to 165 mph

    Severe damage. Whole stories of well-built houses destroyed, large buildings badly damaged, trains overturned, trees debarked, heavy cars lifted and thrown.

  5. EF4166 to 200 mph

    Devastating damage. Well-built houses leveled, structures with weak foundations moved some distance, cars thrown and large missiles generated.

  6. EF5over 200 mph

    Incredible damage. Strong frame houses swept off their foundations, car-sized missiles thrown more than 100 meters, steel-reinforced concrete badly damaged, high-rise buildings deformed.

  7. Unrated

    The survey recorded a tornado but could not put a number on it, most often because it crossed open country and damaged nothing a rating can be read from.

The record

Rating
EF0
Date
April 15, 2018
Touchdown
7:38 PM EDT (23:38 UTC)
Lifted
7:41 PM EDT (23:41 UTC)
On the ground
3 minutes
Path length
1.5 miles (2.4 km)
Path width
75 yards (69 m)
Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$50,000
County
Amherst County
Touchdown point
37.724, -79.123
Lift-off point
37.742, -79.135
Record number
1804151738-01

The damage survey

17 damage points were recorded along this path by NWS RNK, in the Damage Assessment Toolkit the survey teams carry. The strongest indicator was rated EF3. The highest wind the damage implies is 150 mph.

  • One has with significant roof damage and partial collapse of walls on south side of hwy 103, with several large trees snapped.
  • Dozens of trees snapped or uprooted along High Peak and Matohe Rds, as well as Autumn Glory, and Wagon Trail.
  • Similar damage as previously described, including pine trees snapped and stripped of most limbs. High end EF2.
  • Another single story home with all exterior and interior walls collapsed, but questionable construction as far as attachment to foundation with single nails at times. High end EF2 despite initial appearance.

Survey points are preliminary and are the raw material the published rating was built from. Source: NWS Damage Assessment Toolkit.

What the Weather Service recorded

A strong cold front with a negatively-tilted upper level trough approached southwest Virginia. Plenty of wind shear with modest instability made conditions ripe for large hail, damaging winds, and tornadoes. The thunderstorms ahead of the cold front became strong enough to produce six tornadoes across portions of southwest Virginia. While the first tornado originally formed in Caswell County of North Carolina and crossed into Virginia, the other five all touched down in Virginia. These tornadoes caused significant damage within the cities of Danville and Lynchburg and within the town of Elon in Amherst County. It is the first time ever since storm data records began in 1950 that a tornado struck inside the city limits of Lynchburg.

At 6:38 PM EST, a weak tornado touched down on the north side of Piney Mountain and just west of Indian Creek Road in a forested area about three miles west-northwest of Lowesville. It tracked toward the northwest and lifted at 6:41 PM EST about four miles west-northwest of Lowesville. The tornado only uprooted trees during its time on the ground.

From NOAA NCEI's Storm Events Database, the narrative the local forecast office wrote for Storm Data.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the tornado touched down, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Blacksburg, VA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the tornado touched down at Apr 15, 7:35 PM EDT, 3 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 15, 7:35 PM EDT, 3 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 15, 5:05 PM EDT, 2 hours 33 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Blacksburg VA
505 PM EDT Sun Apr 15 2018

NCZ006-VAZ034-035-044>047-058-059-162115-
Caswell-Bedford-Amherst-Pittsylvania-Campbell-Appomattox-Buckingham-
Halifax-Charlotte-
505 PM EDT Sun Apr 15 2018

...TORNADO WATCH 53 IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM EDT THIS EVENING...

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for north central North Carolina,
central Virginia and south central Virginia.

.DAY ONE...Tonight.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Tornado Watch.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday.

There is a low probability for widespread hazardous weather.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Weather spotters are encouraged to report significant weather
 conditions according to Standard Operating Procedures.

NCZ001>003-018>020-VAZ009>017-019-020-WVZ044-162115-
Ashe-Alleghany NC-Surry-Watauga-Wilkes-Yadkin-Smyth-Bland-Giles-
Wythe-Pulaski-Montgomery-Grayson-Carroll-Floyd-Alleghany VA-Bath-
Monroe-
505 PM EDT Sun Apr 15 2018

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT TONIGHT...

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for north central North Carolina,
northwest North Carolina, southwest Virginia, west central Virginia
and southeast West Virginia.

.DAY ONE...Tonight.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Flash Flood Watch.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday.

Northwest winds could gust as high as 45 to 50 mph Monday.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Weather spotters are encouraged to report significant weather
 conditions according to Standard Operating Procedures.

VAZ007-WVZ042-043-507-508-162115-
Tazewell-Mercer-Summers-Eastern Greenbrier-Western Greenbrier-
505 PM EDT Sun Apr 15 2018

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT TONIGHT...

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for southwest Virginia and
southeast West Virginia.

.DAY ONE...Tonight.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Flash Flood Watch.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday.

There is a low probability for widespread hazardous weather.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not expected at this time.

NCZ004-005-VAZ018-022>024-032-033-043-162115-
Stokes-Rockingham-Craig-Roanoke-Botetourt-Rockbridge-Patrick-
Franklin-Henry-
505 PM EDT Sun Apr 15 2018

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT TONIGHT...
...TORNADO WATCH 53 IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM EDT THIS EVENING...

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for north central North Carolina,
south central Virginia, southwest Virginia and west central
Virginia.

.DAY ONE...Tonight.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Tornado Watch.
   Flash Flood Watch.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday.

West to northwest winds may gust as high as 45 mph, especially close
to the Blue Ridge.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Weather spotters are encouraged to report significant weather
 conditions according to Standard Operating Procedures.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Apr 15, 7:21 PM EDT, 17 minutes before
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Local storm report, Apr 15, 7:29 PM EDT, 9 minutes before
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Local storm report, Apr 15, 7:30 PM EDT, 8 minutes before
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Local storm report, Apr 15, 7:33 PM EDT, 5 minutes before
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Local storm report, Apr 15, 7:37 PM EDT, 1 minute before
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Local storm report, Apr 15, 7:38 PM EDT, 0 minutes before
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The air that afternoon

The radiosonde launches on either side of the tornado, from the nearest station that was launching then, drawn and analyzed the way Storm Lab does: the same diagram, the same parcel and shear definitions SPC's mesoanalysis uses.

Roanoke, VA (KRNK), 12:00Z

11.6 hours before the tornado, 68 km from the path. April 15, 2018.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Roanoke, VA at 12:00Z on 2018-04-15Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel lifted from the surface. Mixed-layer CAPE 0 joules per kilogram, CIN -74600, lifted condensation level 881 meters above ground. Wind barbs in knots down the right edge.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed. The warm shading is its CAPE, the cool shading the inhibition it has to break through.
HodographHodograph, Roanoke, VA at 12:00Z on 2018-04-15The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers as a curve, rings every 10 meters per second labeled in knots. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 143 square meters per square second, 0 to 6 km bulk shear 44 knots.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. RM and LM are the right and left moving storms Bunkers' method gives; the shaded area is the 0 to 1 km storm-relative helicity.
Mixed-layer CAPE
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-74600 J/kg
Surface CAPE
15 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
881 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
44 kt
0-1 km bulk shear
24 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
143 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
148 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0
0-3 km lapse rate
5.0 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

Roanoke, VA (KRNK), 00:00Z

0.4 hours after it, 68 km from the path. April 16, 2018.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Roanoke, VA at 00:00Z on 2018-04-16Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel lifted from the surface. Mixed-layer CAPE 22 joules per kilogram, CIN -11, lifted condensation level 691 meters above ground. Wind barbs in knots down the right edge.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed. The warm shading is its CAPE, the cool shading the inhibition it has to break through.
HodographHodograph, Roanoke, VA at 00:00Z on 2018-04-16The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers as a curve, rings every 10 meters per second labeled in knots. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 113 square meters per square second, 0 to 6 km bulk shear 64 knots.1939587897117Sfc1 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. RM and LM are the right and left moving storms Bunkers' method gives; the shaded area is the 0 to 1 km storm-relative helicity.
Mixed-layer CAPE
22 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-11 J/kg
Surface CAPE
315 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
691 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
64 kt
0-1 km bulk shear
50 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
113 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
117 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.1
0-3 km lapse rate
5.7 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The surface observations

Waynesboro (W13), 42 km from the path, in the two hours either side.

Time (UTC)Temp (°F)Dew point (°F)WindGust (kt)Pressure (mb)Weather
00:00 UTC

From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of airport observations.

The radar

The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 128 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 23:35 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment, over the track

Reflectivity and velocity, decoded from the Level II archive in the browser. Volumes take a few seconds to open the first time.

This ground now

The live radar over the trackEvery 2018 tornado in VirginiaEvery tornado in Virginia since 1950Warnings in force in Virginia nowThe forecast where you are

The other tornadoes of April 15, 2018

18 more were confirmed in the United States that day.

DateTimeRatingWherePath (mi)Width (yd)DeathsInjuriesDamage
April 156:09 AM CDTEF0Bay, FL1.160$1,000
April 158:55 AM EDTEF1Decatur, GA0.531
April 152:03 PM EDTEF2Lexington, SC3.0200
April 152:15 PM EDTEF0Lexington, SC0.4100
April 152:16 PM EDTEF1Lexington, SC2.3150
April 152:46 PM EDTEF1Fairfield, SC4.2100
April 152:58 PM EDTEF0York, SC1.175$50,000
April 153:12 PM EDTEF0Pinellas, FL0.220$20,000
April 155:03 PM EDTEF1Craig, VA0.5150$124,000
April 155:07 PM EDTEF2Guilford, NC32.85005$67 million
April 154:51 PM CDTEF1City of Danville, NC to VA16.4175$3.8 million
April 156:10 PM EDTEF1Bedford, VA0.7100$200,000
April 156:16 PM EDTEF1Summit, OH0.125$25,000
April 156:56 PM EDTEF1Campbell, VA1.7400$100,000
April 157:00 PM EDTEF3City of Lynchburg, VA20.460012$20 million
April 158:12 PM EDTEF0Monroe, FL0.220$200
April 158:12 PM EDTEF1Monroe, FL0.960$4,000
April 1510:35 PM EDTEF1Wake, NC0.7100$150,000

What this means

Ratings are the survey's, read off the damage rather than measured; the rating scale is above. Tornado counts rise through the record as reporting improved, so a year in the 1950s is not comparable with one today except for the strongest tornadoes, which were always noticed.

Sources

NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, 1950-2025, the official record kept by NOAA's Storm Prediction Center.