STORM2K

WWUS81 KAKQ 252126
SPSAKQ

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
525 PM EDT SUN JUL 25 2004

VAZ092-093-096-252200-
ISLE OF WIGHT VA-SOUTHAMPTON VA-SUFFOLK VA-
525 PM EDT SUN JUL 25 2004

...STRONG THUNDERSTORM WITH POSSIBLE FUNNEL CLOUD MOVING THROUGH
SOUTHWEST SUFFOLK...

AT 522 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER HOLLAND...MOVING WEST AT 5 MPH. THE STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR LEES MILL AT 550 PM EDT...FRANKLIN AT 600
PM EDT.

A FUNNEL CLOUD WAS REPORTED WITH THIS STORM WEST OF WHALEYVILLE AT
520 PM. THE FUNNEL CLOUD IS NOT EXPECTED TO REACH THE GROUND BUT
RESIDENTS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF A BRIEF
TOUCHDOWN.

RAINFALL RATES OF UP TO 2 INCHES PER HOUR WILL CAUSE PONDING OF
WATER ON ROADWAYS AND POSSIBLE LOCALIZED FLOODING IN LOW LYING AREAS.


Shouldnt that have been a tornado warning??

I am just going to take a guess here. I think they are referring to a cold-air funnel, a weaker version of a tornado. They can develop from weak thunderstorms even if the wind profile is favorable and the air aloft is very cold.

We get them in my area occasionally; however, rarely does a tornado warning (or even a severe thunderstorm warning) become necessary. They rarely touch the ground, and if they do, they produce very minor damage if any.

the term "strong thunderstorm" was also used in the statement

george_r_1961 wrote:the term "strong thunderstorm" was also used in the statement

Yep! "Strong", not "severe".

Why a tornado warning? There was no official touchdown.

A thunderstorm, doesnt have to be officially "severe" to produce a tornado. And a funnel cloud sighting is grounds for a tornado warning. We had a lot of heavy showers and thunderstorms yesterday..and anything like this that gets produced from convection should not be taken lightly.

Well that's why they are the pros, they get to decide when to issue the warning, and when not too...just part of the job.