Tornado On the Ground just to the N and W of Norfolk/VaBeach

[hurricanedude]

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
453 PM EDT MON MAY 23 2005

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WAKEFIELD HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
SURRY COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST VIRGINIA

* UNTIL 530 PM EDT

* AT 450 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING
A TORNADO NEAR CABIN POINT...OR ABOUT 8 MILES WEST OF CLAREMONT...
MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

* THE TORNADO IS EXPECTED TO BE NEAR...
SPRING GROVE...SAVEDGE AND GWALTNEY CORNER BY 500 PM EDT...
SURRY AND ELBERON BY 515 PM EDT...
BEACHLAND...ALLIANCE AND CHIPPOKES STATE PARK BY 520 PM EDT...
BACONS CASTLE BY 525 PM EDT... A TORNADO IS ON THE GROUND!!!

HEAVY RAINFALL MAY OBSCURE THIS TORNADO. TAKE COVER NOW! IF YOU WAIT
TO SEE OR HEAR IT COMING...IT MAY BE TOO LATE TO GET TO A SAFE PLACE.

THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS IN A BASEMENT. GET UNDER A
WORKBENCH OR OTHER PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. IF NO BASEMENT IS
AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE BUILDING IN AN
INTERIOR HALLWAY OR ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO
COVER YOUR BODY AND ALWAYS STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A
SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE
NEAREST DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

PLEASE SEND YOUR REPORTS OF HAIL AND/OR WIND DAMAGE...INCLUDING TREES
OR LARGE LIMBS DOWNED...BY CALLING NOAA'S NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
TOLL FREE AT...1...800...7 3 7...8 6 2 4.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM EDT
MONDAY EVENING FOR EASTERN VIRGINIA.

LAT...LON 3723 7698 3712 7713 3699 7690 3712 7668

[george_r_1961]

i told southerngale an hour ago there was gonna be a tornado spawned out of this

[southerngale]

Yep, he sure did. Over an hour ago actually.

Hope all remain safe!!

[rainstorm]

please pray

[hurricanedude]

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
510 PM EDT MON MAY 23 2005

VAC181-232130-
/O.CON.KAKQ.TO.W.0002.000000T0000Z-050523T2130Z/
SURRY VA-
510 PM EDT MON MAY 23 2005

...A TORNADO WARNING CONTINUES UNTIL 530 PM EDT FOR SURRY COUNTY...

AT 508 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO. THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR ELBERON...OR ABOUT
NEAR SURRY...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
RUNNYMEDE...BEACHLAND...ELLIS FORK AND 8 MILES SOUTHWEST OF BACONS
CASTLE BY 515 PM EDT

THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS IN A BASEMENT. GET UNDER A
WORKBENCH OR OTHER PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. IF NO BASEMENT IS
AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE BUILDING IN AN
INTERIOR HALLWAY OR ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO
COVER YOUR BODY AND ALWAYS STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A
SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE
NEAREST DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM EDT
MONDAY EVENING FOR EASTERN VIRGINIA.

LAT...LON 3723 7698 3712 7713 3699 7690 3712 7668

[hurricanedude]

If I lived in Newport News, Hampton and Poquoson, I would begin taking some actions to prepare for at least destructive straight line winds and golfball sized hail

[southerngale]

George is in Newport News.

[rainstorm]

channel 10 had a live pic of the nado!!

[wlfpack81]

Glad that thing ran into stable air as it neared NNews. I'm from Hampton and my parents still live there. Tried to call my mom but no one was answering but thankfully the storm stayed west of Hampton and weakened a bit as well again thanks to that stable air east of the seabreeze boundary. If someone has a screen grab of the Wavy TV 10 pic please post it.

[george_r_1961]

There has been damage, some of it significant, across southeast Virginia today due to straight line thunderstorm winds. It is not yet known if the tornado in Surry caused any damage. This tornado was spotted by law enforcement and a news helicopter as well as indicated on doppler radar. I had been tracking the supercell that spawned the tornado for some time, maybe 30 minutes or so before the warning was issued, and had decided if this storm was either tornadic or was about to become tornadic. This was my first "catch" in a long time. Things have stabilzed here now and the severe weather threat appears to be over; the severe thunderstorm watch will be dropped shortly.