April 16, 2011- Tornado Damage Survey

Below is information on the storm damage surveys conducted by the National Weather Service in Wakefield, VA.

Appreciation is extended to county officials and property owners who allowed us onto their properties to document and photograph the damage they experienced.

Confirmed Tornadoes: EF:1 Dinwidde County, VA, EF:3-Bertie County, NC, EF-2 Isle of Wight, EF-1 Currituck County, NC, EF-3 Gloucester County[storm track includes Surry Co, crosses James&York Rivers and ends Mathews County], EF-2 Middlesex County, EF-1 Western Middlesex , EF-1 Lunenburg County VA, EF-1 Southampton County VA, EF-1 Northampton County, NC

Tornado #1- Dinwiddie County, VA

Picture 1- WWBT-TV

Tornado #2 & #3 - Bertie County, NC

Tornado #2

...BERTIE COUNTY NC TORNADO SURVEY RESULTS...

LOCATION...1 MILE SOUTH OF ASKEWVILLE NC NORTHEAST TO ABOUT 3
MILES EAST OF HARRELLSVILLE
DATE...april 16 2011
ESTIMATED TIME...655 PM
EF-SCALE RATING...EF3 /PRELIMINARY...PENDING FURTHER ANALYSIS/
ESTIMATED WIND SPEED...136 TO 165 MPH
PATH WIDTH...1/2 TO 3/4 MILE
PATH LENGTH...18.0 MILES
INJURIES...50 /ESTIMATED/
DEATHS...12 /CONFIRMED/


...SUMMARY...

TORNADO FIRST TOUCHED DOWN ABOUT 1 MILE SOUTH OF ASKEWVILLE
NC...DOING MINOR TREE AND BUILDING DAMAGE. THE TORNADO THEN TRACKED
CONTINUOUSLY FOR NEARLY 19 MILES...FINALLY LIFTING EAST OF
HARRELLSVILLE. FOR MUCH OF THE TORNADO`S LIFE...THE PATH WIDTH WAS
ONE HALF TO NEARLY 3/4 MILES WIDE. EF2 AND EF3 DAMAGE WAS WIDESPREAD
FROM JUST WEST OF ASKEWVILLE...NORTHEAST TO JUST WEST OF
COLERAIN...THEN GRADUALLY DECREASING AS THE TORNADO CROSSED INTO
HERTFORD COUNTY. NUMEROUS HOMES WERE DESTROYED...AND MANY OTHERS
SUFFERED VARYING DEGREES OF DAMAGE. IN ADDITION...THERE WAS
EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO TREES AND WOODED AREAS IN THE PATH OF THE
TORNADO.

A SPLIT IN THE TORNADO DAMAGE PATHS JUST NORTH OF COLERAIN SUGGESTS
THAT THE TORNADO UNDERWENT A CYCLIC RE-DEVELOPMENT...WITH 2
TORNADOES ON THE GROUND SIMULTANEOUSLY FOR A PERIOD OF ABOUT 5
MILES. THE SECOND TORNADO...WITH A DAMAGE PATH JUST TO THE EAST OF
THE ORIGINAL...STRONGER TORNADO...IS DETAILED BELOW.

&&

Tornado # 3

LOCATION...1 MILE NW OF COLERAIN NORTHEAST TO ABOUT 4 MILES EAST OF
HARRELLSVILLE
DATE...april 16 2011
ESTIMATED TIME...705 PM
EF-SCALE RATING...EF2
ESTIMATED WIND SPEED...111 TO 135 MPH
PATH WIDTH...300 TO 500 YARDS
PATH LENGTH...17.8 MILES
INJURIES...UNKNOWN
DEATHS...NONE

...SUMMARY...
A DISTINCT SEPARATION IN THE DAMAGE PATHS NW OF COLERAIN SUGGESTS 
THAT A SECOND TORNADO FORMED JUST NW OF COLERAIN...AND TRACKED 
NORTHEAST NEARLY PARALLEL TO THE ORIGINAL TORNADO. NORTH OF 
COLERAIN...THE TORNADO TRACKED PARALLEL RT. 45 FOR ABOUT 1 
MILE...THEN CONTINUED NORTHEAST IN SOUTHEAST HERTFORD COUNTY...JUST 
WEST OF THE CHOWAN RIVER. THE TORNADO CROSSED THE CHOWAN RIVER WHILE 
CONTINUING TO WEAKEN. THE FINAL VERY MINOR DAMAGE WAS NOTED A COUPLE 
MILES NORTHEAST OF HOBBSVILLE TO THE WEST OF ROUTE 32. IN THE BERTIE 
COUNTY PORTION OF THE SECOND TORNADO...SEVERAL HOMES AND OTHER 
BUILDINGS WERE DAMAGED. POULTRY HOUSES AND OTHER FARM EQUIPMENT WERE 
ALSO DAMAGED. MANY TREES DOWN OR SNAPPED OFF. MOST OF THE DAMAGE IN 
GATES COUNTY WAS TO TREES. NUMEROUS TREES WERE DOWNED...WITH MANY 
OTHERS SNAPPED AT THE TOP. A MOBILE HOME ROOF WAS BLOWN OFF...AND 
THERE WAS MINOR DAMAGE TO SOME FARM EQUIPMENT...AND A COUPLE OTHER 
HOMES. THE DAMAGE IN GATES COUNTY WAS EF0 AND EF1...WITH THE 
SEVERITY OF THE DAMAGE DECREASING AS THE TORNADO MOVED NORTHEAST.


Bertie County, NC Tornado Pictures - Taken by NWS Wakefield, VA


     

This is the view from       The corresponding 6:57 EDT SRM
KAKQ Radar at 6:57pm EDT    Imagery from KAKQ Radar (Wakefield)

Tornado #4 Isle of Wight County, VA 

0727 PM     TORNADO          1 SW ISLE OF WIGHT      36.90N 76.72W
04/16/2011                   ISLE OF WIGHT      VA   NWS STORM SURVEY


            NWS STORM SURVEY DETERMINED DAMAGE CONSISTENT WITH AN EF-2 TORNADO 
IN ISLE OF WIGHT COUNTY. THE TORNADO DAMAGE WAS ALONG A NEARLY 
CONTINUOUS 20 MILE DAMAGE PATH FROM EAST OF WALTERS TO JUST 
SOUTHWEST OF SMITHFIELD. MANY TREES WERE DOWNED...SHEARED OFF OR 
TOPPED. MORE THAN 2 DOZEN HOMES WERE DAMAGED...A FEW SUSTAINING 
SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE. SEVERAL FARMS WERE IMPACTED...WITH FARM 
EQUIPMENT PICKED UP AND TOSSED AROUND.

photo by Aaron Graham

Tornado #5 Currituck County, NC

...TORNADO CONFIRMED IN SOUTHERN CURRITUCK COUNTY...

LOCATION...NEAR HARBINGER
   DATE...april 16 2011
   ESTIMATED TIME...930 PM
   EF-SCALE RATING...EF1
   ESTIMATED WIND SPEED...86 TO 110 MPH
   PATH WIDTH...100 TO 200 YARDS
   PATH LENGTH...2.2 MILES
   INJURIES...NONE
   DEATHS...NONE

...SUMMARY...

TORNADO APPARENTLY MOVED INLAND OFF THE ALBEMARLE SOUND AND 
   CONTINUED EAST-NORTHEAST ACROSS RT. 158...AND THEN TOWARD CURRITUCK 
   SOUND. NUMEROUS TREES DOWN OR SNAPPED OFF. DAMAGE TO SEVERAL 
   COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS AND A FEW HOMES. VEHICLES WERE OVERTURNED...AND 
   SEVERAL BOATS WERE LIFTED ACROSS RT. 158.
 

Tornado #6 Surry County to Mathews County...including Gloucester County, VA

photos above by VA State Police

...SURRY JAMES CITY YORK GLOUCESTER AND MATHEWS COUNTIES SURVEY
   RESULTS...

LOCATION...FROM JUST SOUTH OF THE SURRY NUCLEAR POWER PLANT TO
   NORTHEAST OF ROUTE 14 IN MATHEWS COUNTY
   DATE...april 16 2011
   ESTIMATED TIME...645 PM TO 720 PM
   EF-SCALE RATING...EF3 /PRELIMINARY...PENDING FURTHER ANALYSIS...
   ESTIMATED WIND SPEED...136 TO 165 MPH
   PATH WIDTH...FROM 200 YARDS TO A HALF MILE
   PATH LENGTH...APPROX. 30 MILES
   INJURIES...24
   DEATHS...2

...SUMMARY...
   NWS STORM SURVEY DETERMINED THE DAMAGE WAS CONSISTENT WITH AN EF3
   TORNADO. THE TORNADO DEVELOPED JUST SOUTH OF THE SURRY NUCLEAR POWER
   PLANT AND THEN CONTINUED ACROSS THE JAMES RIVER AND THROUGH THE
   KINGSMILL SECTION OF JAMES CITY COUNTY. THE TORNADO THEN MOVED
   NORTHEAST ACROSS THE YORK RIVER INTO SOUTHERN GLOUCESTER COUNTY. THE
   WORST DAMAGE CONSISTENT WITH AN EF3 RATING WAS NEAR CLOPTON IN
   GLOUCESTER COUNTY. THE TORNADO THEN EVENTUALLY LIFTED IN
   SOUTHWESTERN MATHEWS COUNTY. THE TORNADO HAD A NEARLY CONTINUOUS
   DAMAGE PATH RANGING IN WIDTH FROM AROUND 200 YARDS TO AS MUCH AS A
   HALF MILE WIDE IN GLOUCESTER COUNTY. OVER 200 HOMES WERE DAMAGED
   WITH MANY OF THESE HOMES SEVERELY DAMAGED. NUMEROUS TREES WERE
   DOWNED OR SHEARED OFF.
 
Pictures - Taken by NWS Wakefield, VA

        

Tornado #7 Middlesex County, VA

...MIDDLESEX COUNTY SURVEY RESULTS...

LOCATION...FROM FISHING BAY SOUTH OF DELTAVILLE TO THE RAPPAHANNOCK
   RIVER
   DATE...april 16 2011
   ESTIMATED TIME...725 PM TO 740 PM
   EF-SCALE RATING...EF2
   ESTIMATED WIND SPEED...111 TO 135 MPH
   PATH WIDTH...A QUARTER MILE
   PATH LENGTH...3 MILES
   INJURIES...0
   DEATHS...0

...SUMMARY...
   NWS STORM SURVEY DETERMINED THE DAMAGE WAS CONSISTENT WITH AN EF2
   TORNADO. THE TORNADO DEVELOPED IN SOUTHEASTERN MIDDLESEX COUNTY
   ALONG THE PLANKATANK RIVER MOVING NORTHEAST THROUGH DELTAVILLE THEN
   OFF THE LAND AND DISSIPATING OVER THE RAPPAHANNOCK RIVER. 95 HOMES
   WERE DAMAGED IN DELTAVILLE WITH MANY BEING SEVERELY DAMAGED.
   NUMEROUS TREES WERE DOWNED AND MANY SHEARED OFF. THE TORNADO HAD A
   PATH WIDTH AROUND A QUARTER MILE ALONG ITS CONTINUOUS DAMAGE PATH.

 
Tornado #8 Western Middlesex County, VA 

Above image is interpretation based on report below. It is NOT tornado track but area of damage.

...WESTERN MIDDLESEX COUNTY SURVEY RESULTS...

LOCATION...CORBIN HALL FARM TO WARNER ROAD
   DATE...april 16 2011
   ESTIMATED TIME...630 PM TO 635 PM
   EF-SCALE RATING...EF1
   ESTIMATED WIND SPEED...86 TO 110 MPH
   PATH WIDTH...A QUARTER MILE
   PATH LENGTH...2 MILES
   INJURIES...0
   DEATHS...0

...SUMMARY...
   NWS STORM SURVEY DETERMINED THE DAMAGE WAS CONSISTENT WITH AN EF1
   TORNADO. THE TORNADO TRACKED FROM LAGRANGE CREEK TO FAMILY LANE.
   THIS TORNADO DESTROYED 1 HOME HOME AND A GRAIN SILO. NUMEROUS TREES
   WERE DOWNED AND SHEARED OFF. THE TORNADO HAD A PATH WIDTH AROUND A
   QUARTER MILE AND MAY HAVE HAD MULTIPLE VORTEXES IN THE MAIN FUNNEL.
 

 



Tornado #9 Lunenburg County, VA 

...LUNENBURG COUNTY TORNADO SURVEY RESULTS...

LOCATION...ROCKY MILL RD TO JUST SOUTH OF THE FALLS
   DATE...april 16 2011
   ESTIMATED TIME...330 PM TO 400 PM
   EF-SCALE RATING...EF1
   ESTIMATED WIND SPEED...86 TO 110 MPH
   PATH WIDTH...200 TO 300 YARDS WIDE
   PATH LENGTH...17.2 MILES
   INJURIES...0
   DEATHS...0

...SUMMARY...
   TORNADO DAMAGE WAS FIRST NOTED IN SOUTHWEST LUNENBURG COUNTY...NEAR
   THE MECKLENBURG COUNTY LINE...ON ROCKY MILL RD. THE TORNADO
   CONTINUED NORTHEAST TO THE EAST OF RT. 49 FOR ABOUT 17
   MILES...BEFORE LIFTING NEAR THE LUNENBURG/NOTTOWAY COUNTY LINE NEAR
   THE FALLS. MOST OF THE DAMAGE WAS TO TREES...WITH NUMEROUS TREES
   DOWN OR SHEARED OFF. A FEW HOMES WERE DAMAGED...AS WERE A NUMBER OF
   SHEDS AND OUTBUILDINGS. THE MOST INTENSE DAMAGE WAS NOTED IN
   VICINITY OF REHOBETH ROAD...SOUTHEAST OF REHOBETH. THE TORNADO THEN
   CONTINUED NORTHEAST ACROSS THE EAST AND NORTH SIDES OF VICTORIA.
   DAMAGE TO TREES AND OUTBUILDINGS WAS NOTED AT VICTORIA GOLF CLUB.
 

Tornado #10 Southampton County, VA

...SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY VA TORNADO SURVEY RESULTS...

LOCATION...SOUTH OF RT. 58 BETWEEN STATE ROUTE 659 AND 3 CREEKS RD.
   DATE...april 16 2011
   ESTIMATED TIME...550 PM
   EF-SCALE RATING...EF1
   ESTIMATED WIND SPEED...86 TO 110 MPH
   PATH WIDTH...200 TO 300 YARDS WIDE
   PATH LENGTH...2.0 MILES
   INJURIES...0
   DEATHS...0

...SUMMARY...
   STORM SURVEY CONDUCTED THIS AFTERNOON SHOWED THAT A BRIEF TORNADO
   TOUCHED DOWN IN SOUTHWEST SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY...PRODUCING EF0 AND
   WEAK EF1 DAMAGE. NUMEROUS TREES WERE SNAPPED OFF...AND A FEW
   STRUCTURES SUSTAINED DAMAGE. THE MOST SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE WAS TO A
   FARM EQUIPMENT SHELTER AND A ROOF ON A HOME.
 

Tornado #11 Northampton County, NC

...NORTHAMPTON COUNTY NC TORNADO SURVEY RESULTS...

LOCATION...JUST SOUTH OF ROANOKE RAPIDS TO JUST NORTH OF THE
   INTERSECTION OF I-95 AND RT. 46
   DATE...april 16 2011
   ESTIMATED TIME...525 PM
   EF-SCALE RATING...EF1
   ESTIMATED WIND SPEED...86 TO 110 MPH
   PATH WIDTH...200 TO 300 YARDS WIDE
   PATH LENGTH...6.5 MILES
   INJURIES...0
   DEATHS...0

...SUMMARY...
   STORM SURVEY CONDUCTED BY WFO RALEIGH INDICATED THAT A
   TORNADO...WHICH ORIGINALLY TOUCHED DOWN JUST SOUTH OF ROANOKE
   RAPIDS...MOVED NORTHEAST INTO NORTHAMPTON COUNTY. THE TORNADO
   PRODUCED EF1 DAMAGE...WITH A NUMBER OF TREES SNAPPED...AND SOME ROOF
   DAMAGE TO A HOME. THE TORNADO LIFTED JUST NORTH OF THE I-95 TO RT.
   46 INTERSECTION.