March 10, 2011 Tornadoes

Back-to-Back Pacific Storms to Impact the West Coast; Heavy Snow in the Central Appalachians

Back-to-back powerful Pacific storm systems to impact the Pacific Northwest and northern California through the end of this week with heavy rain, flooding, strong winds, and higher elevation mountain snow. A strong, long-duration atmospheric river will accompany the Pacific storms, bringing excessive rainfall and flash flooding to southwest Oregon and northwest California through the week. Read More >

Tornadoes Confirmed in Bealeton and Chantilly, VA
March 10, 2011

000 NOUS41 KLWX 112251 PNSLWX DCZ001-MDZ003>007-009>011-013-014-016>018-501-502-VAZ025>031- 036>040-042-050>057-501>504-WVZ050>053-055-501>506-121100- DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA-WASHINGTON-FREDERICK MD-CARROLL- NORTHERN BALTIMORE-HARFORD-MONTGOMERY-HOWARD-SOUTHERN BALTIMORE- PRINCE GEORGES-ANNE ARUNDEL-CHARLES-ST. MARYS-CALVERT- EXTREME WESTERN ALLEGANY-CENTRAL AND EASTERN ALLEGANY-AUGUSTA- ROCKINGHAM-SHENANDOAH-FREDERICK VA-PAGE-WARREN-CLARKE-NELSON- ALBEMARLE-GREENE-MADISON-RAPPAHANNOCK-LOUDOUN-ORANGE-CULPEPER- PRINCE WILLIAM/MANASSAS/MANASSAS PARK-FAIRFAX- ARLINGTON/FALLS CHURCH/ALEXANDRIA-STAFFORD-SPOTSYLVANIA- KING GEORGE-NORTHERN FAUQUIER-SOUTHERN FAUQUIER-WESTERN HIGHLAND- EASTERN HIGHLAND-HAMPSHIRE-MORGAN-BERKELEY-JEFFERSON-HARDY- WESTERN GRANT-EASTERN GRANT-WESTERN MINERAL-EASTERN MINERAL- WESTERN PENDLETON-EASTERN PENDLETON- PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC 551 PM EST FRI MAR 11 2011 ...TORNADOES CONFIRMED IN BEALETON VIRGINIA AND CHANTILLY VIRGINIA... LOCATION...BEALETON IN FAUQUIER COUNTY VIRGINIA DATE...MARCH 10 2011 ESTIMATED TIME...617 PM TO 620 PM EST MAXIMUM EF-SCALE RATING...EF1 ESTIMATED MAXIMUM WIND SPEED...90 MPH MAXIMUM PATH WIDTH...75 YARDS PATH LENGTH...4 MILES BEGINNING LAT/LON...38.5750N / 77.7605W ENDING LAT/LON...38.6189N / 77.7013W * FATALITIES...NONE * INJURIES...NONE * THE INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT IS PRELIMINARY AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE PENDING FINAL REVIEW OF THE EVENT(S) AND PUBLICATION IN NWS STORM DATA. ...SUMMARY... AFTER AN EXTENSIVE REVIEW OF NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AND FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION WEATHER RADARS...GROUND OBSERVATIONS...AND A NWS GROUND SURVEY...THE BALTIMORE/WASHINGTON WEATHER FORECAST OFFICE OF THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS DETERMINED THAT A TORNADO STRUCK SOUTHERN FAUQUIER COUNTY. THE TORNADO WAS RATED TO BE A CATEGORY 1 ON THE ENHANCED FUJITA SCALE AND STRUCK DURING THE EVENING HOURS OF THURSDAY MARCH 10H...WITH ESTIMATED WIND SPEEDS UP TO 90 MPH. THE TORNADO FORMED WITHIN A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS THAT MOVED NORTHEAST ACROSS NORTHERN VIRGINIA THAT EVENING. THE TORNADO MOVED RAPIDLY NORTHEAST AND CAUSED POCKETS OF DAMAGE ALONG A 4 MILE TRACK. DAMAGE INCLUDED MULTIPLE TREES DOWN AND A COLLAPSE OF A WELL CONSTRUCTED BARN NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF ROUTE 28 AND OLD CAROLINA ROAD. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR THE REGION AT 1:25 PM. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS ISSUED WHEN CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR DAMAGING THUNDERSTORMS. THE BALTIMORE/WASHINGTON WEATHER FORECAST OFFICE ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING FOR THE AFFECTED AREA AT 6:14 PM. WHEN SECONDS COUNT...RECEIVING LIFE SAVING WARNINGS CAN BE ACHIEVED WITH A NOAA WEATHER RADIO. THESE CAN BE SET TO ALARM ONLY FOR LIFE THREATENING WATCHES AND WARNINGS FOR YOUR PARTICULAR COUNTY. FOR MORE INFORMATION...VISIT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/NWR THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WOULD LIKE TO THANK FAUQUIER DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT FOR THEIR ASSISTANCE IN THE SURVEY. && ...TORNADO CONFIRMED IN CHANTILLY VIRGINIA... LOCATION...CHANTILLY IN FAIRFAX COUNTY VIRGINIA DATE...MARCH 10 2011 ESTIMATED TIME...659 PM TO 703 PM EST MAXIMUM EF-SCALE RATING...EF0 ESTIMATED MAXIMUM WIND SPEED...65 MPH MAXIMUM PATH WIDTH...75 YARDS PATH LENGTH...4.5 MILES BEGINNING LAT/LON...38.8517N / 77.4508W ENDING LAT/LON...38.8986N / 77.3824W * FATALITIES...NONE * INJURIES...NONE * THE INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT IS PRELIMINARY AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE PENDING FINAL REVIEW OF THE EVENT(S) AND PUBLICATION IN NWS STORM DATA. ...SUMMARY... A NWS STORM SURVEY TEAM DETERMINED THAT A EF-0 TORNADO OCCURRED NEAR CHANTILLY IN FAIRFAX COUNTY VIRGINIA ON THURSDAY EVENING MARCH 10 2011. THIS TORNADO PRODUCED MINOR TREE DAMAGE ACROSS AN APPROXIMATE 4.5 MILE PATH. THE FIRST DAMAGE NOTED WAS NEAR THE SULLY STATION SHOPPING CENTER WEST OF BRADDOCK ROAD...WHERE THERE WERE MANY BROKEN TREE BRANCHES. AS THE TORNADO PROGRESSED TO THE NORTHEAST...PINE TREES WERE SNAPPED IN ELLANOR LAWRENCE PARK ALONG SOUTHBOUND VIRGINIA ROUTE 28. THE TORNADO CONTINUED ITS NORTHEAST TREK ACROSS ROUTE 28...WHERE MORE PINE TREES WERE FOUND SNAPPED IN THE WOODS OF LAWRENCE PARK NORTH OF THE WALNEY HOUSE. SPORADIC DAMAGE CONTINUED THROUGH THE SUBDIVISIONS SURROUNDING FROG BRANCH STREAM VALLEY PARK. THE MINOR TREE DAMAGE CONTINUE ACROSS US ROUTE 50 NEAR THE INTERNATIONAL TOWN AND COUNTRY CLUB. THE LAST OF THE DAMAGE WAS FOUND IN THE CAMERLEY SUBDIVISION BETWEEN FAIRFAX COUNTY PARKWAY AND WEST OX ROAD. THE BALTIMORE/WASHINGTON WEATHER FORECAST OFFICE ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING FOR THE AFFECTED AREA AT 6:58 PM. WHEN SECONDS COUNT...RECEIVING LIFE SAVING WARNINGS CAN BE ACHIEVED WITH A NOAA WEATHER RADIO. THESE CAN BE SET TO ALARM ONLY FOR LIFE THREATENING WATCHES AND WARNINGS FOR YOUR PARTICULAR COUNTY. FOR MORE INFORMATION...VISIT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/NWR $$