April 16, 2011 Severe Weather

LOCATION...2 MI SW STUARTS DRAFT TO 2 MI N STUARTS DRAFT VIRGINIA
DATE...APRIL 16 2011
ESTIMATED START TIME...220 PM EDT
ESTIMATED END TIME...223 PM EDT
MAXIMUM EF-SCALE RATING...EF-1
MAXIMUM WIND SPEED...95 MPH
MAXIMUM PATH WIDTH...200 YARDS
LENGTH...4.1 MILES
BEGINNING LAT/LON...38.0182N / 79.0703W
ENDING LAT/LON...38.0637N / 79.0307W
* 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 GROUND SURVEY CONDUCTED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
BALTIMORE/WASHINGTON WEATHER FORECAST OFFICE IN STERLING
DETERMINED A TORNADO RATED EF-1 TRACKED JUST WEST OF STUARTS DRAFT
VIRGINIA. PEAK WIND SPEEDS WERE AROUND 95 MPH. THE TORNADO
PRODUCED DAMAGE TO 37 STRUCTURES AND DOWNED NUMEROUS TREES AND
POWERLINES. THE PATTERN OF DAMAGE AND EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS ALL
CONFIRMED THE OCCURRENCE OF A TORNADO.

INITIAL DAMAGE WAS NOTED IN THE CRANBERRY ESTATES NEIGHBORHOOD JUST 
OFF OFFLITER RD. THE TORNADO TRACKED NORTHEAST FROM THERE AND 
DESTROYED SEVERAL OUTBUILDINGS AND A BARN. NUMEROUS TREES WERE
TOPPLED AND WIRES WERE DOWN ALONG OLD WHITE HILL ROAD. A LARGE
TREE FELL ON A HOUSE OFF WHITE HILL ROAD. A LARGE STORAGE SHED WAS
DESTROYED AND MULTIPLE HARDWOOD TREES WERE TOPPED 10 TO 15 FEET
UP NEAR TWIN MILL AND CHURCHMANS MILL ROADS. A FARM COMPLEX OFF
TINKLING SPRING ROAD ALONG YODER CIRCLE LOST SEVERAL OUTBUILDINGS
AND TREES. THE DAMAGE ENDED NEAR GUTHRIE AND TINKLING SPRING
ROADS.

PRELIMINARY DAMAGE ESTIMATES FROM AUGUSTA COUNTY EMERGENCY OFFICIALS 
LISTED STORM DAMAGE TO 12 RESIDENCES...3 BUSINESSES...15 GARAGES 
SHEDS OR OTHER OUTBUILDINGS...2 MOBILE STRUCTURES AND 5 BARNS. 
PRELIMINARY DAMAGE COST IS ESTIMATED AT OVER 2.2 MILLION DOLLARS.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EXTENDS THANKS TO MEMBERS OF THE LOCAL 
STUARTS DRAFT FIRE DEPARTMENT AND AUGUSTA COUNTY EMERGENCY OFFICIALS
FOR THEIR ASSISTANCE IN CONDUCTING THE GROUND SURVEY.