April 27-28, 2011 Severe Weather

Mountain Snow and Heavy Winds in the Northwest; Fire Weather Conditions in California; Tropical Storm Rafael

A storm system is bringing strong winds and heavy mountain snow to the Cascades into the Northern Rockies. Santa Ana winds and dry conditions will support elevated to critical fire weather over coastal portions of California. Snow, strong winds, blizzard conditions, and high seas are impacting Southwestern Alaska. A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for the Florida Keys from Tropical Storm Rafael. Read More >

...EF-1 TORNADO CONFIRMED JUST SOUTHEAST OF HARRISONBURG VIRGINIA... LOCATION...KEEZLETOWN IN ROCKINGHAM COUNTY VA DATE...APRIL 28 2011 ESTIMATED TIME...3:55 AM TO 3:58 AM EDT MAXIMUM EF-SCALE RATING...EF-1 MAXIMUM WIND SPEED...90 MPH MAXIMUM PATH WIDTH...150 YARDS LENGTH...2.7 MILES BEGINNING LAT/LON...38.388N / 78.865W ENDING LAT/LON...38.416N / 78.832W * 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...TOGETHER WITH RADAR AND EYEWITNESS REPORTS DETERMINED THAT AN EF-1 TORNADO TRACKED JUST SOUTHEAST OF THE CITY OF HARRISONBURG ALONG BOYER ROAD. THE TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN ALONG OSCEOLA SPRINGS ROAD CAUSING TREE DAMAGE...THEN PROCEEDED NORTHEAST TO BOYER ROAD. THE TORNADO UPROOTED AND SNAPPED NUMEROUS LARGE TREES... UPROOTED MOST OF A PERSONAL APPLE ORCHARD...CAUSED STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO TWO HOMES BY LIFTING THEIR ROOFS...DAMAGED TWO BARN ROOFS...KNOCKED DOWN GRAVESTONES...DESTROYED A METAL SHED...AND MOVED A LIVESTOCK TRAILER SEVERAL FEET. THE STORM CROSSED US ROUTE 33 AND LIFTED WHEN IT REACHED THE RIDGE ADJACENT TO IT.