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-0 TORNADO CONFIRMED SOUTHEAST OF TRIANGLE VA... LOCATION...SOUTHEAST OF TRIANGLE VA NEAR THE STAFFORD COUNTY LINE DATE...APRIL 27 2011 ESTIMATED TIME...6:15 PM TO 6:22 PM EDT MAXIMUM EF-SCALE RATING...EF-0 MAXIMUM WIND SPEED...65 MPH MAXIMUM PATH WIDTH...UNKNOWN LENGTH...2.0 MILES BEGINNING LAT/LON...38.509N / 77.344W ENDING LAT/LON...38.539N / 77.296W * 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 TORNADO WAS OBSERVED BY A WEATHER OBSERVER AT QUANTICO AND WAS SEEN BY SEVERAL OTHER OBSERVERS AT A DISTANCE. ALTHOUGH A FUNNEL CLOUD WAS NOT IN CONTACT WITH THE GROUND DURING THE ENTIRE TORNADO...DEBRIS REPORTEDLY WAS LOFTED AND CIRCULATED BENEATH A PENDANT FUNNEL UNTIL IT DISSIPATED. THE PATH WAS DETERMINED BY TRIANGULATION FROM MULTIPLE VANTAGE POINTS AND RADAR DATA. THE TORNADO WAS LOCATED IN REMOTE WOODED PORTIONS OF QUANTICO MARINE CORPS BASE...SO ANY POTENTIAL DAMAGE INDICATORS WERE INACCESSIBLE. THE ONLY DAMAGE REPORTED WAS A FEW UPROOTED TREES ON THE MEDAL OF HONOR GOLF COURSE. BASED UPON THIS DAMAGE...A RATING OF EF-0 IS ASSIGNED...WITH MAXIMUM WIND SPEED OF 65 MPH. HOWEVER...A PATH WIDTH AND TRUE MAXIMUM WIND SPEED ARE INDETERMINATE OWING TO AN INCOMPLETE PATH SURVEY THROUGH INACCESSIBLE WOODED AREAS.