Virginia Tornado Outbreak

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Virginia Tornado Outbreak

Date of tornado outbreak:	August 6, 1993
Duration1:	~ 5 hours
Maximum rated tornado2:	F4 tornado
Tornadoes caused:	18
Damages:	72millionNWS
Fatalities:
Areas affected:	North Carolina, Virginia
1Time from first tornado to last tornado 2Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita Scale

The Virginia tornado outbreak of August 6, 1993 was primarily unusual as a rare summer tornado outbreak in the Southeastern U.S., where tornado outbreaks are more common in the spring. A number of weak tornadoes were also reported in coastal eastern North Carolina.

The supercells responsible for causing the outbreak moved from North Carolina into southeastern Virginia, and quickly began to spawn numerous tornadoes. The first of these was spotted north of Kenbridge, VA, and caused F2 damage (see Fujita scale) on a 20-mile long path through northwestern Dinwiddie County.

Contents 1 Confirmed Tornadoes 2 Petersburg-Colonial Heights-Hopewell Tornado 3 Virginia and North Carolina 4 timeline 5 News 6 See also 7 References

[edit] Confirmed Tornadoes

Confirmed Total	Confirmed F0	Confirmed F1	Confirmed F2	Confirmed F3	Confirmed F4	Confirmed F5
18	4	9	2	2	1	0

[edit] Petersburg-Colonial Heights-Hopewell Tornado

Shortly thereafter, a strong F4 tornado touched down in the northeast corner of Dinwiddie County, and tracked northeast into the City Of Petersburg, VA. Along a 12-mile-long path, the storm caused $50 million in damage as it struck the historic district of downtown Petersburg, before crossing the Appomattox River into the City of Colonial Heights, VA. The storm, spectacularly visible, crossed busy I-95 (causing no injuries as it did so), struck and damaged Southpark Mall and the local Walmart store, crossed the Appomattox a second time, and then dissipated in the City of Hopewell, VA. From start to finish, this storm caused 4 deaths and 246 injuries. For a number of years afterwards, the remains of a damage swath (sheared, twisted and broken vegetation) through thick trees was visible along the west side of I-95 on the immediate north side of the Appomattox crossing. Perhaps one of the longest lasting reminders of the twister was on the Martin Luther King Jr. bridge between Colonial Heights and Petersburg. As the tornado had smashed through the historic district, it ripped a traffic light off of the bridge, and the snapped pillars remained until the bridge was replaced in 2002.

[edit] Virginia and North Carolina

Southeastern Virginia was then hit by a small swarm of smaller and weaker tornadoes, with the first supercell producing additional tornadoes in Chesterfield County, VA and southeast of the City of Richmond, VA. The Petersburg supercell spawned 4 additional tornadoes - 2 southeast of Richmond, and 2 more near the mouth of the Rappahannock River.

Elswehere, an F1 tornado damaged nearly 250 homes as it moved through the Cities of Newport News and Hampton, VA. F2 damage was seen in the southern part of the City of Chesapeake, and several F1 tornadoes were reported in Beaufort County, NC and in several locations around the Pamlico Sound area of North Carolina.

[edit] timeline

Time:11:43am(est)

• The tornado first touched down 1 mile northeast of Kenbridge in Lunenburg County at 1243 EDT, where roofs were blown off of a briquet plant and a furniture company building. Damage estimates in Lunenburg County were $300,000. The tornado moved northeast into southeast Nottoway County and strengthened. It leveled a barn, some outbuildings and trees on Route 46 near the west edge of Fort Pickett Military Reservation. Damages in Nottoway County were estimated at $100,000. It continued northeast into Dinwiddie County and the Fort Pickett Military Reservation where it did minimal damage. It moved northeast to the town of Ford where the most significant damage in the county occurred. It destroyed a house and a shed and knocked down numerous telephone poles, and large trees. The tornado tracked northeast into the southeast part of Chesterfield County and lifted about 5 miles west of Colonial Heights.Total damage was $5,000,000.It move for 38 miles! Luckly no one harmed! That cant be said for the next tornado

Time:12:30pm(est)

• The most devastating tornado of the day touched down one mile southwest of Petersburg at approximately 1330 EDT. This tornado rapidly grew in size and strength as it moved northeast into the commercial historic district of Petersburg. Numerous homes and businesses sustained major damage. Damage estimates for the area were $15 million. Forty people were injured. |The tornado crossed the river into Colonial Heights and struck one of the area's shopping districts. It destroyed some buildings and did major damage to numerous other buildings including the the Wal-Mart, where three people were killed and nearly 200 were injured. Total damage estimates in Colonial Heights were $29.5 million. |The tornado crossed the Appomattox River again into Prince George County where it struck a sand and gravel pit company. A block building collapsed and numerous vehicles and other equipment were destroyed. One person was killed. Damage estimates were $750,000. It then moved into the northern section of Hopewell, where it ripped into the Riverside Park Apartment Complex, tearing the roofs off of several buildings. Minor damage was done to another 49 homes, major damage to 13 homes and 2 were destroyed. The tornado weakened then dissipated near the confluence of the Appomattox and James Rivers. Eight people were reported injured and damage estimates were $2.2 million. 12miles of death and distruction! The F4 was the worst and strongest for VA!

Time:12:40pm

• The tornado touched down near Route 10, 4 miles north of Colonial Heights and moved northeast into the Rivers Bend subdivision. It produced widespread tree damage and only minor roof and window damage to the homes. It then moved across a bridge on Interstate 295 where it knocked over two tractor-trailer trucks and two smaller trucks. Five people were injured. |The tornado weakened as it moved northeast across southeast Henrico County and the northwest corner of Charles City County, dissipating in the western part of New Kent County.It traveled 14 miles

Time: 1:00pm

• A tornado touched down in the northwest part of Charles City County, 2 miles south southeast of Roxbury and moved northeast, crossing into the south central part of New Kent County about 1 mile north of Providence Forge. Numerous trees were uprooted or broken in both counties and in Charles City county several mobile homes were destroyed. Damages were estimated at $115,000. No harm to anyone! It live to go 7 miles!

Time: 1:15pm

• A weak tornado touched down 3 miles northeast of Providence Forge and moved northeast to 4 miles southeast of the town of New Kent. The tornado traveled through mostly wooded area knocking down numerous trees but doing very little damage to property otherwise. Life was short! 5 miles long!

Time: 1:20pm

• At about 1420 EDT, a tornado hit 4 miles west of Courtland. It uprooted trees, damaged a barn, and destroyed a shed. It move 1 mile!

Time:1:27pm

• A tornado hit the town of Sussex and moved northeast across the northern part of the county, hitting the southern part of Waverly and dissipated 2 miles east of Waverly. Trees were knocked down all along the path with the most significant damage in and near Waverly. Some houses were damaged in the south part of Waverly and a Peanut warehouse was destroyed just east of town.

Time: 1:35pm

• tornado struck 1 mile west of the town of Surry. An apartment building on Route 626 west of Surry was damaged. The roof of three units was blown off as well as siding stripped off. The tornado moved northeast knocking down trees along its path until it lifted near the James River 4 miles northeast of Surry.

Time: 1:50pm

• A tornado touched down 2 miles south southeast of Williamsburg on the banks of the James River, destroying a recreation building and bath house and snapping numerous trees. It then moved into a trailer park at Blow Flats Road where five mobile homes were rolled over and it continued northeast and destroyed a storage trailer and a large metal manufacturing building and numerous trees were downed as well, blocking highways. The tornado then moved into York County, hitting the southern section of the Naval Weapons Station damaging several buildings and knocking down trees, it then dissipated in the western part of Yorktown.

Time:1:52pm

• another tornado struck 1 mile west of the town of Surry. An apartment building on Route 626 west of Surry was damaged. The roof of three units was blown off as well as siding stripped off. The tornado moved northeast knocking down trees along its path until it lifted near the James River 4 miles northeast of Surry.

time: 2:00pm

• a tornado was sighted at the Franklin Airport. This is open area and no damage was noted.Thankfully!

time: 2:00pm

• a tornado moved northeast across the south-central part of the county. 50k in damage.

time: 2:10

• At about 1510 EDT a tornado hit the south part of Newport News. It moved northeast across the south part of the city and across the south part of Hampton. It knocked down numerous trees, damaged many homes and injured eight people in Newport News and two in Hampton. A reported 163 homes were damaged in Newport News, with costs at approximately $1.2 million. Approximately 85 homes were damaged in Hampton estimated cost about $700,000.

time: 2:15

• WIND DAMAGE!

tornado moved northeast through White Stone. Trees were broken and knocked down damaging homes.$5,000 damages

time: 2:15

• a tornado moved northeast through White Stone. Trees were broken and knocked down damaging homes. $500,000 damages

time: 2:30

• a tornado touched down in the north central part of the city. Four homes were damaged. Several trees were knocked down. Two homes under construction were knocked off their foundation.

time: 2:50 Possible tornado? or wind?

• a tornado was seen by several park personnel from Kiptopeke State Park. The tornado knocked down numerous trees, damaged several picnic tables, a 20-foot ornamental boat was thrown 120 feet. A construction trailer and another trailer were overturned. $5,000 DAMAGES!

time:2:50

• a tornado was seen by several park personnel from Kiptopeke State Park. The tornado knocked down numerous trees, damaged several picnic tables, a 20-foot ornamental boat was thrown 120 feet. A construction trailer and another trailer were overturned. Damages equalled $25,000 to $30,000.

time: 3:00

• a tornado moved through the Great Bridge area of Cheasapeake. It first struck along Hanbury Road near Great Bridge High School just west of Route 168 and moved east through Etheridge Manor and Etheridge Woods subdivisions. At least 35 homes were damaged. A brick two-car garage was flattened, several roofs were at least partially gone and numerous houses had the attic portion of the walls blown out. Numerous trees were blown down falling onto houses.

time: 3:45

• A tornado/waterspout was sighted moving east across the Back Bay toward the southern end of Sandbridge. At around 1645 EDT, A roof was blown off a house in the Sandbridge area. Two roofs were also damaged and a few trees were broken off.

[edit] News

The event was captured on tape by news crews in helicopters and on foot:

• WVEC
• WAVY
• WTKR

[edit] See also

• List of tornadoes and tornado outbreaks

[edit] References