RICHMOND, Va. (WTVR) – The National Weather Service in Wakefield concluded their storm damage survey Monday in Mecklenburg County. Even though this damage was caused by a severe thunderstorm that had a tornado warning on it, and exhibited some characteristics of a storm capable of producing a tornado, the conclusion is that straight-line winds were responsible, not a tornado. Here is the report:
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA 325 PM EDT MON APR 22 2013 ...DOWNBURST/STRAIGHT LINE WIND DAMAGE CONFIRMED IN SOUTHWEST MECKLENBURG COUNTY... LOCATION...MERRIFIELD ACRES...3 MILES SE OF CLARKSVILLE VA DATE...04/19/2013 ESTIMATED TIME...452 PM ESTIMATED WIND SPEED...60 TO 70 MPH INJURIES...NONE DEATHS...NONE ...SUMMARY... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WAKEFIELD CONDUCTED A STORM SURVEY OF THE DAMAGE IN SOUTHWEST MECKLENBURG COUNTY SOUTHEAST OF THE TOWN OF CLARKSVILLE. INITIAL DAMAGE REPORTS AND RADAR SIGNATURES SUGGESTED A POSSIBLE TORNADO. HOWEVER...THE SURVEY REVEALED ALL THE DAMAGE WAS ASSOCIATED WITH STRAIGHT LINES WINDS/DOWNBURST. NUMEROUS TREES WERE DOWNED...A FEW OF THE TREES FALLING ON HOMES. TREES FELL IN A GENERAL WEST TO EAST DIRECTION...INDICATING THE WINDS WERE PART OF THE DOWNDRAFT ASSOCIATED WITH THE PARENT THUNDERSTORM. IN ADDITION TO THE WIND DAMAGE...A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF HAIL UP TO PING PONG BALL SIZE OCCURRED. THE LARGE AMOUNT OF HAIL CAUSED CONSIDERABLE FOLIAGE DAMAGE TO TREES...AS WELL AS TO THE SIDES AND ROOFS OF SOME HOMES.
You can also read this report HERE.
Stay with CBS 6, we’ll keep you ahead of the storm.
