Warner declares state of emergency; apparent tornado hits Henry County
09/17/2004
By BOB LEWIS / Associated Press
Winds from Tropical Depression Ivan toppled trees and damaged buildings while rain posed the risk of flash floods and mudslides Friday in Virginia.
In the Henry County town of Fieldale, witnesses said an apparent tornado around 12:15 p.m. tore the roof off at least one business.
The National Weather Service reported apparent tornados near Roanoke and Bedford that flattened large trees and posted tornado warnings for several communities, including Fredericksburg and Charlottesville.
At the Fieldale Community Center, about five children who gathered there on a day off from school clustered in a bottom-floor bathroom as the storm roared through, Buster Ferguson, the center's director, said in a telephone interview.
That's the one....
MESOSCALE DISCUSSION 2238
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
0519 PM CDT FRI SEP 17 2004
AREAS AFFECTED...CNTRL MD...ERN WV PNHDL...NRN/ERN VA...DC...ERN NC
CONCERNING...TORNADO WATCH 833...834...
VALID 172219Z - 180015Z
THREATS FOR A TORNADO OR TWO WILL INCREASE FOR THE WASHINGTON D.C.AREA THROUGH 00Z. OTHERWISE...TORNADO WATCH 833 AND 834 WILL BE IN EFFECT THROUGH 00Z FOR THE REMAINDER OF CNTRL MD...ERN WV PNHDL...NRN/ERN VA AND ERN NC FOR THE THREAT FOR ISOLD TORNADOES. NEW TORNADO WATCHES WILL PROBABLY BE NEEDED BEFORE 00Z.
SEVERAL WELL-DEFINED SUPERCELLS HAVE BEEN MOVING NWD AT AROUND 25 KTS IN A BAND ARCING FROM THE EXTREME ERN WV PNHDL SWD INTO CNTRL VA. ANOTHER BAND OF TSTMS WAS BEGINNING TO APPROACH THE POTOMAC RIVER FROM NEAR STERLING SWD TO EAST OF FREDERICKSBURG AND WILL BE IMPACTING THE WASHINGTON D.C. AREA THROUGH 00Z.
FYI!!
My sister in Roanoke reported tornados around 2pm today. Took a roof off of an elementary school. luckly they had sent the kids home at noon.