For the third day in a row, a major tornado outbreak is beginning in relation to a powerful cold front moving across the United States towards the Atlantic Ocean. The tornado outbreak today is centered over the Carolinas, and more specifically, all of central and eastern South Carolina, central and eastern North Carolina, and southern Virginia from Lynchburg east through Richmond and into the Hampton Roads/Norfolk area.
This watch has been labeled a Particularly Dangerous Situation by the Storm Prediction Center, denoting that tornadoes that form in these areas can be large, violent, and long-track.
This diary is part of the Severe Weather Liveblog group. If you post any cheap political/social shots towards those in the affected areas, you are at risk of being HRed. We are all human beings, regardless of political persuasion. Remember and respect that fact before you say something.
Update 10 357PM EDT
TORNADO EMERGENCY FOR RALEIGH, NC. Large wedge tornado moving straight into downtown Raleigh. Lots of damage reported. Neighborhoods and shopping centers reported destroyed. This is really, really bad. WRAL is knocked off the air, and none of the major news networks care enough to cut away from their fucking documentary-fest to cover this.
UPDATE 11 414PM EDT
I'm in tears with anger right now over the complete and utter irresponsibility of the major news networks right now. Props to the Weather Channel, and a big middle finger to the others. Irresponsible bastards.
There are reports of debris still raining down from the sky in Raleigh, and you can see the debris on the radar. A tornado is still on the ground northeast of Raleigh, moving towards Rollesville, Wake Forest, and Bunn NC.
Update 12 420PM EDT
[removed due to inaccurate information, see update 14 for retraction]
Update 13 431PM EDT
One of the reasons I've been really upset with this is because I was worried sick about triciawyse, but she just let me know that she's okay. That's a major relief like you wouldn't believe. I'm not used to getting this emotionally involved with a storm. There are still tornadoes on the ground in eastern NC, but there are so many that I can't upload the images in time.
UPDATE 14 441PM EDT
It's becoming apparent that the Tweet Jim Cantore retweeted was incorrect. There are not 70 people missing at a Lowes, thankfully. There are reports of a Lowes destroyed, however. Not sure if those are accurate.
UPDATE 15 446PM EDT
Here was the Lowes Hardware in Sanford NC. Image source is from a user on Twitpic.
UPDATE 16 603PM EDT
a church has collapsed in Berkely county (1+ / 0-)
South Carolina, at least six people injured.
It is bad enough that people are dying of AIDS, but no one should die of ignorance. ~Elizabeth Taylor
by GlowNZ on Sat Apr 16, 2011 at 04:59:47 PM CDT
UPDATE 17 656PM EDT
Thanks to
mollyd for posting this in the comments. This is the tornado that went through Sanford NC, and eventually went into Raleigh.
This is the Tornado Watch, which is in effect until 9PM. Storms are already firing across the area, so if you or someone you know lives in this area, keep an eye on the situation.
The highlighted counties are under the tornado watch.
As FishOutofWater has highlighted the last few days, here are a few of the parameters the SPC keeps an eye on for severe weather development. The first one is the tornado parameter, showing how favorable the atmosphere is for tornadic development in storms that form. The higher the number, the more ripe the atmosphere is for a tornado.
Although the atmosphere is more conducive for tornadoes in areas with higher values, they are certainly not limited to these areas. If you are in and around the watch area, you're at risk.
Here's the supercell index, showing how favorable the atmosphere is for producing supercell thunderstorms. A significant value is "2," and the highest area on this map is a 16, so there is 8 times more energy in the atmosphere than what's necessary to create a pretty serious supercell thunderstorm.
I'll use the area below for any updates as they come along this afternoon. Stay safe if you live in the area.
UPDATE 1 (1249PM EDT)
First off, my apologies if I screw up the time when I do these updates. I assure you I'll forget to convert from central to eastern at some point.
There is a tornado warning for Davie, Rowan, and Davidson Counties in central North Carolina for the next hour or so. Rotation coming up on radar north of Salisbury, moving east towards Lexington. I've circled the rotation in yellow.
UPDATE 2 (105PM EDT)
New tornado warning up for Union, Anson and Stanly Counties in NC, just east of Charlotte. Rotation in a storm southwest of Unionville, moving northeast. Again, rotation is circled in yellow.
UPDATE 3 (112PM EDT)
New tornado warning up for Hoke County in eastern NC. Rotation in the storm just west of Raeford, moving northeast at 50 MPH. I've visited a family friend in Raeford, it's a beautiful area in which you'll never see the tornado coming. That's the problem with lots of areas in the Carolinas -- don't wait until you can see the tornado, because by then it's too late.
UPDATE 4 (147PM EDT)
Tornado warning up for Randolph County in NC. The rotation will pass through Randleman in the next 15-20 minutes.
UPDATE 5 (157PM EDT)
Tornado warning up for Greene, Page, Augusta and Rockingham Counties, including the Cities of Staunton and Harrisonburg, in western Virginia. Well defined supercell moving through these areas with rotation. Can't get a good velocity image of the rotation due to the distance from all local radar sites, unfortunately.
There's also a tornado warning up for Lexington VA and surrounding areas, just southwest of this storm.
UPDATE 6 (201PM EDT)
Tornado warning for Rockingham & Caswell Cos. in NC as well as Pittsylvania and Halifax Counties in Virginia. Very strong rotation just east of Reidsville NC, moving northeast. Those I know in Reidsville doesn't see anything, though, but that doesn't mean there's not something there.
UPDATE 7 (206PM EDT)
The strongest rotation I've seen yet is about to move through Alamance County in NC, just north of Burlington. The green is wind moving towards the radar, and red is wind moving away. When they're bright and very close together like this, it indicates rotation.
UPDATE 8 (212PM EDT)
The SPC has upgraded eastern NC to a high risk for tornadoes. This only happens once or twice a year, showing how serious this situation is. No new tornado warnings other than the ones I posted in the last three updates.
UPDATE 9 (240PM EDT)
The most dangerous storm at this time is in north-central North Carolina entering Person County. A funnel cloud has been reported with the storm in Graham, NC. If you live in Person County, NC, including the City of Roxboro.
Here are some links, if you'd like to help out in this effort. I simply can't keep up with it anymore, I'm sorry. I'll keep trying to update, but it's going too fast. This is an historic event.
National Weather Service State College (Central PA)
National Weather Service Mount Holly (NJ/PA/DE area)
National Weather Service Sterling (Washington DC area)
National Weather Service Wakefield (SE VA)
National Weather Service Raleigh (E NC)
National Weather Service Outer Banks (OBX of NC)
National Weather Service Wilmington (SC & NC Coast)
National Weather Service Charleston (SC/GA Coast)
Storm Prediction Center
@wxbrad on Twitter
@JimCantore on Twitter
@iWitnessWeather on Twitter