May 2, 2002 Bow Echoes and Non-tornadic Supercells

Widespread wind damage was observed from Farmville into Amelia and Nottoway Counties.  Note the bowing in the reflectivity signature through the Farmville area.

The base velocity radar imagery showed > 50 knots (58 MPH) of wind (note the color scale on top).

Wind damage was also observed around the tri-cities area from Colonial Heights and Petersburg through Hopewell and Prince George.  Base velocity radar imagery showed >64 knots (73 MPH) of wind (note the color scale on top).

   
  

The first supercell of the day was on the southern tip of the bow echoes (the bow echoes that produced the wind damage from Farmville through the tri-cities).  Supercell 1 tracked out of Halifax and Charlotte Counties, into Mecklenburg and Brunswick Counties.  Note the inflow notch and periodic appendage, characteristic of a possibly tornadic supercell.  Also note the high reflectivities above 24, 000 Ft and the overhang, seen in the reflectivity cross sections.  This storm did not produce a tornado in Mecklenburg or Brunswick Counties, but produced large hail.

 

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The storm-relative motion in supercell 1, showed some low-level rotation as it entered Mecklenburg County, but much of the rotation was gone soon after entering Mecklenburg County, and through Brunswick County.

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Vertically integrated liquid ranged between 65 g/kg and 80 g/kg, suggesting the presence of large hail.  In fact, hail up to the size of golf balls was reported in supercell 1.

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The second supercell of the day tracked just south of the first supercell.  Supercell 2 tracked out of Halifax and Charlotte Counties, into Mecklenburg and Brunswick Counties in Virginia, and then tracked through northeast North Carolina just south of the Virginia/North Carolina state border.  Note the inflow notch and periodic appendage, characteristic of a possibly tornadic supercell.  Also note the high reflectivities above 24, 000 Ft and the overhang in the reflectivity cross sections.  This storm did not produce a tornado from Mecklenburg and Brunswick Counties, through northeast North Carolina, but did produce large hail.

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The storm-relative motion in supercell 2  did not show clear low-level rotation during its track from Mecklenburg County, through Brunswick County and northeast North Carolina.

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Vertically integrated liquid ranged between 65 g/kg and 80 g/kg, suggesting the presence of large hail.  In fact, hail up to 3" in diameter was observed and measured around Clarksville in Mecklenburg County.  Quarter to golfball sized hail was reported for the remainder of the track of supercell 2.

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD,VA
100 PM EDT WED MAY 3 2002

TIME(EDT)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0215 PM    5 W PALMYRA               VA   WIND DAMAGE
05/02/02   FLUVANNA                       TREES DOWN NEAR THE
                                          FLUVANNA/ALBEMARLE COUNTY
                                          BORDER. 

0340 PM    COUNTYWIDE                VA   WIND DAMAGE
05/02/02   AMELIA                         TREE ON HOUSE NUMEROUS
                                          TREES DOWN ON POWER LINES
                                          REPORTED BY LAW
                                          ENFORCEMENT. 

0340 PM    COUNTYWIDE                VA   WIND DAMAGE
05/02/02   PRINCE EDWARD                  TREE ON HOUSE
                                          NUMEROUS TREES DOWN ON
                                          POWER LINES. REPORTED BY
                                          LAW ENFORCEMENT. 


0355 PM    COUNTYWIDE                VA   WIND DAMAGE
05/02/02   NOTTOWAY                       TREES DOWN EVERYWHERE
                                          REPORTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT


0355 PM    COUNTYWIDE                VA   WIND DAMAGE
05/02/02   AMELIA                         TREES DOWN EVERYWHERE
                                          REPORTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT

0400 PM    SKIPWITH                  VA   WIND DAMAGE
05/02/02   MECKLENBURG                    TREES DOWN REPORTED BY LAW
                                          ENFORCEMENT

0411 PM    BOYDTON                   VA   1.75 INCH HAIL
05/02/02   MECKLENBURG                    GOLFBALL SIZE HAIL
                                          REPORTED BY SPOTTER. 

0413 PM    CHASE CITY                VA   1.00 INCH HAIL
05/02/02   MECKLENBURG                    QUARTER SIZE HAIL.
                                          REPORTED BY SKYWARN
                                          SPOTTER. 

0422 PM    PETERSBURG                VA   WIND DAMAGE
05/02/02   PETERSBURG;                    SEVERAL TREES DOWN. SOME
                                          TREES ON POWER LINES. POWER
                                          OUT. 

0423 PM    COLONIAL HEIGHTS          VA   WIND DAMAGE
05/02/02   COLONIAL HEIGHTS               STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO
                                          FURNITURE STORE. SIDE OF
                                          BUILDING SEVERELY DAMAGED.
                                          REPORTED BY HAM RADIO
                                          SPOTTER. 

0425 PM    HOPEWELL                  VA   WIND DAMAGE
05/02/02   HOPEWELL;                      TREE ON HOUSE. REPORTED BY
                                          HAM RADIO SPOTTER. 

0435 PM    3 SW TALLEYSVILLE         VA   WIND DAMAGE
05/02/02   NEW KENT                       TREES DOWN. REPORTED BY
                                          HAM RADIO SPOTTER. 

0430 PM    3 NE PRINCE GEORGE        VA   WIND DAMAGE
05/02/02   PRINCE GEORGE                  LARGE TREE DOWN. REPORTED
                                          BY HAM RADIO SPOTTER. 

0430 PM    5 W DISPUTANTA            VA   WIND DAMAGE
05/02/02   PRINCE GEORGE                  LARGE TREE DOWN. REPORTED
                                          BY HAM RADIO SPOTTER. 

0450 PM    COUNTYWIDE                VA   WIND DAMAGE
05/02/02   SURRY                          SEVERAL TREES DOWN.

0500 PM    WILLIAMSBURG              VA   WIND DAMAGE
05/02/02   WILLIAMSBURG;                  TREES DOWN, TOPS OF TREES
                                          SNAPPED OFF NEAR COLLEGE OF
                                          WILLIAM & MARY. REPORTED BY
                                          HAM RADIO SPOTTER. 

0500 PM    3 SW WHITE MARSH          VA   WIND DAMAGE
05/02/02   GLOUCESTER                     TOP OF LARGE TREE BLOWN
                                          OUT. REPORTED BY HAM RADIO.

0500 PM    1 W WILLIAMSBURG          VA   WIND DAMAGE
05/02/02   JAMES CITY                     LARGE TREE DOWN. HOUSE
                                          DAMAGED WHEN TREE FELL.
                                          REPORTED BY SKYWARN
                                          SPOTTER. 

0500 PM    YORK                      VA   WIND DAMAGE
05/02/02   YORK                           *** 1 INJ ***
                                          SEVERAL TREES AND POWER
                                          LINES DOWN. STRUCTURAL
                                          DAMAGE TO SEVERAL HOMES AND
                                          TRAILERS. PORTION OF HWY 64
                                          CLOSED. REPORTED BY COUNTY
                                          EM. 

0505 PM    TABB                      VA   WIND DAMAGE
05/02/02   YORK                           SEVERAL TREES DOWN.
                                          REPORTED BY HAM RADIO
                                          SPOTTER. 

0505 PM    YORKTOWN                  VA   WIND DAMAGE
05/02/02   YORK                           TREES DOWN. REPORTED BY
                                          HAM RADIO SPOTTER. 

0510 PM    NEWPORT NEWS-WMSBG APRT.  VA   60 MPH TSTM WIND GUST 
05/02/02   NEWPORT NEWS;                  REPORT FROM KPHF ASOS.

0520 PM    1 S GLOUCESTER POINT      VA   65 MPH TSTM WIND GUST
05/02/02   GLOUCESTER                     65 MPH WINDS REPORTED AT
                                          COLEMAN BRIDGE. 

0525 PM    HAMPTON                   VA   64 MPH TSTM WIND GUST
05/02/02   HAMPTON;                       TREE LIMBS DOWN IN WILLOW
                                          OAKS AREA. REPORTED BY
                                          SKYWARN SPOTTER. 

0540 PM    SUFFOLK                   VA   WIND DAMAGE
05/02/02   SUFFOLK;                       NUMEROUS LARGE LIMBS DOWN.
                                          REPORTED BY SPOTTER. 

0555 PM    CLARKSVILLE               VA   3.00 INCH HAIL
05/02/02   MECKLENBURG                    DIME TO TEA CUP SIZE HAIL
                                          REPORTED BY SEVERAL
                                          SPOTTERS. 

0630 PM    SEABOARD                   NC   1.00 INCH HAIL
05/02/02   NORTHAMPTON                    REPORTED BY EMERGENCY
                                          MANAGEMENT 

0710 PM    SEABOARD                  NC   1.75 INCH HAIL
05/02/02   NORTHAMPTON                    GOLFBALL HAIL REPORTED BY
                                          SHERIFFS OFFICE. 

0820 PM    PENDLETON                 NC   WIND DAMAGE
05/02/02   NORTHAMPTON                    LARGE TREE ON HOUSE AND
                                          NUMEROUS OTHER TREES DOWN
                                          REPORTED BY EMERGENCY
                                          MANAGEMENT 

0825 PM    2 NW SOUTH MILLS          NC   1.00 INCH HAIL
05/02/02   CAMDEN                         REPORTED BY 
SPOTTER

0832 PM    COMO                      NC   60 MPH TSTM WIND GUST
05/02/02   HERTFORD                       ESTIMATED AND REPORTED BY
                                          SPOTTER 

0830 PM    MORGANS CORNERS           NC   WIND DAMAGE
05/02/02   PASQUOTANK                     MULTIPLE REPORTS OF TREES
                                          DOWN, COUNTY WIDE,
                                          BEGINNING AT 830
                                          PM.REPORTED BY EM 

0910 PM    CAMDEN                    NC   WIND DAMAGE
05/02/02   CAMDEN                         DOWNED TREES, COUNTYWIDE

0915 PM    ELIZABETH CITY            NC   WIND DAMAGE
05/02/02   PASQUOTANK                     TREES DOWN, COUNTY WIDE
                                          REPORTED BY EM 

0920 PM    ELIZABETH CITY            NC   65 MPH TSTM WIND GUST
05/02/02   PASQUOTANK