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2023 Virginia Beach tornado
2023 tornado in Virginia, U.S. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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In the evening hours of April 30, 2023, a rare and intense tornado struck portions of Virginia Beach, the largest city in the state of Virginia. The tornado inflicted heavy damage to dozens of homes, with wind speeds in the vortex reaching as high as 145 miles per hour (233 km/h). Despite heavy damage no casualties were recorded. The tornado prompted the closure of three schools in the area; Virginia Beach was put under a local state of emergency. Damage costs from the tornado totaled an estimated $15 million (2023 USD).
The tornado first touched down at 5:48 pm EST inflicting EF0 and EF1 damage to trees on River Road and the Broad Bay Estates residential subdivision. It reached EF2 intensity over Upper Chelsea Reach, where tree trunks were snapped. A home was initially deroofed on Haversham Close, before the tornado rapidly intensified while moving to the northeast over homes, inflicting EF3-rated damage to structures. A home on Haversham Close was shifted off its foundation, and several others sustained heavy damage. The tornado continued over residential areas at EF1 intensity, before briefy becoming a waterspout. The tornado then impacted Joint Expeditionary Base Fort Story before lifting at 5:48 pm EST.
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Advanced forecasting
On April 28, the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) outlined a "marginal", level 1-out-of-5 risk for severe weather in its Day 3 convective outlook. The risk area covered much of the East Coast of the United States, including the Tidewater region. The text product issued in conjunction with the marginal risk noted that "strong to locally severe thunderstorms will be possible Sunday across the eastern Carolinas into the Tidewater Region, and also across parts of Florida".[1] The Day 2 convective outlook, issued a day later on January 29, saw a "slight", level 2-out-of-5 risk outlined for the same area that was initially covered in the marginal risk. In addition to a slight risk area outlined for the Tidewater region, another slight risk area was outlined by the SPC for much of South Florida. A 5% chance of tornadoes was outlined for both slight risk areas, in addition to a 15% chance of damaging wind and 5% chance of damaging hail.[2]
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Tornado summary
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The tornado first touched down at 5:48 pm EST,[3] immediately snapping tree trunks on River Court at EF1 intensity. The tornado then crossed Catherine Court before entering into a residential area of Virginia Beach, continuing to uproot trees on River Road.[4][5] It then impacted the Broad Bay Estates Park, maintaining EF1 intensity over the Broad Bay Estates subdivision of homes. The tornado intensified as it tracked over Upper Chelsea Reach, inflicting EF2-rated damage to trees on Queens Elm Place and Duke of York Quay. It deroofed a home as it moved across Haversham Close, before rapidly intensifying over a bend of homes.[6]
Key
EF0 65–85 mph
EF1 86–110 mph
EF2 111–135 mph
EF3 136–165 mph
⎯ Center of the tornado
EF1 86–110 mph
EF2 111–135 mph
EF3 136–165 mph
⎯ Center of the tornado
One home sustained heavy roof damage at EF3 intensity, and another home to the north was shifted off its foundation by the tornado, at this point retaining peak wind speeds estimated to have been as high as 145 miles per hour (233 km/h). Several homes sustained wall failures; damage at Haversham Close was rated EF3 by the National Weather Service.[7] Further EF2 damage was inflicted to a home as the tornado moved off-shore, becoming a waterspout over the Broad Bay. It inflicted EF1-rated damage to trees and homes as it moved ashore on Windward Shore Drive. The tornado then tracked through the swamp located on the grounds of the First Landing State Park, before entering Joint Expeditionary Base Fort Story. EF1 damage was inflicted to trees and at least one low-rise building; at this point the tornado was weakening in intensity.[6]
The tornado crossed Atlantic Avenue and inflicted EF0 damage to a resident before lifting over Leyte Street and Leyte Circle at 5:54 pm EST. It was on the ground for 4.52 miles (7.27 km).[6]
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Aftermath
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Damage
Up to 100 homes were damaged by the tornado,[8][9] which prompted the closure of three schools, Frank W. Cox High School, Great Neck Middle School and John B. Dey Elementary School.[10] A state of emergency was put in place for Virginia Beach. Work crews from Dominion Energy and Virginia Natural Gas responded to the tornado damage.[11] The tornado was the strongest and largest to ever hit Virginia Beach,[12] receiving an EF3 rating on the Enhanced Fujita scale.[13] Due to its strength, ABC News and The Daily Progress described the tornado as "rare".[14][15] It was the first EF3 to hit Virginia since 2019,[16] and one of the most powerful to ever hit within the city limits of Virginia Beach.[15]
Despite heavy damage to homes and other structures, no serious injuries or fatalities were recorded.[17] Monetary damage estimates from the tornado totaled $15 million (2023 USD).[18] Damage from Joint Expeditionary Base Fort Story alone totaled $3 million (2023 USD).[19] On base, 56 soldiers were displaced.[20] The Great Neck Recreation Center was utilized as a post-tornado shelter for residents of Virginia Beach immediately following the event.[21]
In an April 2024 publication of The Virginian-Pilot, it was noted that "the recovery efforts were textbook examples of a successful emergency response".[22]
See also
References
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