News Maker Brian Foley on the Skywarn weather course
A valley wide Skywarn course is being offered by the Warren County Fire and Rescue and National Weather Service.
This is an attempt to prevent property damage when bad storms arrive.
We spoke with Warren County Fire and Rescue’s Deputy Emergency Coordinator Brian Foley in our latest news maker.
News makers are brought to you by Warren County Together We are Community.
Brian tells us about the course and how it teaches basic weather technology.
He also tells us that the course is free and being held Dec. 16 at 6 p.m. at the Public Safety Building on 200 Skyline Vista Dr. Front Royal.
Brian explains where the course is held in Warren County anyone from neighboring counties is invited to the informative course.
For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.
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WCFR offer basic storm spotter training
Warren County Fire and Rescue (WCFR) announced that they are partnering with the U.S. National Weather Service (NWS) to provide free Skywarn basic storm spotter training.
After training weather spotters help keep their local communities safe by providing timely and accurate reports of severe weather to the NWS.
The practice can help reduce injuries and possibly even deaths along with preventing damage from serve weather.
The session will be at the Warren County Public Safety Building Community Room December 16 from 6 to 8 p.m.
The location is 200 Skyline Vista Drive Front Royal.
Registration is suggested and can be made here.
For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.
Frederick County Emergency Authorities respond to storm
Frederick County Emergency Services respond to what is being called a microburst storm.
At least 25 power poles were broken and as many power lines were toppled by what is being referred to as a microburst storm that struck portions of Frederick County Aug. 30.
Rappahannock Electric Cooperative reports that their crews and additional crews from surrounding regions had all but 20 customers’ power restored by 7 a.m. this morning Aug. 31.
At the peak of the damage as many as 4,000 electric customers were without power and Greenwood Road was closed to traffic.
Full recovery might still take time as a single pole’s repair can take several hours.
Frederick County Sheriff’s Office, Fire and Rescue, Virginia Department of Transportation and Rappahannock Electric Cooperative worked into the overnight to secure the scene.
Greenwood Fire Station was offered as temporary shelter but no one took advantage of the offer.
Those living along Greenwood Road were being assisted home by Frederick County Sheriff’s Deputies as the road remained closed due to poles laying across the road.
As always consider any downed wires as live and active and you should stay at least 10 feet away from them.
Always report any downed poles and wires to your power provider or call 911.
The national weather service has yet to call the storm a microburst or mini tornado but did report winds of better than 30 miles per hour ahead of the first call for service just past 2 p.m. yesterday afternoon.
For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.
NWS confirms 3 tornadoes in central Virginia
The National Weather Service (NWS) confirmed that 3 tornadoes struck Central Virginia on Thur. June 16.
The first struck Fluvanna and Goochland Counties with 75 mile per hour winds around 6:35 accompanied by 3 inch size hail causing significant damage.
The path of destruction was about 2 and a half miles long 75 yards wide.
The tornado was recorded as an EF-0.
A second EF-1 tornado was confirmed in Goochland County with 95 mile per hour winds at 23 miles in length and 150 yards wide striking at 7:05 p.m..
A third EF-0 tornado was confirmed in Goochland Fluvanna Counties as traveling approximately 24 miles in length and 75 yards wide.
That tornado recorded high winds at 75 miles per hour.
As many as 16 homes were damaged with widespread power outages.
For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.
NWS confirms a tornado in Bedford County Virginia
The National Weather Service (NWS) confirmed that an EF-2 tornado touched down in Bedford County.
The Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) reports that 35 structures received varying levels of damage.
Fifteen of those 35 structures were homes with three of those structures being destroyed.
Two minor injuries have been reported with county officials calling some of the damage catastrophic.
Total path of destruction is estimated to be over 6 miles long with a width of 330 yards.
Winds reached up to 135 miles per hour with the storm tracking in a north northeasterly direction from 7:25 to 7:36 a.m. May 27.
For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.
NWS confirms another tornado in Virginia
The National Weather Service (NWS) has confirmed at their website that an EF-0 tornado struck Rockbridge County Fri. May 6.
Strong straight line winds were reported with an EF-0 tornado embedded in them.
The winds struck just south of Fairfield Virginia and ran northward for a little more than a quarter mile ending north of Fairfield.
Winds were recorded at 85 miles per hour at the beginning dropping to 70 then to 60 miles per hour at the end of the path.
Damage occurred to the siding of a church and several barn outbuildings along with uprooted or broken trees along the path.
No injuries were report in the winds.
For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.
NWS confirms an EF-1 tornado in Augusta County
The National Weather Service (NWS) confirms that an EF-1 tornado struck Fishersville in Augusta County on April 26.
The storm produced 90 mile per hour winds cutting a path 6 miles long and 75 yards wide.
Trees were snapped and uprooted.
Significant damage was recorded at a barn with a farmhouse losing its metal roof.
Wood from the barn lofted and was carried approximately 125 yards to become embedded in the ground in several directions.
The storm traveled west to east and finally dissipated in Waynesboro but not before ripping a steeple off a church and dropping a large tree onto a home causing considerable damage.
The tornado touched down in Fishersville at 1:04 p.m. and dissipated in Waynesboro at 1:15 p.m..
The NWS reminds citizens to heed tornado warnings when they are issued.
For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.
NWS confirms tornadoes in Fairfax County
The National Weather Service (NWS) confirmed that an EF-0 tornado touched down Thursday Mar. 31 in Centreville.
The rating EF-0 is the lowest on the scale of intensity.
The touchdown lasted maybe a minute as the tornado went approximately 240 feet traveling east to west.
The tornado uprooted about 15 pine trees near Cub Run Elementary School.
No damage was observed by the NWS to nearby residences or structures.
Many of the trees were uprooted, snapped at the base or twisted 10 to 15 feet up as the tornado left the ground.
Another EF-0 tornado was than recorded at Tyson’s Corner damaging two gas stations at Chain Bridge Road.
No injuries were reported in either incident.
For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.
NWS warns of enhanced fire risk in VA.
The National Weather Service warns that low humidity and high winds of gust up to 30 miles per hour over the last couple of days will enhance fire risk.
Fires have been reported in several areas of Virginia over the last couple of days with many pushed by the current conditions.
Caution is advised when handling any machinery and be sure to properly dispose of any smoking materials.
The current conditions enhance the risk of a fire making it hard to control and difficult to contain.
Burn laws in Virginia remain in effect until Apr. 30.
Until then outdoor fires before 4 p.m. are discouraged.
For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.
NWS confirms a tornado touchdown in VA.
ABC News reports that the National Weather Service (NWS) confirmed Thurs. a tornado did touch down in Carroll County Virginia.
The EF-2 tornado struck Wed. night Mar. 23 at 9:45 leaving an almost 2 mile long 125 yard wide path in the county.
Winds were clocked at 122 miles per hour fortunately no injuries were reported.
The tornado did damage two homes and snapped trees.
Approximately 650 people were left without power in the wake of the storm in the Gladesboro area.
Citizens are reminded to take tornado warnings seriously and seek shelter when they are issued.
For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.